Homemade Croutons

Make crispy Homemade Croutons with only a few ingredients. They’re perfect for topping all of your salads and soups!

Homemade Croutons are so easy to make at home, you’ll never buy store-bought again! Whenever I have leftover French Bread, I’ll whip these up to use with Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing, or to sprinkle on top of my Tomato Basil Soup.

homemade is better

Homemade Croutons are just 100% better than store-bought ones. They always turn out thicker and crunchier and just flat out taste better!

I cannot eat a savory salad without croutons, especially Caesar Salad, or really any green salad recipes! Soup is also delicious with these crunchy bites sprinkled on top!

This recipe is so simple, even my kids can help make it! It’s great for leftover bread that is almost going stale. No waste! It’s a win-win situation.

You’re going to LOVE this homemade crouton recipe. You’ll never go back to store-bought croutons again./

how to make croutons

It doesn’t really matter what kind of bread you use—any stale bread you have in your home will work! You can also just buy or make a loaf of French Bread.

PREP. Preheat oven to 375°F.

COAT. In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients (melted butter, olive oil, seasoning, garlic salt, and pepper). Add bread pieces and toss to evenly coat.

BAKE. Spread the bread cubes onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 10 minutes, turn to cook the other side and bake an additional 8-10 minutes. Turn on HIGH and broil for the last minute, being careful to watch and make sure they do not burn.

Enjoy these Best Homemade Croutons with any salad of your choice.

NOTE: This recipe makes about 4 cups.

Air Fryer Directions

Prepare the bread crumbs as directed, but toast them in the air fryer. 

• Set the air fryer temp to 390/400°F and fry for 5-7 minutes or until toasted and golden brown. 
• Flip the croutons about halfway through. 

Recipe Tips

Bread. In my opinion, the best bread for croutons is a crusty loaf.

I used French bread for the croutons made in this recipe but sourdough bread, rye bread, or Italian bread are other great options. Cornbread, whole wheat bread, gluten-free bread, or even thicker sandwich bread will also work. 

• Ideally, the bread should be slightly stale. If starting with a fresh loaf, cut the cubes and leave them uncovered on the counter for a few hours to dry them out a bit. 
• Use a bread knife to cut uniform cubes, or tear the bread just to be sure all the pieces are equal in size so that they bake at the same rate.
• Keep in mind that the baking time may vary according to the type of bread, the size of the cubes, or the staleness. 

Flavor Variations.

• Italian Seasoning is an herb blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, and thyme. Increase any of those flavors to your liking or omit the Italian seasoning altogether. 
• Add cheese such as parmesan cheese. Sprinkle it on during the last 10 minutes of baking time. 
• Spice it up with paprika, red pepper flakes, or chipotle powder, or go simple with just a bit of salt and pepper.

How to Store

STORE. To keep them crunchy, the best way to store Salad Croutons is in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week.

They can be stored in the fridge but it tends to cause them to soften. To crisp up softened croutons, spread them on a baking sheet and place them back in the oven for a few minutes.

FREEZE. Put Homemade Croutons in a plastic freezer bag, and keep them in the freezer for several weeks.

To use, put the frozen croutons directly onto a baking sheet and heat at 250°F until they are totally thawed and crispy again.

Recipe FAQ

Some favorite Salads with Croutons:

• Chicken Caesar Salad
• Chicken Caesar Wraps
• Pizza Salad
• Caesar Salad Wonton Cups
• Arugula Salad