If you find yourself with some leftover bread that's about to go stale, consider giving it some new life by making croutons in the oven. We'll show you how with this easy recipe.
Croutons can add a delightful crunchy element to both salads and soups, and making your own croutons is an easy way to reduce food waste and use up leftovers. A great thing about making them yourself is that you can adapt the recipe to suit your own tastes. Try adding your favorite spice blend, or adjust the amount of time your croutons are in the oven to end up with a softer or crunchier texture.
Making Homemade Croutons in the Oven
(Foto: CC0 / Unsplash / Julia Kicova)
Ideally, croutons are made from bread that is already a few days old. While it’s possible to use fresh bread to make croutons, stale bread requires less time in the oven, making it the more energy-efficient option. Here’s an easy recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of stale bread
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- salt + pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp DIY Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Dice the bread into whatever size you’d like your croutons to be, and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle olive oil evenly over the diced bread and add salt and pepper, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning.
- Toss together to ensure a nice, even coating on your croutons, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake the croutons in the oven at 375 Farenheit until golden brown on top, and then flip them over to brown the other side. It should take approximately 10 minutes per side.
- Once removed from the oven, allow to cool completely, and then either use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Now that you’ve made your croutons in the oven, it’s time to pair them with a meal. Check out some of our soup recipes:
Read more:
- Can You Fry With Olive Oil? What to Watch Out For
- Is White Bread Bad For You? 5 Reasons to Skip White Bread
- Recipe: How to Make a Sourdough Starter
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