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Homemade croutons topped with parmesan on a baking tray
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5 from 11 votes

How to Make Homemade Croutons

Make homemade croutons with old bread, garlic, olive oil, and your favorite seasoning. They become so crispy and delicious and are perfect for soups, salads, stuffing, and more!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Pantry Staple
Cuisine: Global
Diet: Vegetarian
Freezer friendly: 3 Months
Shelf life: 7-10 Days
Servings: 12
Author: Samira

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 baguette OR 1/2 ciabatta (about 6-7 cups of 1/2 inch pieces); OR sourdough/other bread.
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil or another neutral oil
  • 1 tsp minced garlic from 1 large clove
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano, thyme, or rosemary (fresh or dried)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 oz parmesan cheese 1/2 cup grated - optional; OR nutritional yeast
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/175ºC. Place an oven rack in the middle position. Line a tray with parchment paper.
  • Using a serrated knife, cut the bread into pieces about ½-¾ inches in size. Try to make even-sized pieces for uniform cooking.
  • Mince the garlic and combine it with the oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir well.
  • Mix the cubed bread and seasoning in a large bowl and toss to combine OR place the cubes directly on the oven tray, drizzle the oil mixture, and toss.
    Spread the bread across the baking tray in a single layer.
  • Bake the croutons at 350°F/175ºC for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until they're dry and golden brown.
    Monitor them closely, starting at 12 minutes, to avoid burning them.
  • If you're using parmesan, toss the croutons with them while they're still warm, then spread them out to thoroughly cool.

Video

Notes

Store: Make sure they cool COMPLETELY before you store them. Once cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 7-10 days.
Freeze: You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Then reheat them from frozen at 300ºF/150ºC until thawed and crisp once more.
Check the blog post for serving recommendations and recipe variations!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg