Croutons Made From Scratch

Homemade croutons are simple to prepare in 30 minutes using leftover bread and much easier to personalize! Great for adding to a salad or soup.

Most of us have been stress baking our way through difficult times, and if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably ended up with an abundance of baked breads.

There are only so many loaves you can use for sandwiches, store in the cupboard and the freezer, gift to neighbors, or devour excessive quantities of smeared in butter.

The good news is that there are several things you can do with leftover bread, and my personal favorite is to create homemade croutons!

This homemade crouton recipe is fast and simple to make, and you can tweak it to your liking.

How do you make croutons from scratch?

The solution is simple! Just dice your bread into uniform cubes, throw them in a big mixing basin with olive oil or butter, spices, and bake.

That’s all! But first, let’s go through each component in more depth.

Choose your bread. To be honest, you can use almost any kind, although I like a substantial bread like sourdough or even old baked white bread. You may opt to keep the crust on or remove it.
Brush with olive oil or butter. Both will work, but butter will have a more buttery taste. Isn’t that a surprise?
Choose your seasonings. I prefer to use Italian seasoning since I always have it on hand, but you can create your own or use whatever combination of seasonings, dried herbs, and spices you choose. I also like to season mine with a generous quantity of black pepper.
Should you eat cheese or not? I like to top mine with grated Parmesan cheese, but you may leave it off if you like.
You want to make sure they’re golden brown and crisp, but not scorched. It would be like attempting to chew small pieces of cement, which is not pleasurable for anybody.

How to dry out fresh bread

You want your bread to be a little stale when making homemade croutons for the finest results. But if it isn’t and you’re craving croutons right now, here’s what you can do to expedite the process:

2 pieces and put in an equal layer on a baking sheet. Don’t add any oil or butter! We were attempting to dry it out. 1 inch thick slices of bread
Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until dry and toasted but not browned.
Let it cool before continuing with the remainder of the recipe as detailed in the recipe card below!

What to do with your homemade croutons

Combine them with your favorite salads. They go well with my strawberry avocado spinach and steak salad as well as my spring salad with pomegranate vinaigrette.
In soups, use oyster crackers for croutons. They go well in carrot ginger soup, butternut squash soup, and corn chowder.
Add them to anything that needs some crunch. Use some in a Caesar salad wrap, or crush some and use it to top baked salmon!

Easy Homemade Croutons

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Prep Time: 10mins

Cook Time: 20mins

Total Time: 30mins

Servings: (2 tablespoons per serving)

✓ Read the recipe beginning to end

✓ Check oven calibration

✓ Check expiration dates

✓ Properly measure ingredients

✓ Check butter temperature

Description

Homemade croutons are easy to make at home in 30 minutes with leftover bread – and easy to customize, too! Perfect for topping a salad or some soup.

Equipment

Sheet pan with a high side
Silicone nonstick mat
Paper made with parchment (precut)
blending bowls

Ingredients

2 cubes 2 cups hearty bread, diced
1 tbsp. oil or melted butter
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons seasoning of choice (I like an Italian combination)
1 tsp ground pepper
a teaspoon of sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick silicon mat.
To coat, mix chopped bread and oil (or butter) in a medium basin.
1 tablespoon oil or melted butter, 2 cups hearty bread
4 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp sea salt, 12 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 tsp choice seasoning, 1 tsp ground pepper 1
Toss in the Parmesan, seasoning, pepper, salt, and garlic powder to cover evenly.
1
Bake for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through for more uniform browning, on a preheated sheet pan in an even layer.
Let to cool fully on the baking pan before serving.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.Freeze: You can bake them according to the recipe instructions, let them cool, and then place them in a single layer in a resealable freezer bag to store in the freezer for up to a month! When you’re ready to use them, let them thaw to room temperature (shouldn’t take long at all) and then toast them under the oven’s broiler for a few months. Enjoy!My general rule is the following quantities per 1 cup of diced bread: 1/2 Tablespoon oil or melted butter, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tablespoon seasoning blend, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/4 teaspoon sea saltNutrition information: The information below reflects 6 servings – your results will vary.

Nutrition Facts

FAQs

How do you keep homemade croutons crispy?

If you’re baking your croutons, make sure they’re equally spread out on a shallow sheet so they crisp evenly and don’t steam and get mushy. They must also be in a single layer and not contact. If you’re frying the croutons, flip the pan often to ensure equal crisping.

What are croutons traditionally made of?

Croutons are created from toasted or fried bread, such as white, wholemeal, sourdough, or granary bread. Use them to add crunch to salads, soups, and other dishes. A crouton is any slice of bread that has been toasted or fried to a crispy crispness.

Are croutons just stale bread?

Croutons may be made from almost any form of bread, whether it’s a loaf or pre-sliced, with or without a crust. Fresh bread is generally replaced with dry or stale bread or leftover bread. Croutons, once made, will keep significantly longer than uncooked bread.

How do you soften homemade croutons?

Warm croutons are my favorite! I adore the toasty bready crunch of these homemade croutons so much that I frequently reheat them even while I’m having a cold salad. Just preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the croutons on a baking pan and heat until warmed through (about 10 minutes).

How long are homemade croutons good for?

Then bake until the croutons attain the crispiness you want. (If they begin to brown too quickly, reduce the heat and bake them at a lower and slower temperature.) Serve immediately or store: Serve immediately. Let the croutons to cool to room temperature before storing in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks.

Why do croutons get soggy?

Crotons like soil that is regularly damp. Check that you are not overwatering or underwatering your plant. Maintain a constant watering schedule, watering when the top 2″-3″ of soil is dry. If you allow your Croton’s soil to fully dry up, you may see weak, drooping, and perhaps dropping leaves.

What are olive Garden croutons made of?

Our croutons are handcrafted with Romano cheese, garlic, Italian herbs and spices, then baked to a golden brown perfection.

Are crushed croutons the same as bread crumbs?

Croutons are bigger pieces of toasted bread with herbs, butter, and olive oil, whereas breadcrumbs are those same croutons rolled out and smashed (or processed in a food processor) until fine bits remain.

What are Caesar croutons made of?

Croutons are really simple to create, using just two major ingredients and a few basic spices. Bread, olive oil (or melted butter), salt, pepper, and garlic powder are all required. The oil or butter aids in the development of crisp, golden borders on the bread, while the spices bring out the finest in the croutons.

Are Texas toast croutons baked or fried?

Product Specifications. New York Bakery Texas Toast Seasoned Croutons provide depth to salads and soups by being hearth-baked to lock in rich flavors. Avoid settle for bland croutons with little flavor.