Got a loaf of stale bread? Transform it into mouthwatering, restaurant-style croutons - crispety crunchy, and ready for you to munch on them in minutes! Below, I'll spill all the secrets on how to make air fryer croutons (or oven or pan) that are easy-peasy, quick, and oh-so-delicious.
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OMG, yaaasssss, homemade croutons!
Speaking to the hearts of all salad enthusiasts, soup slurpers, and snacky snackers! You know what makes everything infinitely better? Golden brown fried, crispy, CRUNCHY croutons! Because let's be real, sometimes the ONLY reason we settle for a salad (or soup) are those crispy, golden crouton nuggets piled high on top. You know what I'm talking about, right?
Fancy-Schmancy Croutons, Debunked!
Croutons, with their fancy French name and air of sophistication, might seem like some gourmet ingredient reserved for high-end restaurants. Something a home cook like you (and me) could only dream of achieving? WRONG. SO WRONG.
Because …
… croutons are ridiculously easy to whip up in your own kitchen, and the flavor payoff is SO SO worth it. You can seriously flavor them any way you like: Italian seasoning for a Mediterranean vibe, garlicky for a serious punch, plain salt and pepper for a classic touch, a sprinkle of chili flakes for a little kick, or maybe even a tablespoon of nutritional yeast for that yummy cheesy flavor.
Plus, bonus points for feeling super accomplished for, like, totally nailing this whole "adulting" thing and enjoying at home your huge bowl of self-made croutons (with salad, of course). YESSS!
What You'll Need
Here's what you'll need ...
Stale Bread
Got a forgotten loaf in the back of the pantry? YEEAAH, lucky you. Time to give it new life.
Any type of bread works (white, whole wheat, gluten-free) Everything works. That being said, I prefer white bread since it results in the most authentic restaurant crouton experience.
BUT! Stale bread it's gotta be since its firmer texture holds its shape when toasted, resulting in crispy exteriors and chewy centers. Stale bread also absorbs oil and seasonings more evenly, so you'll get deeply flavorful croutons.
Oil
Keep it neutral for versatility, or go all out with olive oil for Mediterranean vibes.
Herbed Salt
Store-bought herbed sea salt (also called herb salt or herbal salt) is the easiest way to flavor croutons - it's just salt mixed with a blend of herbs, saving you the mixing step. I prefer using an organic blend, like this one or this one.
If you don't have a ready-made mix of herbal salt, you can use both salt and any seasoning of your liking. Throw in some garlic powder, Italian seasoning, or even a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
Fresh herbs are always welcome in our kitchen! Just chop 'em up and toss them in with the bread cubes.
How to Make Croutons - Pssst, it's sooo Easy!
These are the easy steps. (You can do it!)
Step 1: Choppin' Time!
First things first, grab that bread and get chopping. Small cubes for delicate salad sprinkling or bigger ones for a chunky, snackable crouton situation.
Step 2: Splash of Oil!
Sprinkle the cute bread cubes with oil. This step is essential before the flavoring part as it helps the seasoning stick to the croutons.
Step3: Spice Them Up! ️
This is where things get flavorful! Use a ready-made herbed sea salt for instant flavor, or sprinkle plain salt and your favorite seasoning.
Step 4: Getting Crispy!
Heat your pan/air fryer/oven and toss those bread cubes in. Then, watch them transform into golden-brown, crispy perfection.
A word of warning: I meant it when I said "watch them". Don't walk away and get distracted by cat videos (we've all been there) or your own cats, or you might end up with black heaps of charcoal. Croutons turn within minutes from dark golden to charred.
Step 5: The Big Crouton Taste Test!
Once your croutons are crispy and looking oh-so-delicious, take them off the heat and let them cool. Then comes the best part: Tasting your homemade restaurant-worthy masterpiece!
Munch, crunch, and enjoy!
Air Fryer Croutons? Or Pan or Oven?
Oh decisions, decisions. Any of these methods work wonderfully for making crispy croutons, the results are similar. In the end, it all comes down to your cooking preferences. I have a clear favorite, which I'll let you in after the showdown:
Pan-frying
- Pros: Allows for close control over browning and crisping as you'll be standing next to the pan, stirring like a champ, and getting those croutons perfectly crisp.
- Cons: Requires more oil and you to monitor the pan closely. Also, you can make only a small batch (the size of the pan) at once.
Air-frying
- Pros: Uses a little less oil, which might be a win for some healthy snackers out there.
- Cons: Requires shaking the basket occasionally for even browning, you can't peak inside to check on the level of browning, and you can make only a small batch (the size of the basket, no - or just a little - heaping allowed).
Oven-baking
- Pros: Easy-peasy, hands-off method, easiest to cook a large batch at once (several baking trays of crouton goodness at once).
- Cons: Can be difficult to achieve even browning on all sides, and might need stirring halfway through baking.
Can you guess which method is my fave? ... (Dramatic pause) ... Of course, you can, it's the oven! Nothing beats the convenience and bulk bounty of oven-baked croutons.
How to Store Your Homemade Croutons
You have leftover croutons? Who are you, and can we be best friends? You're either a snacking superhero or made a crouton mountain!
The good news is that croutons store really well. Storing them in an airtight container for up to a week won't make them soggy if you keep in mind to treat them like cookies. So, make sure the container is sealed and not made of plastic - a glass jar (for example, the simple ones with the twist-off lids) or a cookie tin is perfect.
🍽 Recipe
How to Make Homemade Croutons (simple, easy recipe)
Ingredients
- 300 g stale white bread whole wheat works too
- 3 tablespoons oil neutral oil for versatility, olive oil for Mediterranean flair
- 1-2 teaspoons herbed sea salt start with 1 tsp, adjust to taste, alternatively 1 teaspoon each of salt and your favorite seasoning (e.g. Italian, plain garlic, chili, nutritional yeast for a cheese flavor)
Instructions
- For oven-baked croutons, preheat to 180°C (360°F) with top/bottom heat and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Chop your bread into bite-sized crouton cubes.Smaller cubes are ideal for sprinkling over salads or creamy soups, while larger ones are perfect for a chunky snacking experience. You're the crouton maestro, so conduct your chopping symphony accordingly!
- Drizzle the bread cubes with oil. This crucial step ensures the seasonings cling to your crouton creations.
- Sprinkle the crouton cubes with a ready-made herbed sea salt, or use 1 teaspoon each of salt and your favorite seasoning.
- Fry/bake the croutons.In a pan: Fry the croutons for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, until the desired crispness is reached.In an air-fryer: Bake the croutons at 160°C (320°F) for about 10 minutes, stirring half-way through baking.In the oven: Spread the bread cubes evenly on the lined baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven until they turn golden-brown. Watch closely towards the end as the croutons can darken quickly.
Now sprinkle some serious joy onto your meals, one crispy crouton at a time.
I'm always curious. How did it go? Tried this homemade crouton recipe? I wanna hear all about it. How did you serve it? Any fun twists? Any flops? Drop the details below because we all love a good kitchen win or a lesson learned.
Wishing you planty of crispy delights,
Ramona
Psst, you'll enjoy these Multi-Seed Crackers and the Ultimate Roasted Tamari Almonds.
♥
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