panko

noun

pan·​ko ˈpaŋ-(ˌ)kō  ˈpäŋ- 

plural panko

: crustless wheat bread made into crisp dry crumbs and used especially as a topping or coating for food

Panko turns a beautiful golden brown when it's cooked, and adds its crisp-sweet characteristics to foods that are pan-fried in shallow oil too.

—Sarah Fritschner

While run-of-the-mill bread crumbs are basically ground-up dried bread, panko is specially produced to turn out more like a coarse white flake than a crumb.

—Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat

Japanese panko … create a crunchy coating for fried dishes. They do so without giving a very "bready" or heavy taste since the panko crumbs are made with just the bread and not the bread crusts.

—Monica Bhide

The patty is breaded on one side with panko and sauteed before being presented with spring onions, green garlic and fava beans.

—Michael Bauer

Panko bread crumbs make an extra-crispy crust for breaded chicken or veal.

—Marlene Parrish

Examples of panko in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stir together panko and Parmesan in a third shallow bowl. —Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2024

Bread Cutlets Combine panko, parmesan, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2024

Artichokes can be added to pasta or skillet chicken dishes, mashed into a dip as an appetizer or snack, or roasted or baked with a breadcrumb or panko topping and served as a side. —Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 11 Oct. 2024

Local vegetables star in a Caesar-like chicory salad with tofu dressing and anchovy panko. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese, from pan "bread" (borrowed from Portuguese pão, going back to Latin pānis) + ko "flour, powder" — more at food

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above