Making croutons at home with no added oil or butter means these crunchy favorites will last longer in your pantry. While essential in side salads, croutons can make appearance in hot pasta dishes, as the base for stuffing or dressing recipes and in panzanella.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cut or tear bread into (1/2- to 3/4-inch) pieces, and don't worry about removing the crusts – they're the best part!
Spread bread evenly on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing halfway through, until fragrant and just dried out, about 15 minutes. (Some denser bread varieties, may take a bit longer.)
Let croutons cool completely, and then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Where to I use them?
• Scatter over green salads and toss into pasta salads.
• Make a panzanella (a.k.a. bread salad).
• Mash into a loaded baked potato.
• Spoon over bowls of soup or chili.
• Crumble and fold into hot pasta.
• Crush (or pulse in the food processor) to use as standard breadcrumbs.
• Use as the base for stuffing or dressing.
What else should I know?
• Sandwich bread will yield perfect, cubed croutons, and uncut loaf bread will make more rustic croutons.
• Toss the bread with a drizzle of olive oil or melted butter and a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh herbs before toasting, if you like.
• For fun, cut the bread into small triangles or strips.
Nutritional Info
Serving Size
Calories
80
Total Fat
Saturated Fat
Cholesterol
Sodium
Total Carbohydrate
Dietary Fiber
Total Sugars
Protein
Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember - we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information. See our Terms of Service.