Croutons Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

By Maria Lichty

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Quick Summary

Croutons- Learn how to make homemade croutons that are crunchy on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside, and SO much better than store bought croutons. Use in salads, soups, stuffing, and more!

Croutons Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2)

I love a good salad, especially when croutons are involved, but not any old croutons will do. I don’t care for store bought croutons, but I LOVE homemade croutons. They are SO much better and SO easy to make, I promise.

Today, I am going to teach you how to make the best croutons in under 30 minutes. You can use them in salads, as a garnish for soup, chowder, chili, in your favorite stuffing, grind them up in a food processor to make breadcrumbs, and so much more!

You will never buy croutons again…and you will want to use them in anything and everything because they are so good! Promise me you will make this Caesar Tortellini Salad. It’s our favorite!

Table of Contents

  1. Easy Ingredients
  2. How to Make Croutons
  3. How to Store
  4. More Homemade Recipes
  5. Homemade Croutons Recipe
Croutons Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (3)

Easy Ingredients

  • Bread-To make good croutons, you need to start with good bread. Use a crusty loaf of bread, like French, Italian, or Sourdough. Don’t use a regular loaf of sandwich bread. It is also best to use bread that is stale, that is at least a day or two old. So if you have stale bread sitting on the counter, don’t throw it out, make croutons! You can also use flavored breads to jazz up your croutons. Rosemary & olive oil, asiago cheese, or garlic are all great options. Don’t cut off the crust, the crust is what makes the croutons hearty and so delicious!
  • Olive oil AND Butter-I use olive oil and butter. You need to toss the bread cubes in olive oil so they will crisp up in the oven. I like to add melted butter too for added flavor. If you need the croutons to be vegan, you can use just olive oil.
  • Garlic Powder-I normally like to use fresh garlic, but with croutons, I like to use garlic powder so the garlic doesn’t burn in the oven and so all of the bread pieces are evenly coated with garlic.
  • Italian Seasoning-Italian seasoning adds great flavor to the croutons and we always have a jar in our pantry.
  • Salt and Black Pepper-Finish with salt and pepper for necessary flavor.

How to Make Croutons

You can make croutons in about 30 minutes and most of the time is oven time. The prep is easy and the results are SO delicious!

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Cut the loaf of bread into 3/4-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Make sure the bread cubes are all the same size so the croutons cook evenly. You can also tear your bread if you want rustic bread cubes. I usually like to cut the bread with a bread knife to make sure they are the same size, but either way works!
  • Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and melted butter. Sprinkle the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the bread. Toss until all of the bread cubes are well coated.
  • Spread the bread cubes onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure the bread cubes are in an even layer and not touching. If they are too close and overlapping, they won’t cook evenly and won’t crisp up.
  • Bake for 12 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until the croutons are golden brown. Check early to make sure you don’t burn them. Time will depend on how thick your bread pieces are and how your oven cooks.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Warning, it is hard to walk by the pan and not grab a crouton or two…or a handful:)

How to Store

Store cooled croutons in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. You can also freeze croutons in a freezer bag or container for up to 6 weeks.

More Homemade Recipes

  • Homemade Pita Chips
  • Homemade Tortilla Chips
  • Homemade Pretzel Bites
  • Homemade Flour Tortillas
  • Homemade Granola Bars
Croutons Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (4)

Croutons Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (5)

Salads

Homemade Croutons

Learn how to make homemade croutons that are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and SO much better than store bought croutons. Use in salads, soups, stuffing, and more!

4.65 from 71 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 20

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf crusty French, Italian, or Sourdough bread
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  • Cut the loaf of bread into 3/4-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and melted butter. Sprinkle the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the bread. Toss until all of the bread cubes are well coated.

  • Spread the bread cubes onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure the bread cubes are in an even layer and not touching.

  • Bake for 12 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until the croutons are golden brown. Check early to make sure you don't burn them. Time will depend on the thickness of your bread and your oven. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Notes

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Fiber: 1g

Keywords croutons, homemade

Have you tried this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod

Croutons Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade croutons soggy? ›

The key to crispy croutons is making sure that they're fully dried out in the oven and crunchy all the way through. They should not be chewy when they come out of the oven. Bake croutons in a single layer on the baking sheet to crisp up the bread, rather than steaming it.

How long do croutons last? ›

Depending on how dry and crisp your croutons are, they will last for up to a week in an airtight container, but will be at their best for the first two days. You can refresh them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up again if you like.

What are croutons made of? ›

Croutons are made from toasted or fried bread, including white, wholemeal, sourdough and granary. Use them for a crunchy texture in salads, soups and more. Any kind of piece of bread that has been toasted or fried to crunchy crispness counts as a crouton.

Why are my croutons bitter? ›

Infusing the oil with garlic and herbs before tossing it with the bread cubes gives the croutons extra flavor and keeps the aromatics from burning and becoming bitter. Using crusty bread like ciabatta, baguette, or sourdough produces extra crisp croutons with satisfying crunch.

How do you revive soggy croutons? ›

The method for reviving croutons involves lightly coating them in oil and baking them until they are golden and crispy again. This not only re-crisps them but also provides an opportunity to infuse additional flavors through seasonings such as garlic, herbs, or Parmesan.

Is it OK to freeze croutons? ›

Croutons: Yes, you can freeze them! Cube stale bread and toast it for a few minutes. Then, place the croutons into a resealable freezer bag and stow in the freezer. You can also freeze the uncooked bread cubes and toast them at a later time.

Are croutons an unhealthy snack? ›

A study shows that eating high sodium snacks like croutons can increase blood pressure and directly impact cardiovascular disease rates. People with sodium sensitivity or blood pressure issues should go for low sodium croutons. Another alternative is to make your croutons at home using sodium-free seasonings.

How do you freshen stale croutons? ›

Let croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400 degrees.

What is healthier than croutons? ›

Pumpkin Seeds

Unlike pumpkin lattes, pumpkin seeds can be enjoyed year round. Hear that crunch? That's the sound of good fats and protein making their way into your body via your salad. Coming lightly-salted, they are a great savory alternative to croutons.

Are croutons healthier than bread? ›

Do Croutons Offer Any Nutritional Benefits? A common question is whether croutons offer any nutritional benefits at all. Traditional croutons made from white bread provide little more than simple carbohydrates. However, when made from whole grain bread, croutons can contribute some fiber and nutrients to a meal.

Are croutons healthy for you? ›

Store-bought croutons and bacon bits are high in salt, and they don't offer much nutrition. Like the crunch? Try adding nuts, seeds, or crisp veggies -- such as jicama and carrots -- instead.

Why is my homemade bread soggy? ›

Let your dough rise enough before baking it

If the dough doesn't fill out with gas, perhaps because it hasn't had time to rise properly, the inside of the loaf will remain soggy and dense as the dough won't bake properly. You should therefore leave plenty of time for your dough to rise.

How to soften up croutons? ›

Lightly run your bread underwater. and then microwave it for 30 seconds. This steams the bread, making it soft to touch.

How do you crisp stale croutons? ›

It's easy to make croutons crunchy: Just dry the bread pieces in a dehydrator or low-temperature oven (around 125°C) for a couple of hours. This should be done before adding oil or seasonings, since the process would cook off a lot of their flavor.

Why are croutons so crunchy? ›

The large air pockets in these loaves means there are plenty of nooks and crannies—this extra surface area helps the croutons become very crispy when baked.

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