Simple dishes deserve great thought and love. Use your favorite bread, freshly grated cheese, and seasonings of your choice for these homemade croutons to take the texture and flavor of your salads to a new level.
Satisfyingly crunchy with a nice chew in the center makes these croutons craveable. You’ll never go back to those stale, teeth-chipping, store-bought croutons again!
Notes for Homemade Croutons
- Cut with long, smooth strokes using a serrated knife. Don’t saw like a maniac or the bread will start to crumble and make a mess. Be patient and let the knife do the work.
- The croutons will still feel a bit soft after 10 minutes in the oven, and you may be tempted to leave them in until they crisp up. Don’t do it! Letting them rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes after baking will get them to crisp up while leaving a slight chew in the center. Spices like paprika and garlic powder also burn easily, as does anything with lots of sugar like honey. Burnt food = bad. So stick to 10 minutes in the oven max!
- A general rule in cooking is to use ingredients you like to eat (duh!). You can use a really good crusty bread from your local bakery, or even sliced bread from a bag for this recipe if that’s your thing! As for me – sourdough all day everyday. Leftover waffles also do nicely.
- Try with Caesar Salad
Homemade Croutons
Ingredients
- 5 oz Bread
- 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan, grated
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F
- In a bowl, mix Olive Oil, Parmesan, Honey, Paprika, and Garlic Powder until it forms a paste.
- Slice bread into bite sized cubes – doesn't have to be perfect! Add to olive oil mixture and coat evenly. Get messy with it and use your hands to really get the cheese and spices into the bread!
- Put the bread cubes onto a cookie sheet, and spread them out so they have room to breathe. If they are touching while cooking, the crunchy crust will not form. Use two cookie sheets if you have to.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes total, taking out to flip with a spatula halfway through. Don't worry about flipping over every last crouton – just get most of them, give the cookie sheet a nice shake, and toss back into the oven.
- Let the croutons rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes after coming out of the oven. You can let them cool to room temp, but they're really great warm!
