Homemade croutons are a delicious and easy way to add flavor and texture to salads, soups, and other dishes. They can be made with any bread, such as French, sourdough, Italian, or whole wheat, and can be flavored with spices, herbs, and garlic.
Homemade croutons are a great way to use up stale or leftover bread and are much tastier than store-bought croutons.
What are croutons?
Croutons are small, crisp pieces of bread used as a topping for salads or soups. They are typically made by cutting the bread into small cubes and then toasting them until they are crunchy.
Croutons can be made from any bread but are most commonly made from white or wheat bread. They can be flavored with herbs, spices, and other seasonings to add extra flavor to dishes.
Best bread for croutons
Any crusty bread works well for croutons, such as sourdough, French baguette, or ciabatta. However, you can also use a few days old breads, since the drier bread will crisp up better when baked.
How to make croutons in the oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) to make homemade croutons. Cut the bread into desired-sized cubes and place them in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil or melted butter and season with desired herbs, spices, garlic, or other flavorings.
Toss to coat the cubes with the oil of your choice. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
Once cooled, store the croutons in an airtight container for up to one week. Enjoy them in salads, soups, or as a crunchy snack.
How to make croutons in the air fryer?
Cut the bread into small cubes, about 1/2 inch in size. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
Sprinkle the seasonings over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Place the bread cubes in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not crowded or overlapping.
Cook the croutons at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown.
Remove the c routons from the air fryer and let them cool before using them as a topping for salads or soups.
Note: The cooking time and temperature may vary depending on the size of the bread cubes and the type of air fryer you are using. It is a good idea to check on the croutons and shake the basket a few times during cooking to ensure they are cooking evenly.
How to make croutons in a pan?
Cut the bread into small cubes, about 1/2 inch in size. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil or melted butter to the skillet.
Once the oil is hot, add the bread cubes to the skillet. Stir the bread cubes to coat them in the oil. Sprinkle the seasonings over the bread cubes and stir to coat.
Cook the croutons for about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until they are crispy and golden brown. Remove the croutons from the skillet and let them cool before using them as a topping for salads or soups.
Note: The cooking time and temperature may vary depending on the size of the bread cubes and the type of skillet you use. Checking on the croutons and stirring them frequently during cooking is a good idea to ensure they are cooking evenly.
are croutons healthy?
It is difficult to say whether croutons are healthy because it depends on how they are made and what they are made with. In general, croutons are made from bread, which is a source of carbohydrates and can provide some nutrients such as B vitamins and fiber.
However, store-bought croutons are often high in sodium and may contain added sugar, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients. Crispy tofu, air fried chickpeas are great alternatives.
crouton seasoing ideas
- 1. Parmesan and Garlic
- 2. Rosemary and Thyme
- 3. Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- 4. Cumin and Chili Powder
- 5. Paprika and Garlic Powder
- 6. Italian Herbs and Parmesan
- 7. Cinnamon and Sugar
- 8. Sesame Seeds and Soy Sauce
- 9. Onion Powder and Garlic Salt
- 10. Curry Powder and Turmeric
Frequently asked questions
How to make homemade croutons
Equipment
- Baking pan
- Air Fryer
- Cast iron pan
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread stale white bread
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
How to make croutons in the oven?
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) to make homemade croutons. Cut the bread into desired-sized cubes and place them in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil or melted butter and season with desired herbs, spices, garlic, or other flavorings.
- Toss to coat the cubes with the oil of your choice. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
- Once cooled, store the croutons in an airtight container for up to one week. Enjoy them in salads, soups, or as a crunchy snack.
How to make croutons in the air fryer?
- Cut the bread into small cubes, about 1/2 inch in size. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle the seasonings over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Place the bread cubes in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not crowded or overlapping.
- Cook the croutons at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Remove the croutons from the air fryer and let them cool before using them as a topping for salads or soups.
- Note: The cooking time and temperature may vary depending on the size of the bread cubes and the type of air fryer you are using. It is a good idea to check on the croutons and shake the basket a few times during cooking to ensure they are cooking evenly.
How to make croutons in a pan?
- Cut the bread into small cubes, about 1/2 inch in size. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil or melted butter to the skillet.
- Once the oil is hot, add the bread cubes to the skillet. Stir the bread cubes to coat them in the oil. Sprinkle the seasonings over the bread cubes and stir to coat.
- Cook the croutons for about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until they are crispy and golden brown. Remove the croutons from the skillet and let them cool before using them as a topping for salads or soups.
- Note: The cooking time and temperature may vary depending on the size of the bread cubes and the type of skillet you use. Checking on the croutons and stirring them frequently during cooking is a good idea to ensure they are cooking evenly.
Notes
- 1. Parmesan and Garlic
- 2. Rosemary and Thyme
- 3. Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- 4. Cumin and Chili Powder
- 5. Paprika and Garlic Powder
- 6. Italian Herbs and Parmesan
- 7. Cinnamon and Sugar
- 8. Sesame Seeds and Soy Sauce
- 9. Onion Powder and Garlic Salt 1
- 10. Curry Powder and Turmeric
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Tengo una Certificación Profesional en la cocina vegana; en el mundo de la cocina basada en vegetales, frutas, granos, leguminosas… en comida limpia, orgánica y vegana.
My cookbook is called Yo Cocino Latino..
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