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Making Homemade Croutons is easy, delicious and SO much better than store-bought. Say goodbye hard-as-a-rock pre-packaged croutons and hello to the absolute best crispy yet soft and chewy croutons! Perfect for adding to your favorite salads and soups!
What Type Of Bread Is Best For Making Croutons?
The short answer: all bread! The long answer: Personally I like to use a loaf (preferably one that isn’t pre-sliced) of either sourdough, ciabatta, focaccia, pretzel bread, a crusty rustic boule, rye, pita bread and even day old cornbread. Cinnamon raisin and cranberry walnut are great on a breakfast salad or adding a touch of sweetness to a savory soup, like this squash soup. That being said, in the past I’ve also made croutons using sandwich bread. I don’t necessarily recommend it because there are so many better options, however if in a pinch it’ll work.
In this post I’m using an onion asiago boule that I picked up in the bakery section of our local grocery store. I do plan to test out and recreate it at home, but I couldn’t resist it once I saw it in the bakery case. Plus it smelled incredible!
To Make Homemade Croutons You Will Need:
- olive oil spray – Or ghee oil spray works great as well.
- loaf of bread – Sourdough, ciabatta, focaccia – really any bread you choose!
- kosher salt – Enhances the flavor of the croutons.
Preheat your oven to 400°F (or 200°C).
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with olive oil spray.
Start by slicing a 16-ounce (or thereabout) loaf into 3/4-inch to 1 inch slices (more or less to what you prefer). Then cut each slice into strips and then cubes. Alternatively, you could tear by hand into pieces.
Spread the cubed bread in an even layer onto the prepared pan. Lightly spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with a few generous pinches of kosher salt (more or less to your preference).
Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Or until the bottom of the croutons are golden brown. For extra-crispy croutons bake for 2 to 3 minutes longer or until desired doneness. Let cool before topping soups or adding to salads.
How To Store Homemade Croutons:
Store completely cooled croutons in an air-tight container or re-sealable bag for 5 to 7 days. I do find that they do lose their crunch after time, so I’ll add them to the air-fryer for a couple of minutes to crisp back up. Always check for freshness before serving consuming after the first few days.
Enjoy! And if you give this Homemade Croutons recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Yield: 10 servings
Homemade Croutons
- olive oil spray, or ghee oil spray
- 16 ounces bread
- 2 pinches kosher salt
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Preheat your oven to 400°F (OR 200°C).
-
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with olive oil spray.
-
Spread the cubed bread in an even layer onto the prepared pan. Lightly spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with a few generous pinches of kosher salt (more or less to your preference).
-
Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the bottom of the croutons are golden brown. Let cool before adding to soups or salads. For crispier croutons bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes (or longer).
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See blog post for storage instructions.
Note: The nutritional value will depend on what type of bread is used and the serving size depends on how large or small you cut the bread for croutons.
Serving: 0.75cup, Calories: 124kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 292mg, Potassium: 64mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2mg
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Laurie McNamara
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