Or the best way to step up your salad recipes? Try Homemade Croutons! This croutons recipe is the perfect way to use up a loaf of bread that’s starting to go stale, or a way to add an elegant touch to a salad. Cut up bread chunks, add some olive oil and seasonings, and bake until they’re crisp! There’s nothing better than the crispy, garlicky crunch of a crouton fresh from the oven. This is a back-pocket recipe we pull out often: here’s what you need to know!
Ingredients for homemade croutons
Croutons are cubes of re-baked bread that’s seasoned and used to add texture to salads and soups. The word comes from the French croûton, which means “crust.” Croutons were invented as a way to use up stale bread (before the invention of store-bought bread with additives and preservatives), much like bread pudding or panzanella salad. You don’t have to wait for stale bread to make croutons: you can make this recipe immediately with whatever bread you have on hand. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for homemade croutons:
Bread: A hearty artisan bread loaf makes the best croutons, because the open crumb allows for the best crunchy texture. Loaves like Sourdough bread and French bread are preferred over something like a whole wheat sandwich bread.Olive oilGarlic powderSalt and pepper
How to make croutons
Once you’ve got the ingredients, the process to make homemade croutons is very simple. Here’s what to do:
Slice or tear the bread: Cut the bread into cubes. (Keep in mind that 1 medium slice of bread is about 1 cup of cubes.) You also can tear the bread into small pieces, which makes for crispier croutons with crevices that catch the dressing.Mix with olive oil, garlic powder and salt: Place the cubes in a bowl and mix them with olive oil, garlic powder and kosher salt. The garlic powder makes for the most delicious, garlicky salty croutons.Bake for 15 minutes: Bake the croutons at 300°F for about 15 minutes until they’re crunchy and golden brown.
Variations and flavor ideas
Use this homemade croutons recipe as a template! There are so many different ways to mix up the flavor and seasonings in a crouton. Here are some ideas:
Sourdough bread for sourdough croutonsRye bread for rye croutonsRanch seasoning for ranch croutonsSmoked paprika for a hint of smoky flavorDried parsley for herby flavor
Ways to use homemade croutons
Of course, there are infinite ways to use homemade croutons. We suggest making them if you have bread to use up or to impress friends or family with a stunning salad. They take any salad recipe from good to incredible! And of course, they are essential for a homemade Caesar salad. (Like, 100% required.) Here are a few ways to use croutons:
Caesar salad or Kale CaesarPerfect Italian SaladButter Lettuce Salad with Parmesan dressingRomaine Lettuce Salad with Green Goddess dressingWatercress Salad with apple and ParmesanTomato Artichoke SoupEasy Pizza SoupPanzanella
Storage info
You can store leftovers of homemade croutons, but you’ll need follow a few tips to make sure they stay crispy over time. How long do homemade croutons last? You can store them for up to 2 weeks, keeping in mind the tips below:
Bake the croutons until golden brown. Underbaking the croutons allows moisture to stay in the bread, which makes them become soggy over time. If you’re not sure, bake the croutons a few minutes longer. Allow the croutons to come to room temperature before storage. This way, they’ll be fully crisp with no extra moisture from the oven. Store in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. If you’re worried about the croutons staying crisp, you can add a paper towel to the container, which absorbs extra moisture.
More salad recipes and resources
Love salads? Here are a few collections of our favorite salads and salad dressings:
Try 50 Best Salad RecipesGo for 12 Best Green Salad RecipesTry 25 Easy Salad Dressing Recipes or 10 Easy Healthy Salad Dressings
This homemade croutons recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free. No reviews
