How to Make Homemade Croutons
If you have a loaf of bread that has started to go stale, use it for making homemade croutons! Croutons are those delectable pieces of rebaked bread that add texture and flavor to salads, soup. They are easy, customizable, and you’ll never go back to store-bought kinds again!
Croutons are derived from the French word croûte, which means crust. They can be cut into small cubes or into crostinis, and seasoned in a variety of different ways.
Making croutons at home
In addition to being easy to make, homemade croutons are
- Cheap
- Healthy
- Customizable
You’ll get WAY more croutons for WAY less money. One 2oz bag runs about $4.00 in the United States and gets you around ⅕ of the amount of croutons if you were to make by yourself!
They contain no trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils and no preservatives that you might find in a store bought bag.
I find them to be crispier, but easier to chew —not rock hard where you can hear the person chewing next to you, so you try to chew slower because you are more self conscious.
What do they add to a recipe..texture! If you are eating a salad those leaves are pretty soft, so by adding texture you add contrast, making for a well balanced dish.
Crouton Ingredients
Bread
For this recipe, I used sliced sandwich bread that was about a week old. One trick I have for sliced bread to get stale pretty quickly is to grab a baking sheet and spread the bread out for a few hours. You can also use day-old French bread, hamburger or hotdog buns, anything you have on hand as long as it isn’t fresh bread. Using old bread makes a difference because the moisture will have had time to evaporate, making it easier to achieve that perfect crispy crouton.
Olive Oil
Olive oil helps to crisp up the bread and give it that crunchy texture —it’s a solid and flavorful option. You can also use melted butter if that’s your prerogative.
Seasonings
My go to seasonings for croutons are basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. There are endless possibilities of seasonings you could use.
Some ideas for other crouton seasonings are
- Old Bay or Cajun seasoning
- Parmesan and garlic
- Plain salt and pepper
- Sage and cayenne
- Rosemary and chives
How to make homemade croutons
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, olive oil, and the rest of the seasonings. Toss gently until well-incorporated.
Spread the bread out on two baking sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown. The thicker your cubes are the longer the cooking time might be. Just watch them to make sure they don’t burn.
Let the croutons cool and put them in a ziploc or tupperware for later use.
Ways to use croutons:
- Salads
- Soups
- Stuffings
- As a snack
If you like croutons, you might like:
How to Make Homemade Croutons
Ingredients
- ½ loaf of bread
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of basil
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, olive oil, and the rest of the seasonings. Toss gently until well-incorporated.
- Spread the bread out on two baking sheets.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. The thicker your cubes are the longer the cooking time might be. Just watch them to make sure they don’t burn.
- Let the croutons cool and put them in a ziploc or tupperware for later use.
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