Homemade Croutons

When it comes to salads, the unsung heroes are often the toppings that add crunch, flavor, and texture. Among these, croutons reign supreme, transforming a simple bowl of greens into a satisfying meal. While store-bought croutons might be convenient, nothing quite compares to the aroma and taste of homemade ones. Today, we’ll craft the perfect batch of homemade croutons to elevate your salads.

Why Homemade Croutons?

Making croutons at home offers several advantages that make it worthwhile, such as freshness, reduced waste, cost-effectiveness, healthier options, and more! Homemade croutons are a rewarding culinary experience and an excellent idea for anyone looking to enhance the flavor and texture of a salad.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Before we delve into the cooking process, let’s take a look at the star players in our homemade crouton recipe:

Loaf of Sourdough Bread: Sourdough bread adds a distinct tanginess and depth of flavor to our croutons. Its sturdy texture also ensures that the croutons hold up well in salads, adding a satisfying crunch with every bite.

Unsalted Butter: Butter is the key to achieving that irresistible golden-brown crispness in our croutons. Obviously, opting for unsalted butter allows us to control the saltiness of the final product.

Italian Seasoning: A blend of herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary, Italian seasoning infuses our croutons with a medley of aromatic flavors that complement a wide range of salads.

Garlic Powder: Garlic powder lends a savory punch to our croutons, infusing them with a subtle yet distinctive garlic flavor without the risk of burning the garlic during cooking.

Salt: Salt is essential for enhancing the overall flavor profile of our croutons. It balances the savory notes and elevates the other seasonings, ensuring each crouton is perfectly seasoned.

Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper adds a hint of warmth and complexity to our croutons, enhancing their overall depth of flavor.

Now that we have our ingredients assembled, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and start crafting our homemade sourdough croutons. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be well on your way to salad perfection:

How to make Homemade Croutons

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 300°F. This temperature will ensure that your croutons bake evenly and develop that irresistible golden-brown crust.

2. Take your 24-ounce loaf of sourdough bread and slice it into bite-sized cubes. Aim for cubes roughly 3/4 to 1-inch in size, ensuring they crisp up evenly in the oven.

3. In a small saucepan, melt the stick of unsalted butter over medium heat. Once melted, remove it from the heat and set it aside momentarily. You can also microwave it on high for about one minute or until fully melted.

4. It’s seasoning time. Combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. To be sure everything is evenly distributed, give the seasonings a good stir.

5. Add seasoning mix to melted butter and stir well.

6. Next, drizzle the seasoned melted butter over the cubed sourdough bread, ensuring each cube is generously coated in buttery goodness.

After that, toss gently to ensure they’re evenly seasoned.

6. Spread the seasoned bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. We want to ensure the croutons will bake to crispy perfection.

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the croutons are golden brown and crisp, stirring halfway through to ensure they brown evenly.

7. Once golden and crisp, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the croutons to cool slightly. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing excess moisture to evaporate and ensuring maximum crunchiness; the wire rack is optional.

Once cooled, these delectable homemade croutons are ready to take center stage in your favorite salads or soups.

Pro Tips:

• Customize Your Seasonings: Feel free to experiment with different seasoning blends to suit your preferences. The possibilities are endless, whether you prefer a spicy kick or a subtle herbaceous flavor.
• Store Them Right: To keep your homemade croutons fresh and crunchy, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Alternatively, you can freeze them for longer storage and reheat them in the oven before serving.
• Don’t Waste Stale Bread: If you have leftover stale bread, don’t let it go to waste! Stale bread is perfect for making croutons, as it’s already slightly dried out, allowing it to absorb the butter and seasonings more effectively.
• Replace butter with oil if preferred, using the same amount.
• Using a rubber glove while stirring is the optimal method to prevent the bread from being overly handled, ensuring even coverage of the seasoning

Other recipes you might enjoy:
Bread Dipping Oil
Herbed Butter Pull Apart Bread
Dilly Oyster Crackers
Homemade Savory Herb Rub

Homemade sourdough croutons are a simple (and rewarding) addition to any salad. With just a few basic ingredients and a little time, you can elevate your salads from ordinary to extraordinary, one crispy crouton at a time.

So why settle for store-bought when you can enjoy the unparalleled freshness and flavor of homemade croutons? Try this recipe, delight your taste buds, and impress your guests (wink, wink).