Homemade Croutons
Posted Aug 04, 2019, Updated Apr 28, 2021
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This Easy Homemade Croutons Recipe is made with 4 ingredients in 15 minutes! Learn how to make these garlic croutons by following a step-by-step tutorial and video! They will transform any salad from good to WOW!
If you’ve never made croutons, you’re seriously missing out! These homemade croutons are so delicious they transform any salad from good to WOW! They’re also super easy to make and only take 15 minutes to whip up from start to finish!
If you need another reason besides taste to make your own homemade croutons, consider this…many popular store bought crouton varieties contain over twenty (2-0) ingredients including corn syrup, preservatives and food dyes…yuck! This homemade crouton recipe only contains four (4) ingredients, all of which you can pronounce! Especially if you use our homemade french bread recipe to make them – yum!
We eat a lot of salads in our house, and my husband is a firm believer that a salad is only worth eating if it contains croutons. So making homemade croutons is a no-brainer for me, because it means I avoid feeding my family highly processed salad toppers on an (almost) daily basis!
How do you make Homemade Croutons?
Making this homemade crouton recipe is very easy, and only takes 15 minutes and 4 ingredients! Let’s chat about the process step-by-step!
Step 1: Cube the bread
Start by cutting a half a loaf of french bread into ½ to 1″ cubes. If you prefer softer croutons (ME!), cut them on the larger side (1″), if you like crispy croutons, make them smaller!
Step 2: Add olive oil
Once the bread is cubed, put it in a large bowl. Drizzle half of the olive oil on the bread cubes, stir, then add the second half of the oil and stir to combine.
In every step of this recipe it’s important to add the ingredients in halves. Olive oil soaks into the bread very quickly, so adding it in two steps with stirring in between ensures all the cubes are coated well!
Step 3: Add garlic powder
Sprinkle half of the garlic powder over the bread/oil mixture and stir. Add the other half and stir again until it’s evenly distributed.
The garlic powder will stick to the oil quickly, which is why it’s important to add it in two steps with stirring in between to ensure all the cubes are coated with.
Step 4: Add Garlic Salt
Sprinkle half of the garlic salt over the bread/oil mixture and stir. Add the other half and stir again until it’s evenly distributed.
Note: Stir Gently
In every step, it’s important to stir gently. If stirred too vigorously, the bread cubes will break apart and you will end up with bread crumbs instead of nice, square croutons!
Step 5: bake
Bake the homemade croutons for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. You may need to adjust baking time depending on your oven and your preferences (crunchy or slightly soft). Test at 10 minutes and adjust accordingly!
Please note: these croutons won’t really brown, but they will get crispy! Once they reach your desired doneness, set them aside to cool!
Serving suggestions: What can you do with croutons?
Now it’s time to enjoy these croutons! Here are some suggestions of ways to enjoy them!
- On a salad. The most obvious way to enjoy these homemade croutons is on your favorite salad! I suggest using them on this Burrata Salad! YUM! They’re great combined with these candied almonds for a sweet crunch too!
- In soup! We love adding fresh croutons to our favorite soups in the winter time! They taste great in just about any soup! Some of our favorites include: roasted root vegetable soup, sausage kale soup, the best homemade tomato soup, and slow cooker chicken pot pie soup.
- As a snack. My kids go crazy over these croutons. Whenever I make them I always put a few on their dinner plates to enjoy by themselves, they’re that good!
- As breadcrumbs. If you need breadcrumbs and just so happen to have these homemade croutons on hand, toss some in the food processor and presto! The most delicious breadcrumbs you’ve ever tasted!
FAQs about Homemade Croutons
How do you store homemade croutons?
Chances are you won’t eat the entire batch of homemade croutons in one shot. To save for tomorrow’s salad, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week! I don’t recommend refrigerating them, because they could lose their crunchiness.
How long do homemade croutons last?
I have kept these croutons around for up to 1 week and they still taste great!
Can you freeze croutons?
Yes! You can freeze them in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 1 month. However, since a loaf of bread is about $2 at the store, and these croutons definitely taste the best when they’re fresh, I recommend just eating them all within a week! 😉
How do you reheat croutons?
I actually love my croutons warm! Even if I’m eating a cold salad I enjoy the warm bready crunch of these homemade croutons so much, that I usually reheat them. To do so, simply preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Spread the croutons out on a baking sheet and heat until they are warmed through (about 10 minutes).
Homemade Croutons: Ingredients & Substitutions
- French bread. You can use any bread you have around your house to make homemade croutons. However I recommend french bread for the best taste – especially this homemade French bread! Other ideas include, sourdough, rye or your favorite gluten-free bread for gluten-free croutons.
- Olive oil. In both the croutons and the dressing, the taste of the olive oil really matters! High quality oils will give a richer more robust flavor! You can also substitute a flavor infused olive oil (like herb or garlic), for yummy variety!
- Garlic salt. If you don’t keep garlic salt on hand, you can substitute sea salt!
- Garlic powder. I don’t recommend omitting or substituting the garlic powder, because it makes these garlic croutons very flavorful! But you could leave it out if you want plain croutons.
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Homemade Croutons Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups French bread cut into ½ to 1” cubes
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- ½ tsp Garlic salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Lightly grease a large baking sheet, set aside.
- Cut French bread into ½ to 1” cubes (about 12 to 18” loaf of French bread).
- Drizzle with olive oil, stir to combine.
- Sprinkle half the garlic salt on the bread, stir. Sprinkle the rest and stir again.
- Sprinkle half the garlic powder on the bread, stir. Sprinkle the rest, stir until evenly distributed.
- Spread the seasoned bread cubes in one layer on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Set aside to cool.
Video
Notes
Note on cooking time:
The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your bread cubes and how crispy you like your croutons. I like mine slightly soft, so I cut them larger and bake for 10 minutes. For crispier croutons cut smaller cubes and bake for 10 minutes, then check and bake longer if desired. They will crisp more after being removed from the oven.Ingredient Substitutions
- French bread. You can use any bread you have around your house to make homemade croutons. However I recommend french bread for the best taste - especially this homemade French bread! Other ideas include, sourdough, rye or your favorite gluten-free bread for gluten-free croutons.
- Olive oil. In both the croutons and the dressing, the taste of the olive oil really matters! High quality oils will give a richer more robust flavor! You can also substitute a flavor infused olive oil (like herb or garlic), for yummy variety!
- Garlic salt. If you don't keep garlic salt on hand, you can substitute sea salt!
- Garlic powder. I don't recommend omitting or substituting the garlic powder, because it makes these garlic croutons very flavorful! But you could leave it out if you want plain croutons.
How to Store Croutons
Chances are you won't eat the entire batch of homemade croutons in one shot. To save for tomorrow's salad, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week! I don't recommend refrigerating them.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I think no croutons match homemade croutons. I haven’t had croutons in so long but it’s such a good way to use leftover bread. 🙂