Homemade Croutons
Say goodbye to the stale store-bought croutons that taste like cardboard. Homemade croutons are one of the easiest things to make and are a great way to use up bread. These crunchies will take your salads and soups to the next level. From now on, you can have crispy croutons for (almost) free!
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Homemade Croutons Recipe
Salads can be boring, I know, so I am always looking for ways to jazz them up. Ever since I started making sourdough, I've been making my own croutons with leftover bread, and my tasty leafy green salads have never been better.
Homemade croutons have made each salad so incredibly tasty. Seriously — why did I ever buy croutons at the grocery store? Making your own croutons is as simple as tossing cubed bread in olive oil and Italian seasoning and throwing them into the oven. That's really it!
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I love making a big ol' grilled chicken salad and topping it with a heaping serving of crunchy and flavorful fresh croutons and a drizzle of whatever dressing I have on hand. It tastes exactly like something I would order at a mom-and-pop restaurant, and that just brings a smile to my face!
Making a fresh batch of homemade croutons will forever ruin you for anything else. So fair warning! Once you make these, you just can't go back. (But that's okay because they're incredibly easy to throw together.)
Why You'll Love this Recipe
If you've ever gone to a local diner or deli-style restaurant and ordered a salad with those huge house-made croutons? The flavor and texture is always so good! Store-bought croutons just don't hold a candle to homemade.
- Don't let your stale bread go to waste! You can this easy homemade croutons recipe with stale bread and give it a new purpose. Reduce food waste and save a couple bucks along the way.
- DIY croutons take just a few minutes. While you build your salad, they can bake in the oven! (And then they'll be warm!)
- If you have dietary restrictions, you'll love making your own homemade croutons. You can make sure you use ingredients that fit your preferences and allergies, and then eat a good crouton that is safe for you!
Ingredients & Substitutions
These simple ingredients are all you need to make this easy crouton recipe. Five ingredients and a few kitchen tools to make the most tasty croutons: bread, oil, salt, black pepper and some kind of seasoning.
Bread: For the bread, it doesn't matter if you use homemade bread or bread from the store! It works with sandwich bread, ciabatta rolls or an artisan boule. Whatever you have is good! It can even be on the stale side.
Oil: Instead of olive oil, you can use any neutral-tasting oil such as avocado oil or vegetable oil. Melted butter is also delicious.
Seasonings: Try other flavors of herbs and spices to make these your own. Feel free to use dried herbs or some finely chopped fresh herbs (like rosemary, oregano, parsley or basil) in this recipe too.
Flavored croutons
Italian croutons: If you have Italian seasoning, you can use that to season the croutons. Homemade pizza seasoning would be good to season these crunchy little bites too! You could also throw in some Parmesan cheese for a little bite.
Garlic croutons Make garlic croutons by adding some garlic powder or fresh garlic into the mix when tossing the cubes of bread with oil and seasoning.
Type of Bread for Homemade Croutons
Croutons are really just super-crispy cubes of toast. Like toast, the kind of bread you use will get you different results. Some of my favorite end results with this recipe have been when I used a crusty loaf of bread. A loaf that is freshly baked and has a crispy and crunchy outer shell? Wow, it makes some good croutons!
There are many different types of bread you can use to make homemade croutons! Use what you have or try different ones 'til you find a favorite.
- Sourdough bread: If you love to make sourdough bread in your home, dice it up and use it in this recipe! But homemade bread is not necessary to have the best croutons.
- Sandwich bread: Grab a loaf of your usual sandwich bread at the grocery store, and then use some of that in this recipe. It can be whole wheat bread, rye bread or white bread.
- Baguette: A loaf of this classic French bread from the bakery section will make very crunchy croutons.
- Dinner rolls: Leftover dinner rolls make a great crisp crouton.
- Gluten-free bread: Make this recipe without gluten by using your favorite gluten-free bread!
You can use both fresh bread and stale bread to make fresh croutons. Just make sure to check leftover bread for mold before dicing it into bread cubes and using it in this recipe.
How to Make Homemade Croutons
Making homemade croutons is super simple!
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C), then line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set it to the side. Using a sharp knife or bread knife, cut slices of bread into evenly sized cubes.
- Then place them into a large bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and seasoning.
- Dump the seasoned cubes of bread onto the previously prepared baking sheet
- Spread them into a single layer, then bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until each bread piece is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Top your favorite salad with fresh crunchy croutons and enjoy!
How to Store Leftover Homemade Croutons
Allow croutons to cool completely to room temperature before storing. Transfer leftover croutons to an airtight container or zip top plastic bag. Store at room temp in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.
You can also freeze homemade croutons! Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to two months. Allow to thaw before eating.
Uses for Homemade Croutons
Of course, you can always use these crispy cubes of bread of a fresh green salad too! I especially love them on my grilled chicken salad (pictured here). Pair it with any of your other favorite salad toppings. But they have tons of other uses too!
Serve up these fresh and crunchy delights on a bowl of fresh tomato soup or loaded baked potato soup. They'd be tasty on my favorite minestrone soup too!
If your homemade croutons are nearing the end of their shelf life, throw them into a food processor and make some delicious bread crumbs! (Then use those in things like baked chicken meatballs or jalapeño popper dip — no waste here!)
Tips for Success
- Spread out the seasoned bread pieces into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet so that they bake evenly.
- If you do not have parchment paper, then grease the baking sheet well with non-stick cooking spray.
- Buy discounted day-old bread. A French baguette that is a day or two old will make perfect homemade croutons! Not to mention, you'll save a bit of money. Look in the bakery section of your grocery store.
FAQ
To keep the fresh croutons crispy and crunchy, make sure they are stored correctly. If you store in a plastic bag, be sure to squeeze all of the air out first. Storing in an airtight container will likely keep the croutons fresh a little longer.
If you end up with croutons that have not crisped up, you likely had too many cubes of bread on one baking sheet. Make sure that your sheet pan is large enough to spread the unbaked croutons out and leave space between them. If you don't, then the build up of heat could steam the bread keeping it soft and making the croutons soggy.
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Homemade Croutons
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed bread about ¼ standard loaf or 6 ounces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or pizza seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (20°C) and line a baking sheet in parchment paper.
- Slice your favorite bread into cubes using a sharp knife.
- Place the bread into a mixing bowl and add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- Toss the bread until evenly coated.
- Spread the unbaked croutons onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Allow to cool, then serve on top of your favorite salad or soup!
Nutrition
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