Homemade Croutons

Recipe by Jessica Battilana
1 Review 5.0 out of 5 stars

A smart use for stale or fresh bread, homemade croutons add excitement to salads and soups and can be crushed into breadcrumbs to scatter over pasta or bind meatballs. It’s up for debate whether the best homemade croutons are made from torn or cubed bread; torn bread yields more variable textures, whereas cubed bread results in a uniform crunch. Experiment with both and see which you prefer.  

Prep
5 mins
Bake
12 to 14 mins
Total
20 mins
Yield
about 4 cups
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Homemade Croutons - select to zoom
Homemade Croutons - select to zoom
Homemade Croutons
Homemade Croutons - select to zoom

Instructions

Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients; toss to coat the bread in oil.  

  2. Transfer the bread mixture to an ungreased/unlined baking sheet and spread into a single layer. 

  3. Bake the croutons, stirring occasionally, until they’re golden brown and crisp, about 12 to 14 minutes (they will continue to crisp as they cool). Serve on top of salads and soups as desired. 

  4. Store homemade croutons in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. If they become a bit soft, refresh them by baking in a 200°F oven until they re-crisp, about 5 minutes. 

Tips from our Bakers

  • Any bread can be turned into croutons, but enriched breads that contain sugar will brown more quickly and retain a softer texture even when toasted. If you use a flavored bread, the croutons may have more limited applications than ones made from a plainer loaf. 

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