Making your own homemade croutons is so simple! They can be made in minutes and made with your favorite herbs and spice blends.
How to Make Croutons
I love croutons on my salads, but I’m not the biggest fan of buying the box of pre-made croutons at the store. Homemade croutons taste better and only take a few minutes to make. They even last a few days at room temperature (or much longer in the freezer) so you can make a double batch and have them for another day.
To make croutons from scratch, simply tear or slice bread into small chunks and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and if you’d like to add them, some herbs. Bake the seasoned bread in the oven until crisp. They usually take somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes depending on how large they are and how fresh the bread is.
Here are some more tips for you:
- Use a quality bread. I love using bread from my local bakery.
- Day old bread crisps up a bit quicker, but fresh will still work.
- Use a tasty olive oil or melted butter.
- Throw in your favorite dried herb blend or toss with chopped fresh herbs when the croutons are crisp and you’ve removed them from the oven (see the notes section of the recipe for suggestions).
- Don’t forget salt and pepper!
Storing homemade croutons
Croutons can be kept for a few days at room temperature or frozen up to a month (maybe more). It’s best to store them in an airtight container or bag so they stay fresh. If they’ve lost some crispiness, simply place them back into a hot oven for a few minutes to bring them back to their former glory.
Ways to use them
You may think that croutons are only for scattering onto salads, but that’s just the start. I love adding them to homemade soups and stews — this tomato soup and this creamy vegetable soup are my favorite.
Knowing how to make your own croutons is useful around the holidays, especially if you are tasked with making stuffing! In this mushroom stuffing recipe, we start by crisping the bread into croutons before mixing with the remaining ingredients.
Then, of course, there is the obvious option of adding homemade, perfectly crispy croutons to salads (see our favorite Caesar salad to see it in action).
More easy recipes from scratch
Homemade Herby Croutons
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Making your own homemade croutons is so simple! They can be made in minutes and made with your favorite herbs and spice blends. Both dried and fresh herbs can be used in this recipe. See the notes section below for our tips.
Makes 4 cups
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
4 cups torn or cubed day old bread, about 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon dried herbs or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh fine herbs, see notes
Directions
1Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2In a medium bowl, toss the pieces of bread with olive oil, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
3Add dried herbs, if using, and toss well. Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
4Bake, stirring once, until crisp and light golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. If using fresh herbs, chop them small and then toss with the croutons after they have finished baking and while they are still warm.
5Cool and then store in an airtight bag for 2 to 3 days or freeze up to a month.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- We typically reach for dried herb blends like Italian seasoning, chili powder (see our homemade version), Za’atar, and Mediterranean/Greek blends. For fresh herbs, try finer herbs like chopped fresh oregano, dill, basil, tarragon, chives, parsley and cilantro. If using woodier herbs like rosemary or thyme, you can toss them in before baking as if they were dried herbs.
- Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
About 1/4 cup
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Calories
93
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Total Fat
3.1g
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Saturated Fat
0.5g
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Cholesterol
0mg
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Sodium
231.1mg
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Carbohydrate
13.6g
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Dietary Fiber
0.7g
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Total Sugars
0.8g
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Protein
2.9g