Homemade Croutons Recipe (use that leftover bread)

Forget store-bought and make your own bread croutons at home! This homemade croutons recipe is made in minutes and adds so much flavour to all your favourite soups and salads. With olive oil, butter, basil and garlic they’re totally delish!

Hi friends!

Sharing an easy recipe that everyone should have in their back pocket … homemade croutons!

Sure, the store-bought ones add a crunch factor to salads.

But homemade?

So freaking tasty!

They’re crunchy and just a tad tender in the centre.

They’re a touch salty.

And wickedly buttery (also, my fave part).

If you’re like me, when you think of croutons, you automatically consider salads.

But, they’re also delicious as a soup topper.

Truthfully, before these buttery croutons even make it to soup or salad, they go straight from the pan into my pie hole.

I can honestly eat ’em like potato chips. They make for the most delish snack.

How to Make Homemade Croutons

Firstly, grab your hunk of bread a cut off slices, about 1-inch thick.

Start slicing into cubes.

Add dried basil, salt, pepper and garlic powder and olive oil to some melted butter and whisk to combine.

Place bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle over butter mixture (or you can spread cubes of bread directly onto the sheet pan and do it that way — one less dish to clean, LOL).

Use your hands, if needed, to mix and ensure everything is well coated.

Bake until golden brown, turning halfway through (and rotating your pan).

Tip: Bake time of croutons can vary, depending on how large your cubes are, the type of bread used and how fresh/stale your bread is to start with. You want to bake the croutons until they’re golden brown and crispy, but still just slightly tender inside.

Hungry for more? Subscribe to the Girl Heart Food Newsletter!

Best Bread to Use

Use day-old or stale-ish bread.

That’s the best type of bread for croutons.

If your bread is super fresh, no worries! You just may need to bake them a little longer.

A bread with flavour works great here too, like sourdough or even pumpernickel. Don’t go for basic white bread.

If you opt for a darker bread (like pumpernickel or rye), just keep an eye on as it bakes. Because it’s darker in colour, it’s a little difficult to tell exactly how baked the croutons are.

How Long Do They Last

Store completely cool croutons in a resealable food bag or airtight container in your pantry and use within 5 to 7 days.

More Helpful Tips & Variations

As mentioned above, use ‘day-old’ bread to make this homemade croutons recipe.

Spread cubes of bread out onto a sheet pan in an even layer so they aren’t touching and crisp up nicely.

You could use all olive oil instead of butter, but I love the flavour that butter adds. And, I really enjoy using clarified butter (that’s just a fancy way of saying removing those milk solids and water). You basically skim/discard the foam from the butter as it melts.

For smoky or spicy croutons, use some smoked paprika or cayenne pepper powder instead of basil.

Allow the croutons to fully cool before storing in a covered container or sealable bag. You don’t want ’em to sweat and lose their crispness.

Hope you love this homemade croutons recipe as much as we do!

If you try these bread croutons, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed!

Let’s Be Social!
Follow Girl Heart Food on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter for all the latest delicious eats! Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter!