Homemade Croutons

Once again I feel a little guilty.

Here I’ve been, toasting up homemade croutons to add to creamy soup recipes and chopped kale salads all the while not sharing this quick and easy recipe with you!

Well, to be honest, I thought you probably already knew how to make them.

But then I realized – at one point even I had no idea how easy it is to whip up your own batch of croutons.

And how much BETTER they taste than the stale, store-bought kind.

You can toast them until super crispy, or cut the bake time shorter to make them a little softer.

Not to mention it’s also super easy to make them gluten-free, too!

So please forgive me for taking so long.

And without further ado, let’s see how to easily make croutons at home!

Ingredients

The basic ingredients you need to make homemade croutons are:

• Bread. The one and only ingredient that is essential. Use any leftover loaf of bread you may have! Baguettes are the easiest to get super crispy and crunchy. French bread is a pretty dense bread. Sourdough will have more of a tangy bite and a looser, airier texture. Multi-grain is a healthier option but sometimes doesn’t crisp up well. Sandwich bread is last resort, but always a good one since you probably have it on hand. You can even make these gluten-free! Remember, the better the bread, the better the resulting crouton.
• Oil. Use olive oil for a more authentic Italian flavor or avocado oil for a milder taste. If needed, you can use melted butter.
• Salt. Just a little bit goes a long way.
• Garlic powder. You can also substitute some of the salt and powder for a bit of garlic salt instead.
• Italian Seasonings. Whether store bought or homemade, this mix of Italian herbs with oregano, rosemary, and thyme makes croutons out-of-this-world delicious!

How to Make Homemade Croutons

These are the simple steps to follow to make these homemade croutons:

Cut Bread into Cubes

After you have your bread selected, it’s time to cut it into those cute little crouton shapes.

The key here for the best croutons is to make the cubes as similar in size as possible.

Also, roughly ¾-inch cubes tend to get the most crispy texture without burning too easily in the oven.

Use a really sharp knife or a bread knife to make it easier to control the size of the cubes.

You’ll need 4 cups of bread cubes, or roughly 5-6 ounces.

Season Bread

Now that the bread is cut into cubes, the rest of the recipe is pretty simple.

Add the bread cubes to a large bowl with oil, seasonings, garlic powder, and salt. 

Toss until the cubes are well coated.

Bake in the Oven

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add bread cubes and spread out into a single layer on the pan

Bake bread cubes in preheated 375°F oven for 10-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. 

You want to bake croutons closer to 10 minutes if bread is stale or a few days old, and closer to 20 minutes if it is fresh bread.

Also, if you are using a darker colored baking sheet, the croutons may cook up more quickly, so keep a close eye on them. You want a golden brown color with crispy crusts.

Meal Prep and Storage

• To Prep-Ahead: This is the perfect meal prep recipe! Either cube the bread or make the entire recipe a day or two before.
• To Store: Store croutons in a resealable plastic bag or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
• To Freeze: Place croutons in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
• To Reheat: Pop these back in the oven to get a crispy texture.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Trick

• Choose your favorite. Just about any type will work, but a higher-quality bread will yield a better crouton.
• Change it up. You can use a variety of seasonings on these croutons!
• Get creative. Serve croutons on your favorite soups and salads.
• Give it a crumble. Crush croutons and use to coat fish or chicken for a unique crust!
• Pay attention. The cook time will vary based on the size of cubes, type of bread, and color of the pan, so watch closely!

What to Serve Croutons With?

There are so many different dishes you can add croutons to for an extra crunch, these are some of my favorites:

• Tomato Basil Soup
• Creamy Asparagus Soup
• Cauliflower Soup
• Instant Pot Potato Soup
• Roasted Pumpkin Soup
• Garden Salad with Italian Dressing
• Chopped Kale Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad