learn How to make croutons at home With this easy recipe, that delicious crispy, crunchy toasted exterior gives way to a slightly chewy interior. These croutons make a flavorful topping for salads, soups, and more, and are a delicious snack on their own. If you have extra bread on hand, make it Artisan Bread, ciabatta breador Homemade bread bowls.use it to make croutons!
A fresh green salad without croutons is like a peanut butter dessert without chocolate — disappointing and dull. 😉 This is especially true when it comes to homemade croutons, with their irresistibly crispy, crunchy, herb-infused, and perfectly oil-kissed goodness.
Once you make them, be sure to stock them up right away—or you’ll find yourself snacking on them every time you pass by. My whole team and I couldn’t resist. It might sound dramatic to rave about little bread cubes, but if you’ve ever made croutons from scratch, you’ll totally understand!
Why make croutons at home?
- Fast and easy
- Homemade croutons taste about 1000x better than store-bought packaged croutons (we did the math).
- Add any salad to a company-worthy meal.
- Crusty bread, best used for homemade or store-bought bread
- Option to make them dairy-free and vegan if you use all olive oil and omit the optional parmesan.
- A perfect accompaniment to soups and salads, or a delicious savory snack on its own
- Incredible taste with Homemade Italian Dressing On a fresh green salad with red onion, olives, tomatoes, pepperoncini and parmesan cheese
Ingredients you need
- Crusty, firm bread
- Olive oil
- butter
- Italian spice blend
- Dried parsley
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh Parmesan cheese, optional: Freshly chopped Parmesan adds a tangy, nutty, salty flavor, but if you don’t have any, leave it out.
The perfect bread for making croutons at home
Start with crusty bread, eg Homemade artisan breadItalian or French bread, sourdough, a baguette, Homemade ciabattaor even Homemade bread bowls.. The type of bread you use for the croutons does make a difference. You don’t want to use a weak sandwich bread, you want something tougher.
Fresh or 1-day-old bread is perfect for making homemade croutons. You don’t want to use super stale bread because then the croutons will become too hard and crunchy. The best croutons have a crispy exterior and a slightly soft, chewy center… they’re not meant to break your teeth! Use Stellar Bread for Breakfast Casserole, French Toast Casseroleor Class.
You can easily tear the bread into pieces, which gives you rough, irregularly shaped pieces with some variation in texture (smaller pieces will be crunchier, larger pieces will be a little chewier); Or if you like a more uniform look, you can cut the bread into cubes. Any way you break up your bread, be sure to make bite-sized pieces small enough to fit on a fork or spoon to accompany whatever you’re eating, like a salad or soup.
Taste your croutons
You can use olive oil or melted butter, but I recommend using both for the best flavor.
In a small saucepan or skillet, heat the olive oil, butter and spices until the butter melts, stirring until everything is well combined. Drizzle the mixture over the bread cubes and toss well to make sure each piece is completely coated. Warming the mixture helps it absorb more quickly into the bread and distributes the flavors more evenly.
Well, if you’re looking for a quality skillet, I own it and love it. (Affiliate link, although I am not working with this brand). I have been delighted with Made In cookware.
Spread the coated breadcrumbs in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
According to the printable recipe below, bake for 10 minutes, stir, then bake for another 8 minutes. You want a golden brown color, crispy on the outside but slightly soft on the inside.
Do not cook for too long. Because they will continue to crisp up as they cool, and you’ll end up with very hard croutons that are unpleasant to crush/chew.
Serve homemade croutons with:
Storage advice: Cover them lightly to store them for the first day, so they stay raw, but after the first day, transfer them to a tightly sealed container or bag to prevent them from going too rancid.
How to make croutons at home
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 18 minutes
Total time: 28 minutes
Production: 6-8 cups
Category: bread
Method: Baking
food: American
Description
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Tear or cut the bread into small bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl. You should have about 6 to 8 cups of bread cubes, give or take.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the olive oil, butter, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until the butter melts and everything is combined, about 3-5 minutes. Pour over bread cubes, add optional parmesan cheese, and stir/toss until all bread crumbs are coated. Spread the seasoned bread cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and stir, then return the pan to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set the baking sheet on a cooling rack. Let the croutons cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes. They will continue to crisp as they cool.
- Store leftover croutons at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 1 day. After that, store tightly covered for 10 days.
Notes
- Special tools (Affiliate Links): Glass mixing bowls | Saucepan or a small skillet (if you’re looking for a quality skillet, I own it and love it. | to explode | Baking sheet | Silicone baking mat or Parchment paper | Cooling rack
- Best bread to use: For best results, I strongly recommend using crusty, sturdy bread to make croutons, eg Artisan Bread (1 loaf of this recipe is about 12 ounces), French or Italian bread, baguette, sourdough, or ciabatta. Avoid soft or weak bread.
- Can I just use olive oil? Yes, feel free to skip the butter. Instead, use 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil.
- Italian seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can use any combination of Italian spices you like, such as dried basil, rosemary, oregano, etc.