Homemade Croutons

Once you learn how easy it is to make Homemade Croutons you’ll never want to buy the store-bought kind again!  Cubed fresh bread is tossed in a bit of oil, garlic, and seasonings.  They’re then baked in the oven until lightly golden, perfectly toasted, crispy and crunchy.

Homemade Croutons Recipe

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

At a minimum you are going to need 3 ingredients to make croutons from scratch.  However, if you want to get a little fancy, there are two more ingredients that will take them over-the-top:

• Bread – The one and only ingredient you MUST have.  Read below to learn more about the best type of bread to use.
• Oil – Use olive oil for a more authentic Italian flavor or avocado oil for a milder taste.
• 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 makes croutons out-of-this-world delicious!

Best Bread for Croutons

Let’s be real here.  Croutons are typically made with whatever leftover, and almost stale, bread you have laying around in your kitchen.

So first things first – use whatever leftover bread you have!

Now, if you’re more of a planner like me and are actually going to the grocery store to GET bread, then let’s look at a few types that work the best:

• Baguette – These have more crust to interior ratio, making them the easiest to get super crispy and crunchy.
• French loaf – Another great option since it is a pretty dense bread.
• Sourdough – This will have more of a tangy bite and a looser, airier texture.
• Multi-grain – A healthier option but sometimes the added grains don’t crisp up as easily as with a white bread.
• Sandwich bread – A last resort, but always a good one since you probably have it on hand.
• Gluten-free – Yes, you can make these croutons gluten-free!  There’s an awesome gluten-free baguette that Schar makes or you can even use typical sandwich bread.
• Other – Challah, rye, foccaccia, ciabatta, and even cornbread will work great.

The better the bread, the better the resulting crouton.

But mainly you want to look for a bread with a dense and tight crumb and not one that is too airy.

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.

How to Make

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

1. Add bread cubes to a large bowl with oil, seasonings, garlic powder, and salt. 
2. Toss until cubes are well coated. (step 1 above) 
3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. (step 2 above) 
4. Add bread cubes and spread out into a single layer.

How Long to Bake

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.

Storing

Store croutons in a resealable plastic bag or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

You can also freeze homemade croutons in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature for an hour and reheat in oven to get that crispy texture.

Serving

What can’t homemade croutons be served with?!

Honestly, though, there are so many different dishes you can add them to for an extra crunch.  Here are some of my favorites:

• Creamy Vegan Soups (Like this Tomato Basil Soup, Creamy Asparagus Soup, or Cauliflower Soup.)
• Garden Salad with Italian Dressing
• Chopped Kale Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad

5 from 1 vote

Best Homemade Croutons Recipe

Once you learn how easy it is to make Homemade Croutons you'll never want to buy store-bought again! Cubed fresh bread is tossed in a bit of oil, garlic, and seasonings. They're then baked in the oven until lightly golden, perfectly toasted, crispy and crunchy!

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Course bread

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free, herbs, homemade, soup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 192 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 4 cups bread regular, baguette, or French*
• ¼ cup oil avocado or olive oil
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning optional
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Cut bread into ¾-inch cubes using a bread knife.

3. Add bread cubes to a large bowl with oil, seasonings, garlic powder, and salt. Toss until cubes are well coated.

4. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add bread cubes and spread out into a single layer.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 10-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. Closer to 10 minutes if bread is a few days old, and closer to 20 minutes if it is fresh bread.
6. Store croutons in a resealable plastic bag or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe Notes

• Make them gluten-free by using a gluten-free baguette by Schar or sandwich bread.
• One serving is ¼ cup of croutons.

Nutrition Facts

Best Homemade Croutons Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 192 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 367mg16%

Potassium 112mg3%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 5IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 87mg9%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.