Homemade Croutons

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Made from bread, olive oil, and spices, these homemade croutons will make you never want store-bought again. They are easy to make, so flavorful, and instantly take your salad from good to great. 

homemade croutons in jar.

This homemade croutons post came about by a happy accident. I was making a blueberry french toast casserole and had some bread leftover. I was also working on a salad recipe that required croutons. While I purchased store-bought to make things easy, my heart really wanted homemade.

With some extra time on my hands, I went with my gut and decided to go homemade and photograph the process to share with you. 

Curious about the salad in background of my photos? It’s Radiatori Salad! You’re going to love it!

homemade croutons in bowl.

This recipe for homemade croutons is from my mom. In fact, she was visiting when I was making all of the recipes mentioned above so she’s the one that actually put these croutons together. Years and years ago she was a cook at a cafe in my hometown. (I worked there as well.) She would make these croutons to serve on salads, soups, etc. They were always my favorite. I would snack on them like chips. 

Now if you don’t end up eating the croutons straight out of the container like me, here are a few salad recipes you can use them on:

homemade croutons in jar.

Ingredients

If you’re unsure about making homemade croutons, know that they are so simple to make and it’s likely you have everything you need to make them right in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • cubed bread – You can use whatever you’d like. More on this in the FAQ below. 
  • extra virgin olive oil  – Good olive oil adds great flavor and helps to brown the bread. 
  • spices/seasonings – I used Italian seasonings: dried parsley, garlic salt, and ground pepper. However, feel free to get creative and use what you like. 
homemade croutons in pan.

How to Make Homemade Croutons: 

For your convenience, I’ve provided a detailed ingredients list and instructions in the printable recipe card below.

  1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. Spread your bread cubes out on a large baking sheet in a single layer. 
  3. Drizzle the bread with extra virgin olive oil, then evenly sprinkle with the spices. 
  4. Use your hands to stir, mix, and evenly coat the bread cubes with the extra virgin olive oil and spices. 
making homemade croutons.
  1. Bake until golden brown turning once halfway through the cooking process to evenly brown. 
  2. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 
homemade croutons on pan.
  1. Store in an airtight container for up to three weeks. 

That’s it! Your croutons are ready to dress you favorite salads! YUM!

homemade croutons in jar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of bread are croutons made of?

The honest answer is that you can use whatever bread you like. Keep in mind that if you use flavored/seasoned bread, your croutons will have that same flavor. 

One trick for making these is that you can freeze leftover breads and then use them later to make your croutons. Consider… extra bagels, hamburger buns, sliced bread, dinner rolls, etc. In no time you’ll have enough leftover breads (that you probably would have thrown away anyway) to make a delicious batch of homemade croutons! 

How do you keep homemade croutons crispy? 

There are two things to consider. First, when baking your bread cubes, do not overcrowd them on the baking sheet. You want a single layer and you should keep them somewhat spaced out. Be sure to turn them once during the baking process so they brown evenly. 

Secondly, keep them stored in an airtight container. This will ensure they stay fresh and crisp for up to two to three weeks. 

homemade croutons in bowl.

And that’s all, my friends! I told you these homemade croutons were easy! After you try them I don’t think you’ll be buying croutons from the store anymore. 

As always, I hope you enjoyed this recipe and will give it a try the next time you need some croutons.

Enjoy! 

homemade croutons in jar.
homemade croutons in bowl.

More Recipes You May Enjoy:

I hope you’ll toasting up these homemade croutons. If you do, please leave a comment and a 5-star rating below. 

Want more from Inspired by Charm? Follow along on Instagram and TikTok for daily updates and behind-the-scenes looks at my processes. There’s even more inspiration on Facebook and Pinterest

homemade croutons in jar.

Homemade Croutons

Made from bread, olive oil, and spices, these homemade croutons will make you never want store-bought again. They are easy to make, so flavorful, and instantly take your salad from good to great.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Bread, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread, bread salad, croutons, salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 18
Calories: 211kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Begin by preheating your over to 350 degrees F.
  • Spread your bread cubes out on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Do not overcrowd.
  • Drizzle the bread with extra virgin olive oil, then evenly sprinkle with the spices.
  • Use your hands to stir, mix, and evenly coat the bread cubes with the extra virgin olive oil and spices.
  • Bake until golden brown turning once halfway through the cooking process so they brown evenly. This will take about twenty minutes, but the time will vary.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to three weeks.

Notes

*For this recipe you want about 3/4′-1′ cubes. If you’re cutting your bread smaller you’ll need less.  This was about 1.5 loaves of French bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg

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7 Comments

  1. These were PERFECT! I used them on a salad an in a soup. I’ll never buy store bought again. I’ve already saved some bread in the freezer for my next batch. Thank you for this!

  2. Love homemade croutons. I support that literally any leftover bread will work – usually I have leftover cheap burger or hot dog buns and they turn out just as well! My husband actually requests salads sometimes just to get homemade croutons, his favorite part. Such a good, simple idea to share!