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These homemade croutons make crispy bites in 20 minutes that are so much tastier than store-bought! Here’s how to make croutons that stay crunchy for weeks.
After writing thousands of recipes, here’s one of my favorite tricks: Homemade Croutons! This croutons recipe is the perfect way to use up a loaf of bread that’s starting to go stale to add a delicious crunch to a salad or soup.
Cut up bread chunks, add some olive oil and seasonings, and bake until they’re crisp. There’s really nothing better than biting into a crispy, garlicky crouton fresh from the oven in your salad. This is a back-pocket recipe I pull out often: here’s what you need to know!
The Best Bread For Croutons
Croutons are cubes of re-baked bread that’s seasoned and used to add texture to salads and soups. The word comes from the French croûton, which means “crust.” Croutons were invented as a way to use up stale bread (before the invention of store-bought bread with additives and preservatives), much like bread pudding or panzanella salad.
You don’t have to wait for stale bread to make croutons: you can make this recipe immediately with whatever bread you have on hand. Here’s the best type of bread to use:
- Sourdough or crusty artisan bread is my first choice: the texture holds up and the irregular holes give you edges that catch the dressing. Try my Sourdough Bread or No Knead Bread recipes to get started.
- A baguette is also great for croutons. Use storebought or my baguette recipe.
- Focaccia is also excellent and is already seasoned. Try my focaccia bread or quick focaccia.
- Skip store-bought white bread or whole wheat, or anything sweet like brioche.
Olive Oil Or Butter For Croutons?
I use olive oil, and not just because I’m a Mediterranean diet enthusiast. It browns nicely and stays crispier over the storage time. Of course, you can use butter if you’re a fan (and it adds a nice savory flavor).
Go by this rule: use olive oil for croutons you plan to store, or butter for croutons you’ll eat tonight.
How To Make Croutons
Once you’ve got the ingredients, the process to make homemade croutons is very simple. Here’s what to do:
- Slice or tear the bread: Cut the bread into cubes. (Keep in mind that 1 medium slice of bread is about 1 cup of cubes.) You also can tear the bread into small pieces, which makes for crispier croutons with crevices that catch the dressing.
- Mix with olive oil, garlic powder and salt: Place the cubes in a bowl and mix them with olive oil, garlic powder and kosher salt. The garlic powder makes for the most delicious, garlicky salty croutons.
- Bake for 15 minutes: Bake the croutons at 300°F for about 15 minutes until they’re crunchy and golden brown.
Variations and Flavor Ideas
Use this homemade croutons recipe as a template! There are so many different ways to mix up the flavor and seasonings in a crouton. Here are some ideas:
- Sourdough bread for sourdough croutons
- Rye bread for rye croutons
- Ranch seasoning for ranch croutons
- Smoked paprika for a hint of smoky flavor
- Dried parsley for herby flavor
Ways To Use Homemade Croutons
Of course, there are infinite ways to use homemade croutons. I suggest making them if you have bread to use up or to impress friends or family with a stunning salad. They take any salad recipe from good to incredible! Of course, they are essential for a homemade Caesar salad (100% required, in my opinion). Here are a few ways to use croutons:
- Green salads like my Caesar salad or Kale Caesar, Perfect Italian Salad, or my Butter Lettuce Salad with Parmesan dressing
- Sprinkled on a Romaine Lettuce Salad with Green Goddess dressing or classic Wedge Salad
- Floating in soups like Tomato Artichoke Soup or Easy Pizza Soup
- In a free-form bread salad like Panzanella
How To Store Croutons So They Stay Crunchy
You can store leftovers of homemade croutons, but you’ll need follow a few tips to make sure they stay crispy over time. How long do homemade croutons last? You can store them for up to 2 weeks, keeping in mind the tips below:
- Bake the croutons until golden brown. Underbaking the croutons allows moisture to stay in the bread, which makes them become soggy over time. If you’re not sure, bake the croutons a few minutes longer.
- Allow the croutons to come to room temperature before storage. This way, they’ll be fully crisp with no extra moisture from the oven.
- Store in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. If you’re worried about the croutons staying crisp, you can add a paper towel to the container, which absorbs extra moisture.
Dietary Notes
This homemade croutons recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Homemade Croutons Recipe
It’s easy to make homemade croutons! This croutons recipe makes crunchy, well-seasoned bites that are tastier than store-bought.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 ,omites
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Essentials
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread, cut into cubes (about 4 medium slices)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Cut the bread into small cubes or tear it into bite-sized pieces. Place the cubes in a medium bowl.
- Toss with the olive oil, kosher salt, garlic powder, and a few grinds of black pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and top with the bread cubes.
- Bake until evenly golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, which lets them crisp up fully. (Croutons can be made in advance. Allow to cool completely to room temperature, then store in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.)
