Ditch the store-bought and embrace the perfect crunch of homemade croutons in the oven! This super simple and totally customizable recipe is the ticket to crispy, flavorful salad croutons perfect for soups, pastas, veggies, and more. Best of all, you'll need just 5 minutes of prep and a handful of basic ingredients to make them!
3TBSFinely Grated Parmesan- plus more for dusting croutons if desired
2small Cloves Garlic – roughly chopped
2tspItalian Seasoning(Click ingredient for Homemade Italian Seasoning recipe)
ToTasteKosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Preheat Oven and Prep Pan: Adjust the oven rack to center position and the preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and then set it aside.
Cube or Tear Bread: Either cut bread into ¾ inch-cubes with a knife or tear bread into small chunks by hand. Make sure the croutons are uniform in size so they bake evenly.
Toss Bread Cubes with Oil and Seasonings. Place cubed bread into a large bowl and drizzle the bread with the oil. Use your hands or a spoon and toss to coat the cubes of bread in the oil. Then, sprinkle the parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning over the bread. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Then gently toss to evenly coat the bread in the spices.
Arrange Bread Baking Sheet: Dump the bread cubes our onto the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to spread the bread out into an even, single layer across the baking pan.
Bake in Oven: Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake the bread cubes, tossing once halfway through baking, for 15-20 minutes, or until the croutons are golden brown and crispy.
Season Again and Cool: Remove the croutons from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack. Season the oven croutons with kosher salt and more parmesan cheese. Then, allow the croutons to cool slightly on the pan.
Enjoy or Store for Later: Use your homemade bread croutons immediately on soups, salads, and more. Alternatively, allow the croutons to cool completely before storing in a zip-closure bag.
Notes
Do NOT overcrowd the baking sheet. You want the croutons in a single layer with some space left between each cube of bread.
Baking time will vary depending on the size of your croutons and how moist your bread is.
To Store Croutons: Croutons should be stored in a zip-closure bag at room temperature. To keep croutons fresh, remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing. Croutons will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Croutons can be frozen for up to 4 to 6 weeks. To use frozen croutons, thaw them on a paper towel at room temperature for 1 hour. Heat on a baking sheet at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp.
Got questions? I've got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification - please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'm happy to help when I can!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 12 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.