Homemade croutons are a simple, delicious way to elevate your salads, soups, and casseroles. They’re incredibly easy to make, require just a few pantry staples, and taste far better than anything you can buy pre-packaged. Plus, they’re a great way to use up leftover or slightly stale bread.
To make homemade croutons, start by cutting your bread into bite-sized cubes. You can use almost any type of bread—white, whole wheat, sourdough, baguettes, or even rye. The key is to choose bread with a sturdy texture so the croutons crisp up nicely in the oven.
How to Make Perfect Homemade Croutons
Toss the bread cubes with olive oil or melted butter until lightly coated. Then season to your liking. A simple mix of salt, pepper, and garlic powder works well, but you can get creative with herbs like thyme, rosemary, or Italian seasoning. For a cheesy twist, sprinkle with grated Parmesan before baking.
Spread the seasoned bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–20 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crunchy. Let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.
Homemade croutons add the perfect crunch to Caesar salad, tomato soup, or even as a topping for mac and cheese. They’re also great for snacking on their own!
Making croutons at home lets you control the flavor, texture, and ingredients, ensuring a fresher, healthier option with no preservatives. You can even customize them for different cuisines—try curry powder for an Indian twist or smoked paprika for a Spanish flair.
These crispy, golden brown homemade croutons are perfect for your salads and soups.
Ingredients
- 4 cups French bread cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs optional, such as basil, oregano, or thyme
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the cubed French bread, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. If using, add the dried herbs.
- Toss until the bread cubes are evenly coated.
- Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the croutons are golden brown and crispy.
- Let the croutons cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Super easy recipe! My kids love them, crunch crunch!
But aren’t croutons just stale bread? How can kids really love that? Seems kinda bland to me.
Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to make these with my kids too. They’re gonna love it!
Wow, too much olive oil made them soggy. Won’t try again.
4 cups of bread?! That seems like too much. I only made half the amount and it was still too much! Could use some tips on portion.
I didn’t have all the spices so I skipped them. They still tasted fine. I kinda like plain bread tho.
But like, skipping spices? Isn’t that half the fun? Plain bread sounds kinda boring though.
I think that’s cool! Sometimes simple is best. Croutons can be good with just oil and bread.
Why do people always say to “toss until evenly coated” like that’s easy? Mine stuck together a little. Still decent, but not pretty.
These croutons turned out amazing! So crunchy and just the right flavor. Will make again!
Glad to hear they turned out amazing! I love homemade croutons more than store-bought ones. Great job!
I don’t know… they should really be crispier. I think my oven doesn’t work right, maybe it’s the temperature? 🤔
Perfect for my soups! Thanks for sharing this simple recipe. ❤️
Great recipe! I added Parmesan cheese and they were a hit at dinner.
Sounds delicious! I love the idea of adding Parmesan. It must have made them so cheesy and flavorful!
I don’t get why you would add cheese to croutons. Isn’t it just bread? But I guess if it works for you…
These croutons were a hit! Way better than store-bought. Will make again!
My kids love these! They’re great on soups and salads. Thanks for sharing!