If you aren’t making your own croutons, you’re seriously missing out. Homemade croutons are a thousand times better than store-bought, and ridiculously easy to make. With this easy homemade crouton recipe, you can take your salad game to the next level.
Nothing could be more simple than homemade croutons. They are such an easy way to elevate a salad or even a soup, like this homemade tomato bisque. And there’s nothing like biting into a crouton that’s still warm from the oven, with just the right ratio of crunchy to chewy. With this easy recipe, you can make these seemingly fancy croutons at home in minutes.
This recipe is part of my new Non-Fiction Recipe series, in which I share original recipes that aren’t based on any particular book. These are some of my favorite recipes that I make regularly.
How to make this easy homemade crouton recipe
This recipe only requires 4 basic ingredients, at least three of which you probably already have. Cut some crusty bread into crouton-sized bites (I like my croutons a little bigger, but make them whatever size you prefer), drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pop them in the oven for a few minutes and voilà–homemade croutons!
Tips for making this recipe
The great thing about this recipe (besides how quick and easy it is) is how easily it can be modified to fit your tastes. I typically make large croutons, but you can cut the bread into whatever size croutons you want. I would definitely recommend using some kind of crusty bread. My go to is a sourdough or Italian bread, but if I have French bread or a baguette leftover, they work too. Want to mix it up a little? Go for a loaf of pumpernickel.
The great thing is, it’s ok if the bread is starting to get slightly stale, so it’s a good way to use up leftover bread. In fact, it’s best with bread that is a few days old. While you can make croutons with fresh, soft bread, I find they come out better when using a denser crusty bread that’s not too soft.
I generally keep my seasoning simple, with just salt and pepper. Between the other salad ingredients and the dressing, I usually don’t want my croutons too seasoned. However, they are also good with bit of garlic powder. Want them to have a little kick to them? Throw in some crushed red pepper. This recipe is great as is, but it is also good starting point to modify it to your tastes.
One final note: the recipe below is only for 1-2 servings. I don’t recommend making these croutons in big batches and saving some for later. They are so quick to make and so much better when they are fresh out of the oven. I usually bake them while I’m throwing together my salad. If you need to make croutons for more than 1-2 people, just multiply the recipe as needed!
Happy Eating!
