Learn how to make homemade croutons from scratch. It's an easy way to transform leftover sourdough bread into crunchy little cubes for salads and soups.

We use stale bread for things like bread stuffing or french toast, but it's also great for making croutons.

They are great for topping tomato soup, or roasted butternut squash soup. Who doesn't love croutons for jazzing up a quick side salad to go with dinner?

Croutons that you buy in the store can often be too crunchy and hard to bite into. With croutons made from scratch, you control how crunchy or soft they are.

You can also adjust the seasonings and the oil so they complement whatever you are serving them with.

Homemade croutons are quick to make as they only take about 20-30 minutes depending on how crunchy you want them to be.

Whether it's soup season or salad season, if you've got bread, you can make croutons!

What you need

Let's go over what you'll need to make these delicious little morsels!

• bread - Leftover or day-old bread is perfect for making croutons. Any type of bread will work. We love using honey wheat sourdough sandwich bread, country loaf sourdough bread, or even pumpernickel. Keep in mind that the drier your bread is, the less time it will take to bake, and vice versa. This recipe works with gluten-free bread as well.
• olive oil - Our favorite fat to use is extra virgin olive oil, but melted butter or melted coconut oil can be used instead. Just choose which works best for you.
• seasonings - Here's where you can get creative with flavor. For this basic crouton recipe, we've included salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasonings. Fresh or dried parsley, rosemary, oregano, basil, dill, and just about any herbs are delicious on croutons. Sprinkle on as much as you like! Other flavors you might like to try are parmesan cheese or smoked paprika.

How to make it

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Slice the bread into ¾" pieces and place them into a large bowl. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and toss with the seasonings. Spread the cubes in an even layer on the baking sheet.
3. Bake until crispy and golden brown. Make sure to toss them halfway through the baking time. Baking time varies depending on how dried out the bread is.

Air fryer instructions

After coating the bread cubes with oil and seasonings, arrange them in a single layer on the air fryer tray. Cook at 375°F ( 190°C) for 4 minutes, toss with a spatula and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes.

How to store and freeze

Homemade croutons will last in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-5 days. The croutons will continue to dry out and harden the longer they sit.

The softer they are after baking, the longer they will last in the container.

They can be frozen in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

Homemade croutons can also be ground into breadcrumbs to use in other recipes.

Other homemade pantry recipes to try: sourdough starter / apple butter / mayonnaise / vanilla extract

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