Best 8 Plain Toasted Croutons Recipes

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Indulge in the delectable world of croutons, the perfect accompaniment to salads, soups, and even as a crunchy snack. These toasted bread cubes are a versatile culinary delight, adding texture and flavor to various dishes. With just a few simple ingredients and a touch of creativity, you can elevate your culinary creations with homemade croutons. This article presents a comprehensive guide to making croutons, featuring three distinct recipes: classic plain croutons, herb-infused croutons, and cheesy croutons. Embark on a culinary journey as we explore the art of crafting the perfect croutons, transforming ordinary bread into extraordinary culinary accents.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

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

BEST CROUTONS EVER



Best Croutons Ever image

These croutons are soft and good. I hate croutons, but I love these!

Provided by Pancake555

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Crouton Recipes

Time 20m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 3

¼ cup butter
4 slices bread
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Melt butter in a pot over medium heat.
  • Cut each bread slice into 16 cubes; add bread cubes and garlic powder to melted butter. Stir to coat. Transfer coated bread cubes to the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 84.4 calories, Carbohydrate 6.4 g, Cholesterol 15.3 mg, Fat 6.2 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 3.7 g, Sodium 126 mg, Sugar 0.6 g

PLAIN TOASTED CROUTONS



Plain Toasted Croutons image

Provided by Julia Child

Categories     Appetizer     Bake     Fall

Yield Makes 4 cups

Number Of Ingredients 1

4 or more thick slices of home-style white bread

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the crusts from the bread and slice into 1/2-inch strips and then the strips into 1/2-inch cubes, to make 4 cups. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and set in the oven for about 10 minutes, turning once or twice, until lightly toasted on all sides. Spread the cubes on a tray to cool before using or freezing.

CROUTONS



Croutons image

Provided by Food Network

Time 30m

Yield 2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 5

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups 1/2-inch cubes crusty Italian bread

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Whisk the butter, olive oil, oregano and garlic salt. Toss with the bread cubes. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and toasted, 15 to 20 minutes.

GARLIC CROUTONS



Garlic Croutons image

A very simple recipe, these croutons are good for a Caesar's Salad or any tossed green salad.

Provided by Cathy Hofmann

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Crouton Recipes

Time 25m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 3

4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
3 (3/4 inch thick) slices French bread, cut into cubes

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add bread cubes, and toss to coat. Spread on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, or until crisp and dry. Check frequently to prevent burning. Cool.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 89.1 calories, Carbohydrate 4.2 g, Cholesterol 20.4 mg, Fat 7.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.9 g, SaturatedFat 4.9 g, Sodium 100.8 mg, Sugar 0.2 g

TORN CROUTONS



Torn Croutons image

Store-bought croutons simply can't compete with homemade ones. To begin with, your raw ingredients are almost certainly of a higher quality, and hence more delicious, than the stuff anyone else will use. What's more, the rustic, uneven shape of torn croutons, like these croutons from "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat, lends a variety of textures to your salads. Dressing clings to them better, they're more lovely to look at, and they are less likely to scratch the roof of your mouth.

Provided by Samin Nosrat

Time 30m

Yield 8 cups

Number Of Ingredients 3

1-pound loaf day-old country or sourdough bread
1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, as needed

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees. For more teeth-friendly croutons, remove the crusts from the bread, then cut the loaf into inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into inch-wide strips. Working over a large bowl, tear each strip into inch-size pieces. Alternatively, you can tear croutons directly off the loaf, as long as you get somewhat evenly sized pieces.
  • Toss croutons with olive oil to coat them evenly, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Use a second sheet as needed to prevent crowding, which will entrap steam and keep the croutons from browning.
  • Toast croutons for about 18 to 22 minutes, checking them after 8 minutes. Rotate the pans, switch their oven positions, and use a metal spatula to turn and rotate the croutons so that they brown evenly. Once they begin to brown, check them every few minutes, continuing to turn and rotate. Some croutons might be done when others still need a few more minutes of baking, so remove them from the tray and let the rest finish cooking. Bake the croutons until they're golden brown and crunchy on the outside, with just a tiny bit of chew on the inside.
  • Taste a crouton and adjust the seasoning with a light sprinkling of salt if needed. Let croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400 degrees.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 234, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 29 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 6 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 342 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams

SEASONED CROUTONS



Seasoned Croutons image

My homemade croutons make any salad outstanding.-Shelley McKinney, New Castle, Indiana

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 30m

Yield 3 cups.

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch salt
6 slices day-old bread, cubed

Steps:

  • In an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan, combine the butter, oil and seasonings. Heat in a 300° oven until butter is melted. Remove from the oven; stir to combine. , Add bread cubes and toss to coat. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Cool. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 60 calories, Fat 3g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 5mg cholesterol, Sodium 111mg sodium, Carbohydrate 6g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

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

Tips:

  • Choose the right bread: Stale bread works best for croutons because it has less moisture and will become crispy when toasted. You can use any type of bread, but French bread, Italian bread, and sourdough bread are popular choices.
  • Cut the bread into cubes: The size of the croutons is up to you, but 1-inch cubes are a good starting point. Make sure the cubes are evenly sized so that they toast evenly.
  • Season the croutons: Before you toast the croutons, toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can also add other seasonings, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or dried herbs.
  • Toast the croutons: You can toast the croutons in the oven or in a skillet. If you're using the oven, preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and toast the croutons for 10-15 minutes, or until they're golden brown and crispy. If you're using a skillet, heat it over medium heat and toast the croutons for 5-7 minutes, or until they're golden brown and crispy.
  • Store the croutons: Croutons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Conclusion:

Croutons are a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to soups to casseroles. They're also a great way to use up leftover bread. With these tips, you can make perfect croutons at home every time.

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