Skip the store-bought options and make some perfectly delicious homemade croutons! The Italian seasoning and garlic add an aromatic flavor to this vibrant salad topping.
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Make Croutons for National Crouton Day
Did you know that May 13th is National Crouton Day? It was established in 2015 by the Rothbury Farms crouton company. Enjoy these delicious crunchy bread toppings in soups or salads, or as a snack on their own!
Why This Homemade Crouton Recipe is a Keeper
This homemade crouton recipe is quick and easy to make. Here are just a few reasons why you’ll love this great recipe for garlic croutons:
- Easy Prep: These garlic croutons only take five minutes to prep.
- Simple Ingredients: All of the ingredients for sourdough croutons can probably be found in your kitchen. They will make the best homemade croutons.
- Versatile: Eat these seasoned croutons with anything you’d like- they go with everything, from salads to tomato soup! Everyone will love homemade croutons.
How Do I Keep the Croutons Crispy?
To make sure your baked croutons stay crispy, make sure they don’t get exposed to air or moisture. Store your crunchy croutons in an airtight container at room temperature.
Ingredient Notes to Make Homemade Croutons and the Best Bread for Croutons
If you love croutons, this is a fantastic recipe you need to try. After making salad croutons at home, you’ll never buy croutons from the store again! Below you will learn how to make croutons for your salad recipe.
- Sourdough Bread: Make these garlicky homemade croutons using a loaf of bread. Sourdough is recommended, as it has a savory taste.
- Italian Seasoning: The best croutons are full of delicious flavor. Try seasoning your croutons with our Italian seasoning recipe.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for the Homemade Recipe for Croutons from Scratch
- Different Bread: Instead of sourdough, try different kinds of bread, like Cuban bread, French bread, or Italian bread. Making croutons are a great way to use your old, leftover bread and not have the expense of store-bought croutons.
- Olive Oil: Pour a bit of olive oil over the bread pieces before baking them oil or butter will work great when making croutons from scratch.
- Breadcrumbs: After you make your own croutons, you can make your own bread crumbs. Use food processor to make breadcrumb. Then use the crumbs to make whatever coating you like.
How to Make Easy Homemade Croutons in the Oven
Learn how to make homemade croutons from scratch with this simple recipe. They’re better than store bought croutons and are seasoned with garlic powder and herbs. Croutons make a great snack too!
These are the basic steps to make these croutons. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the bread into 3/4 inch pieces.
Step 2: Melt Butter
Cut the butter into four pieces to allow it to melt faster, then place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave, then add garlic powder, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir well.
Step 3: Toss the Croutons to Coat Bread Evenly
Place the cubed bread in a large mixing bowl and pour the butter mixture evenly on top. Using your hand or a rubber spatula, gently toss the bread pieces to evenly coat with a bit of the butter and seasoning.
Step 4: Bake the Crunchy Homemade Croutons on a Baking Sheet, Remove from the Oven and Store the Cooled Croutons
Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the bread cubes evenly on the pan. Bake the croutons in the oven for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Once they come out of the oven, let the croutons cool.
Homemade Crouton FAQs
Expert Tips for Making Garlicky Homemade Croutons for Salad and Soup
- Stale Bread: You can make croutons with leftover bread or stale bread. Just make sure it isn’t moldy for the best crouton recipe.
- Substitutions: Try substituting fresh herbs for dried Italian herbs, oil instead of butter, or reduced-fat butter so you can love the croutons. Evenly
- Stirring: Wearing a rubber glove, use your hand to stir the croutons before baking in order to distribute the butter mixture more thoroughly.
- Baking: One side of the croutons will turn out darker than the other. If you want the coloring to be even, flip the croutons halfway through baking.
- Fresh Garlic: You can make this recipe with fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. Just mince some garlic cloves and spread them over your croutons.
Homemade Croutons
Equipment
- 1 Small Microwave-Safe Bowl
- Rubber Spatula optional
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Ingredients
- 24 ounces Sourdough Bread
- 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut bread into 3/4 inch pieces.
- Slice your stick of butter into 4 cubes (it melts more evenly this way) and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for about 1 minute or until the butter is fully melted.
- Add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to melted butter. Stir well.
- Place the bread chunks in a large mixing bowl and pour the melted butter mixture over the top, being sure to not pour it all in one place.
- Using your hand or a rubber spatula, gently fold the bread pieces until they’re coated with a bit of the butter and seasoning.
- Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the bread cubes evenly on the pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.
Christina’s Notes
- Stale Bread: You can make croutons with leftover bread or stale bread. Just make sure it isn’t moldy for the best crouton recipe.
- Substitutions: Try substituting fresh herbs for dried Italian herbs, oil instead of butter, or reduced-fat butter so you can love the croutons. Evenly
- Stirring: Wearing a rubber glove, use your hand to stir the croutons before baking in order to distribute the butter mixture more thoroughly.
- Baking: One side of the croutons will turn out darker than the other. If you want the coloring to be even, flip the croutons halfway through baking.
- Fresh Garlic: You can make this recipe with fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. Just mince some garlic cloves and spread them over your croutons.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.