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Quick Summary
Croutons-Learn how to make homemade croutons that are crunchy on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside, and SO much better than store bought croutons. Use in salads, soups, stuffing, and more!
I love a good salad, especially when croutons are involved, but not any old croutons will do. I don’t care for store bought croutons, but I LOVE homemade croutons. They are SO much better and SO easy to make, I promise.
Today, I am going to teach you how to make the best croutons in under 30 minutes. You can use them in salads, as a garnish for soup, chowder, chili, in your favorite stuffing, grind them up in a food processor to make breadcrumbs, and so much more!
You will never buy croutons again…and you will want to use them in anything and everything because they are so good! Promise me you will make this Caesar Tortellini Salad. It’s our favorite!
Bread-To make good croutons, you need to start with good bread. Use a crusty loaf of bread, like French, Italian, or Sourdough. Don’t use a regular loaf of sandwich bread. It is also best to use bread that is stale, that is at least a day or two old. So if you have stale bread sitting on the counter, don’t throw it out, make croutons! You can also use flavored breads to jazz up your croutons. Rosemary & olive oil, asiago cheese, or garlic are all great options. Don’t cut off the crust, the crust is what makes the croutons hearty and so delicious!
Olive oil AND Butter-I use olive oil and butter. You need to toss the bread cubes in olive oil so they will crisp up in the oven. I like to add melted butter too for added flavor. If you need the croutons to be vegan, you can use just olive oil.
Garlic Powder-I normally like to use fresh garlic, but with croutons, I like to use garlic powder so the garlic doesn’t burn in the oven and so all of the bread pieces are evenly coated with garlic.
Italian Seasoning-Italian seasoning adds great flavor to the croutons and we always have a jar in our pantry.
Salt and Black Pepper-Finish with salt and pepper for necessary flavor.
How to Make Croutons
You can make croutons in about 30 minutes and most of the time is oven time. The prep is easy and the results are SO delicious!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Cut the loaf of bread into 3/4-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Make sure the bread cubes are all the same size so the croutons cook evenly. You can also tear your bread if you want rustic bread cubes. I usually like to cut the bread with a bread knife to make sure they are the same size, but either way works!
Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and melted butter. Sprinkle the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the bread. Toss until all of the bread cubes are well coated.
Spread the bread cubes onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure the bread cubes are in an even layer and not touching. If they are too close and overlapping, they won’t cook evenly and won’t crisp up.
Bake for 12 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until the croutons are golden brown. Check early to make sure you don’t burn them. Time will depend on how thick your bread pieces are and how your oven cooks.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Warning, it is hard to walk by the pan and not grab a crouton or two…or a handful:)
How to Store
Store cooled croutons in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. You can also freeze croutons in a freezer bag or container for up to 6 weeks.
More Homemade Recipes
Homemade Pita Chips
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Homemade Pretzel Bites
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Homemade Granola Bars
Salads
Homemade Croutons
Learn how to make homemade croutons that are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and SO much better than store bought croutons. Use in salads, soups, stuffing, and more!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Cut the loaf of bread into 3/4-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and melted butter. Sprinkle the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the bread. Toss until all of the bread cubes are well coated.
Spread the bread cubes onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure the bread cubes are in an even layer and not touching.
Bake for 12 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until the croutons are golden brown. Check early to make sure you don't burn them. Time will depend on the thickness of your bread and your oven. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Cut bread into cubes, drizzle with olive oil and melted butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake the coated bread cubes, tossing them halfway through. Allow them to cool before enjoying them.
Homemade croutons will keep fresh for weeks when properly stored, so they're great for making ahead. To Store: Once the baked croutons have cooled completely to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container or large zip-top bag. Store them on the counter for up to 2 weeks.
Croutons: Yes, you can freeze them! Cube stale bread and toast it for a few minutes. Then, place the croutons into a resealable freezer bag and stow in the freezer. You can also freeze the uncooked bread cubes and toast them at a later time.
Croutons are made from toasted or fried bread, including white, wholemeal, sourdough and granary. Use them for a crunchy texture in salads, soups and more. Any kind of piece of bread that has been toasted or fried to crunchy crispness counts as a crouton.
Typically the cubes of bread are lightly coated in oil or butter (which may be seasoned or flavored for variety) and then baked. Croutons can also be cut into sticks. Some commercial preparations use machinery to sprinkle various seasonings on them.
Simply make your croutons, place them into a freezer-friendly bag or container, and store them in the freezer. Take them out to thaw and then you're ready to enjoy!
If you're baking your croutons, make sure they are well-spaced-out on a shallow tray to ensure they crisp evenly and they don't steam, causing them to become soggy. They also need to be in a single layer and not touching. If you're frying the croutons, toss the pan regularly to make sure they crisp evenly.
Commercially packaged croutons, due to their preservatives and packaging, can last significantly longer. They can often be stored at room temperature for several months without any noticeable degradation in texture or flavor.
Since a salad is typically a high-moisture dish, it's best to keep anything crispy or cheesy off until serving. Crispy items such as croutons or fried wontons will become soggy and cheese will become soft.
Almonds, walnuts, or pecans add a delightful crunch to salads and are rich in healthy fats and protein. They provide a nutrient-dense alternative to croutons, supporting heart health and satiety.
Why is it unhealthy? Croutons can add some delicious crunch to your salad, but they can also add calories. You might be surprised to learn that just a cup of croutons can add an estimated 120 calories to your salad, and that number goes up to 180 if they are the seasoned variety.
A. Regarding nutritional value, croutons and bread are practically identical. Therefore, croutons, especially those made from whole-grain bread, might provide limited health benefits. Moreover, most croutons have more sodium than your store-bought bread.
3: Don't let the bread get perfectly crisp in the oven
The croutons will continue to crisp up as they cool, so croutons that are perfectly crisp straight out of the oven will end up being rock hard when they cool. Those are the croutons that hurt your mouth to eat – no one likes that!
While I think the taste of dried bread is pretty pleasing in its own right, there's almost nothing in the snack aisle as delicious as the savory flavor of crouton seasoning, a melange of dehydrated salty Italian cheese (generally a Parm or Romano), garlic powder, parsley flakes, and other spices.
Using too high heat. You want golden-brown croutons — not blackened ones. Tossing the bread cubes into a super-hot pan means they'll burn instead of toast. Instead, cook the croutons over medium to medium-high heat.
When were croutons invented? We do not know where and how croutons originated, although most people believe they came from France in the 17th century, as the name crouton comes from a French word, 'croûte'.
Store-bought croutons, when unopened, can last for up to 6-8 months past the printed date on the package.Once opened, they can stay good for 1-2 weeks if stored properly. Homemade croutons have a shorter shelf-life, lasting about 1 week.
Much like any other dried foods placed in liquid, given enough time, the croutons will reconstitute -- softening and then becoming soggy. While this process happens quickly once wet ingredients are introduced to a salad, it can also happen slowly outside of the salad if your croutons aren't stored properly.
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