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

Plates of spicy edamame, beautifully cut sashimi and nigiri, panko-coated shrimp, and cooked-to-perfection sirloin and broccolini are all worth circling on the menu for future reference, as are the delicate strawberry and cheesecake mochi that round the sitting off. —Lauren Keith, Robb Report, 30 May 2026

Baking or air-frying onions with alternative breading (such as panko, almond flour, flaxseeds, or a blend of cottage cheese and egg) can improve their nutritional value. —Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 25 May 2026

But the star ingredient is the buttery garlic-and-herb panko that's a crunchy stand-in for sandwich bread. —Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 22 May 2026

Add the panko, sautéed vegetable mixture, and remaining 1 ½ tsp. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 May 2026

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

Rhymes for panko

• banco
• blanco
• manco