Best 5 Homemade Croutons From Bread Recipes

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Homemade croutons are a versatile and delicious addition to salads, soups, and more. They're easy to make and can be customized to your liking. This article provides three recipes for homemade croutons, each with a unique flavor profile.

The first recipe is for classic croutons, made with simple ingredients like bread cubes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The second recipe is for garlic croutons, which add a savory garlicky flavor to your dishes. The third recipe is for cheesy croutons, which are coated in a mixture of Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. All three recipes are easy to follow and can be made in under 30 minutes. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy way to add flavor and texture to your meals, try making a batch of homemade croutons.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

HOMEMADE CROUTONS



Homemade Croutons image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     condiment

Time 25m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

Day old French bread
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Cut bread into cubes and place in a large bowl. Drizzle cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
  • Spread seasoned bread onto a sheet pan and bake for about 15 minutes.

HOMEMADE CROUTONS



Homemade Croutons image

You can change up these basic homemade croutons recipe by substituting your favorite herbs and spices. -Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 25m

Yield 2-2/3 cups.

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 loaf (8 ounces) French bread, cubed
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/8 teaspoon ground mustard

Steps:

  • Place bread in a large bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients; drizzle over bread and toss to coat., Place in a single layer in an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 110 calories, Fat 4g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 4mg cholesterol, Sodium 336mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 3g protein.

FRENCH BREAD CROUTONS



French Bread Croutons image

Actually you could use any day old bread-day old being the key words. I like the airiness and texture of croutons prepared with French bread however. Specifically, what I mean by "bland" oil is any unflavored oil such as vegetable, corn, etc. Olive oil will work out fine though.

Provided by COOKGIRl

Categories     < 30 Mins

Time 25m

Yield 6 cups

Number Of Ingredients 5

5 -6 cups day old French bread, not stale
1/4 cup bland oil, approximately (or olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon salt-free garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt-free onion powder
1 teaspoon italian seasoning (optional)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degree. Make sure oven rack is in the middle or top position in oven so that croutons do not burn.
  • Cut bread into 1/2" cubes. In a clean, dry plastic grocery bag place the bread cubes, oil, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning, if using.
  • Tie bag in loose knot; shake bag to distribute ingredients well. Arrange the bread cubes singly on an aluminum baking sheet.
  • Bake the cubes for approximately 12 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the baking sheet and stir the bread cubes after 6 minutes so that they bake evenly.
  • Once the croutons are browned, stir them one more time, turn off the oven but leave the baking sheet with croutons in the oven.
  • Keep croutons in oven until they are at room temperature then transfer to airtight container.
  • Other herb choices: lemon pepper, dillweed, Cavender's Greek seasoning, etc.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 372.6, Fat 12.3, SaturatedFat 1.9, Sodium 649.6, Carbohydrate 55.4, Fiber 3.2, Sugar 0.3, Protein 9.4

CHEF JOHN'S HOMEMADE CROUTONS



Chef John's Homemade Croutons image

Don't let stale baguettes go to waste! These garlic-parmesan croutons are the perfect crunchy topper for salads and soups. And they're ridiculously easy to make.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Crouton Recipes

Time 3h55m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

½ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 (8 ounce) loaf French bread baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
  • Stir olive oil and garlic together in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature until flavors are infused, about 3 hours.
  • Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour garlic oil through a strainer onto the bread; toss to coat bread with oil. Add 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper; toss to coat. Spread bread cubes out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn croutons and bake 15 minutes more. Push croutons together with a spatula so that they are in a compact rectangle on the baking sheet and no longer spread out; sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the top. Bake until cheese is melted and the bread is crispy and crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 473.9 calories, Carbohydrate 34.1 g, Cholesterol 13.2 mg, Fat 32.4 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Protein 12.7 g, SaturatedFat 6.6 g, Sodium 889.9 mg, Sugar 1.7 g

CROUTONS



Croutons image

This is great to make your own croutons for your salads, etc. When you make your own you know what goes into it and you are proud of your accomplishment. You can also add your own flavorings.

Provided by Carol

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Crouton Recipes

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 3

15 slices bread
¼ cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons garlic salt

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Remove crusts from stale bread slices. Brush bread on both sides with melted butter. Cut bread slices up into small cubes. Sprinkle with garlic salt (if desired). Arrange cubes on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes or until browned. Let cool. Store croutons in a covered container or plastic bag. Serve in soups or salads.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 117.5 calories, Carbohydrate 15.9 g, Cholesterol 10.2 mg, Fat 4.9 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 2.7 g, Sodium 542.1 mg, Sugar 1.3 g

Tips:

  • Use stale bread: Stale bread is easier to cut into uniform cubes and will result in crispier croutons.
  • Cut the bread into uniform cubes: This will help the croutons cook evenly.
  • Toss the bread cubes with olive oil and seasonings: This will help the croutons to brown and add flavor.
  • Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet: This will help the croutons to cook evenly.
  • Bake the croutons in a preheated oven: This will help the croutons to cook quickly and evenly.
  • Stir the croutons occasionally: This will help the croutons to brown evenly.
  • Remove the croutons from the oven when they are golden brown and crispy: Overcooked croutons will be hard and dry.
  • Let the croutons cool completely before storing them: This will help the croutons to stay crispy.

Conclusion:

Homemade croutons are a delicious and versatile addition to any meal. They can be used in salads, soups, stews, and casseroles. They can also be served as a snack on their own. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can easily make your own homemade croutons that are sure to impress your family and friends.

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