The Best Homemade Croutons Recipe
Published May 28, 2020. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
While so simple to make, there is nothing like homemade croutons, especially when served up in your favorite salad or soup recipe.
I love loaded-up salads like my Green Goddess or my Lemon Chicken Chopped salad where I can add as many things to it as I want, especially these croutons.
Croutons
Croutons are one of the easiest things to make and are a fantastic ingredient to help take your salad, or whatever you want to serve it with, to the next level. They come from the word crouté, which means crust in French, and obviously they are crunchy, so it makes perfect sense.
My inclination into the history tells me that people, I’m guessing Italian, would use old crusty bread and use it as a garnish into a salad like a Panzanella, or even a soup such as Ribollita.
What Kind of Bread to Use
You can use just about any bread out there that you would like, and here are some of my recommendations:
How to Make Croutons
Follow these easy instructions for how to make this tasty recipe:
Cut the bread into bite-size pieces, roughly ½” by ½”.
Add them to a bowl and season them with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Mix the croutons to ensure they are completely coated.
Spread out on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.
Additional Spices to Add to Them
While my recipe is simply olive oil, salt, pepper, and bread, there are a number of dried spices you can add to the croutons to elevate the flavor. Here are a few things you could add in addition to oil, salt, and pepper:
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Oregano
- Basil
- Thyme
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 3 days ahead of time. Make sure they are covered and stored properly before serving.
How to Store: Keep in an airtight plastic container or bag and keep at room temperature for up to 7 days.
chef notes + tips
- You can also cook the croutons in a pan. Instead of tossing them in olive oil, you add it to a pan and cook the bread in the oil until browned and crunchy.
- You can also replace the olive oil with melted unsalted butter.
- The most classic recipe this would go well in is a Ceaser salad
What to Serve Them With
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The Best Homemade Croutons Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 baguette cut into ½” cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Add the cubed bread to a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Spread out on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned and crunchy.
- Cool and serve.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 3 days ahead of time. Make sure they are covered and stored properly before serving.
- How to Store: Keep in an airtight plastic container or bag and keep at room temperature for up to 7 days.
- You can also cook the croutons in a pan. Instead of tossing them in olive oil, you add it to a pan and cook the bread in the oil until browned and crunchy.
- You can also replace the olive oil with melted unsalted butter.
Never buy croutons again! These are so easy and quick to make and I can’t believe how good they are. And you can use whatever bread you have on hand. I like to freeze pieces or crusts of bread in instead of tossing them. Great for croutons.
I have made croutons using this method and it works great! It’s nice to have step by step tips to ensure consistent results!
These croutons were so easy to make and taste delicious. I used an artesian French baguette for mine.
Simple, easy & delicious! I took your suggestionon and added a little garlic powder. Another winner!
this are delicious 2Nd batch I added a lettle kemon zest to the olive oil they were delicius too
Thank you dear for this easy crouton recipe! I’ll use my own bread for it. Again, thank you dearly! I get a kick out of you and your recipes! The stray cat I named after you, his name’s “the Great Grand Chef Billy Purr-easy” is settling in well! I hope you and yours have a lovely holiday! Take care and stay safe!!!!!!!!!
This recipe is so simple, yet so delicious. These are not even in the same league as pre made croutons from the supermarket. In addition to a salad topping, we make these as a crunchy snack.
appreciate you trying it
Very good! I love it with the Garlic Powder.
so good!!
So easy and so delicious. I added a little garlic, because thats what I do.
appreciate you trying it
I appreciate your site Even a long time foodie like me loves to try your recipes- this is a go to for me almost daily.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Love these croutons. I eat as snack or in salads and soups.
yup!
👌❤