Last Updated on December 6, 2021 by Kathryn Donangelo
This homemade Italian Croutons recipe delivers flavors that are crispy and so savory! Enjoy these easy, oven-baked seasoned Croutons with Caesar salads, soups, and much more for extra crunch and satisfaction. Garlic, butter, and olive oil create the best flavor combinations!
PIN Homemade Croutons to try later!
SEASONED CROUTONS
The perfect balance of soft and crispy, this homemade Croutons recipe gives any recipe added texture, flavor, and buttery notes that are delicious and so tasty. Prepare these Italian croutons in the oven to serve with your favorite comforting soups and salads–you won’t regret it!
I have a batch of these savory croutons ready to go at any time because they are so good and easy to make. If you have an abundance of bread you need to use, then turn it into this easy homemade recipe.
Making this recipe for croutons has never been easier because it is so simple with the most straightforward steps. Just toss everything in a bowl and you’re ready to enjoy these aromatic and salty croutons with almost any meal.
Enjoy seasoned croutons all by themselves or with different meals like Homemade Vegetable Soup, Roasted Tomato Basil Soup, or this Arugula Parmesan Salad. There are so many great recipes for these crunchy bits of goodness.
INGREDIENTS
Cooking Spray: You will need to make sure you have a nonstick cooking spray for the baking sheet so the croutons do not stick!
Butter: A little bit of melted butter gives these croutons a rich buttery flavor that is tasty and delicious. Use either salted or unsalted butter.
Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is what i like to use because it is smooth, aromatic, and full of fresh flavors if you get good quality oil. Feel free to use a more neutral oil like avocado.
Italian Seasoning: A simple blend of Italian seasoning gives this recipe enough flavor. Italian seasoning usually consists of oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, and sometimes marjoram.
Salt and Pepper: The classic duo, flavor this recipe with as much salt and pepper you need.
Garlic and Onion Powder: Ground garlic and onion powder are great to have around for simple recipes. These pantry-friendly staple ingredients transform any dish and add the perfect amount of savoriness to these crispy croutons.
Bread: Use any kind of bread to cut into cubes and toast in the oven. Feel free to use bread with or without seeds. I used enough bread from two small loaves or one large loaf.
HOW TO MAKE THIS HOMEMADE CROUTONS RECIPE
STEP ONE: First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set the baking sheet aside.
STEP TWO: Next, in a bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until fully combined. You can use mix the ingredients together with a fork.
STEP THREE: Gently, fold the cubed bread into the bowl with the oil mixture. Stir the bread cubes until they are fully coated with the seasonings and oil.
STEP FOUR: Place the croutons on the prepared baking sheet and bake them for fifteen minutes. Flip and bake the croutons for another seven to nine minutes until fully toasted.
Carefully, remove the homemade croutons recipe from the oven and use them immediately or store them in an airtight container.
VARIATIONS
- Make gluten-free croutons by using your favorite homemade or storebought gluten-free bread.
- For vegan croutons, use dairy-free butter.
- To make croutons in the air fryer, pour the seasoned croutons in an air fryer basket and air fry for seven minutes or until they are crispy.
- Make parmesan croutons by tossing the bread cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Add a little bit of spice to this recipe by mixing in red chili flakes.
TIPS FOR THIS HOMEMADE CROUTONS RECIPE
- Use Italian or French bread or white bread. All types of bread will work!
- Make your own Italian seasoning or use a storebought blend.
- The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bread cubes so keep this in mind as you bake the croutons.
- Allow the croutons to fully cool before transferring to an airtight storage container.
WHAT DOES CROUTON MEAN?
A crouton is simply sautéed or baked bread that is created to give texture and flavor to salads, soups, stuffings, or casserole recipes. The word crouton is derived from a French word, croûton, and means “crust”. Croutons are most popular on Caesar salads with leafy greens.
STORING LEFTOVERS
Store the leftover homemade croutons recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Freeze the croutons by placing them in a freezer-safe bag and storing them in the freezer for up to four months.
Allow the croutons to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven.
MORE EASY RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE
- Antipasto Skewers
- Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins
- Easy Caprese Salad
- Olive and Herb Focaccia
- Zucchini Cheese Bread
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Homemade Croutons Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed bread; (with or without seeds) 1 large loaf or 2 small
- ¼ cup butter; melted
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspaoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the butter, oil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder until combined.
- Gently fold in the cubed bread until evenly coated. Place the croutons on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 7-9 minutes. Let cool and use croutons immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
Tips
- Use Italian or French bread or white bread. All types of bread will work!
- Make your own Italian seasoning or use a storebought blend.
- The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bread cubes so keep this in mind as you bake the croutons.
- Allow the croutons to fully cool before transferring to an airtight storage container.
Leftovers
Store the leftover homemade croutons recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Freeze the croutons by placing them in a freezer-safe bag and storing them in the freezer for up to four months. Allow the croutons to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven.
OMG, I need to try this ASAP. I always buy croutons. Now I can make them instead!
I hope you love them and get a chance to try them soon!
This is such a handy recipe to have on hand. We felt like a caesar salad last night and these croutons were the perfect fit!
I am so glad you made them and loved the croutons. Thank you Bernice!
Loving how easy these homemade croutons are! So simple and delicious!
Thank you so much, Kayla!
What a great way to us to use up leftover bread. We eat a lot of salad and these homemade croutons are way better than store bought!
Made these croutons last week with some leftover bread and it came out so delicious! They were perfect with homemade soup!
So glad to hear that, thanks Veronika! 🙂 I love eating these with soup too!
Oooo! I could eat these as a side dish! Lol! They really are so perfect for salads and soups. They’re pretty addictive (my dog likes croutons, too)!
What a wonderful recipe! I usually buy croutons, and this time, I decided to make them, and wow, they came out so good! Will never buy again. I served them on my caesar salad and a red sauce spaghetti for dinner, and were such a hit!
Thank you so much Jenny! I love how you served these croutons and thanks for trying my recipe 🙂
Until now, I’ve been a bit lazy and always bought ready made croutons. But these look and sound so much better. Next time we’re having soup or salad, am going to make my own.
I hope you enjoy them as much as we did! Love them in both soup and salad too 🙂
So simple yet so delicious! We love croutons in our salads and these are so scrumptious! I love them on not only a salad, but soup and as a crunchy snack!
These homemade croutons look fantastic. I love to buy the bagged ones and have them as a snack sometimes (like when I really crave bread!) but I have a feeling these would be even better.