Easy Crunchy Garlic Croutons Recipe
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I’m so excited about how easy and perfectly crunchy these garlic croutons were. You might be wondering; why make croutons when they’re so cheap to buy? Let me explain.
#1: Making your own croutons is a great way to save your stale bread.
#2: You will impress your family
#3: These are healthier – keep reading!…
These garlic croutons were born after I read the label on our favorite store-bought croutons. If you have a bag stashed in your pantry, you’ll probably discover several questionable ingredients. My son loves to munch on croutons so I was determined to come up with a healthier recipe he would love.
I made a batch last week and put half of them in a ziploc for next time. The bag disappeared. When questioned, my son was very nonchalant as he admitted to eating them (someone has a new favorite!).
Tips for Success:
Croutons are a great garnish for green salads and (as with any croutons), toss them in at the very last minute to prevent them from getting soggy. You want your bread to be at least a day old. It’ll be easier to cut and holds it’s shape better.
We used my mom’s ultra soft wheat bread (here’s the video and photo tutorial). You could also use a basic french bread with great results.
Ingredients for Garlic Croutons:
3/4 lb loaf of bread, (5 cups of bread cubes)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
How to Make Crunchy Garlic Croutons:
1. In a small sauce pan, combine: 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp chopped parsley and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir to combine then set aside and let the flavors infuse into the oil while you chop your bread.
2. Cut your bread into 3/4″ cubes. For goodness sake, don’t remove the crust! It adds variety and great crunch to these croutons. Transfer to large mixing bowl.
3. Drizzle the seasoned olive oil over your chopped bread and toss until bread crumbs have an even coating of oil.
4. Spread the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 375˚F for 18-20 minutes until they are golden brown and crunchy. (mine took 20 min)
Serve these up with your favorite green salad.
Easy Crunchy Garlic Croutons Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb loaf of bread, (5 cups of bread cubes)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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In a small sauce pan, combine: 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp chopped parsley, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir to combine then set aside and let the flavors infuse into the oil while you chop your bread.
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Cut your bread into 3/4" cubes. For goodness sake, don't remove the crust! It adds variety and great crunch to these croutons. Transfer to large mixing bowl.
-
Drizzle the seasoned olive oil over your chopped bread and toss until bread crumbs have an even coating of oil.
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Spread the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 375˚F for
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-20 minutes until they are golden brown and crunchy. (mine took 20 min)
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Serve these up with your favorite green salad.
Enjoy these with your favorite green salad, or as a snack 🙂 “Crunch, Crunch”
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I read somewhere that if you put croutons in zip bag with a piece of paper towel, it will keep fresh.
Do you have a recipe for Stuffing I can use to stuff my turkey?
Hi Ann Marie, I don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey because it isn’t traditional in our family, and the juices from the turkey drip into the stuffing while baking, so the stuffing needs to get to 145˚F for it to be safe for consumption and by that time, the turkey breast becomes much too dry. I’ve seen some methods pre-cooking the stuffing partially, and others make the stuffing and bake it in a separate dish and serve it on the side.
Hi Nastasha!
You changed my life with this simple recipe. So delicious! I used to make croutons in a pan on the stovetop, but infusing the garlic into the butter/oil and then baking them brought out some much more flavor. Thank you!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Allen!
I’ve made these about 6x. I always make a double batch. I add about a half T of dried basil & oregano. I use 2 parchment lined cookie sheets and swap them in the oven at the halfway point.
Nice to know that you always make this recipe!
Is there a way to make these croutons into the herb croutons used in turkey stuffing?
Hi Nancy! I bet that could work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
You could use parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme as your seasoning. Depending on how you salt and pepper your stuffing would determine the salt and pepper levels.
I’m guessing here….
You sprinkle the parsley on the croutons after baking? Or possibly toss the croutons with the chopped parsley?
Hi Ed, the parsley is chopped and mixed with the butter, oil, and garlic then the bread cubes are tossed through it before baking.
I’ve been under the weather for a few days, so made a pot of potato soup. I put several of these croutons, some chopped green onion and some shredded sharp cheddar, into a piping hot cup of my soup, and it was fabulous!
I’m so glad you tried these, Debbi! Thank you for your wonderful review. I hope you’re feeling better!
Thanks Natasha:this was terrific! Set timer for 18 minutes, they looked almost great, so turned off the oven and let them continue to dry and brown. Delicious!!
Aren’t they the best?! I’m so glad you loved this recipe!
I love your cooking here as I miss to cook as im from ukraine too. But living in Seattle, WA for 24 yrs working two jobs I’m tired to do anything at home(apartment). Now im trying to stock up with food for emergencies cy,prices goes up for everything. I’d like to know how you store up these croutons. I know in paper bags but I’m worried that freshness will be gone. Or use clean coffee bags I’d appreciate for tips here.
Hi Tatyana, I hope you’ll love the recipes that you will try. You can store croutons in a zip-closure bag with all the air removed from the bag before sealing. Air or humidity will cause the croutons to become stale, then you can store croutons at room temperature.
These are the best croutons. They are so full of flavor and easy to make. My husband likes to eat them like you would potatoe chips.
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Lisa!
Can you use any type of bread including sliced white bread
Hi Tia, sliced white bread is a little soft for croutons. It will work but they can burn much faster so keep an eye on it.
Hi Natasha Just a note to say thanks. This was the first time I have made croutons. They turned out great and everyone at dinner loved them. Also I really like your recipes you post. Thanks again. Ben
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Ben!
Excellent- didn’t have parsley so added Herbs du Province – delish!!!!
That sounds lovely!! Thank you for sharing that amazing review!
I just melted the butter and oil in a large pot, then added the croutons and stirred well. They were covered really well. I didn’t have fresh parsley and garlic, so I used dried oregano and garlic powder instead, and I added 1 oz finely shredded Parmesan. The croutons came out fantastic! I can just nibble on them all day.
Awesome, I’m glad to hear the recipe was a success! Thanks so much for sharing!
These are just delicious. So easy to make. I found that if you put the bread cubes in a zippy bag then pour the butter mixture in the bag, the bread cubes get totally covered.
Great tip Gina! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review! 🙂
I’ve made these twice so far, and love the flavor! Although I might need to start making two batches at a time, that way after snacking on them, there will still be some left to put in our salads. Thanks for this recipe!
You’re welcome Nicole! I’m glad you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Can you freeze them afterwards?
Hi Pam, they would lose their crunchiness. I would avoid freezing and just store them at room temperature in a dry environment.
what do you store them in and what is their shelf life?
Hi Carey, Let them cool completely to room temp then store them in tupperware or a large ziploc bag, away from humidity. I’ve kept them this way for about a week.
Oh my goodness! Why have I not been doing this all along?! My son also loves to munch on croutons, so I can’t wait to make these. Thank you so much for sharing. I just stumbled onto your recipe blog through facebook and am sooo excited to try a bunch of your recipes. 🙂
Thank you for following Lana! Please let me know what you think of the recipes! 😀
So Yummy! Thank you Natasha!!
You’re welcome Taryn! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I followed your recipie and i loved it. Thanks a lot
You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved it!!
With my wife suffering from the winter colds, I worked on the spur of the moment, thinking tomato soup (had to be tinned but Heinz), and croutons, had no fresh garlic or any herbs about so used freshly squeezed garlic (from a tube) and added milled chilli flakes. Its on its way upstairs, so will hope for some good feedback 🙂
That sounds like a comforting combination! I hope your wife feels better soon!
Thank for the awesome recipe! It worked out perfectly!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My kids love these. I used dried Italian seasoning in place of fresh parsley and sprinkled grated Romano cheese on them as well. They were easy to make in the toaster oven (vs oven which heats the entire kitchen). Also, because I used an entire loaf of sourdough bread, I doubled all the ingredients. Kids love snacking on them. Spouse and I love them in our salad. Win/win! Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome Joseph and thank you for sharing your nice review 😀.
These sound wonderful. My husband is on a low sodium diet and store bought croutons are loaded with sodium. Can’t wait to try these out. Have you ever frozen them?
Hi Karen! I agree, homemade are much better and that is one of the reasons :). I haven’t tried freezing them because they stay good at room temperature and I’m concerned that once they are thawed, they would get soft and require re-toasting.
I’m just curious…
Why 4* if you haven’t tried them yet????
Try them then give 5*.
Thank you Mario!! 🙂
These are SO GOOD!!!!!!! I’m making roasted tomato soup tonight and these croutons are PERFECT!!!1
Kat, thank you for such a nice review, I’m glad you like them 😋.
Good recipe! 20 minutes seemed to be the “perfect” amount of time spent in the oven, also I did 1.5 X the recipe for a mostly “there” (partially eaten- a few slices, maybe) Italian loaf that was maybe 4 days old. Added a 1/4 cup water because the stale bread soaked up the oil pretty quickly so it didn’t get a chance to disperse equally amongst the pieces. Anyway, thanks for the dependable recipe! I’m sure these will not last long at all 🙂
Thank you for the nice review Emily and you are welcome 😀.
I love this recipe! So easy and quick.
I use whatever bread I have. I usually double the recipe bcuz my daughter eats about half.
I’m so glad you like it! 🙂
What a great and simple recipe! Realized I forgot to buy croutons when I was making a salad for dinner and scrambes to find a quick substitute – will never buy again 🙂
That is fantastic! Thank you for sharing your review 🙂
Yummy. I used my leftover dinner rolls from Thanksgiving, glad not to hav them wasted with such a delicious recipe.
That is such a clever idea! I never would’ve thought to use dinner rolls to make croutons.
Question: How do you keep them fresh, if you wanted to make them in the a.m. to use in the p.m.?
Let them cool completely to room temp then store them in tupperware or a large ziploc bag. I’ve kept them this way for about a week.
Hey, I am really late to this party, but this is a great recipe. Baked a loaf of bread yesterday that disappointed for a variety of reasons. Rather than throw it out, I made this recipe. They are wonderful. Because my bread was fresher, and my croutons a bit larger, mine took two 20 minutes sessions to completely dry. Just stirred them up a bit between bouts in the oven. Excellent. Thanks.
You are welcome Dan and thank you for the great review :).
OMG, just made these an hour ago… Topped it on my grilled chicken salad.. Just ridiculously delicious!!!! The highlight of the whole meal!! I made extra, but my husband and kids ate it all like chips. Aaah well, i just have to make these very soon. Thanx so much for sharing!!!! I give it 10 stars!! 😀
You’re so nice. Thank you for the awesome review. I’m so happy you love the recipe.
Hi Natasha. Thanks for this recipe. The Indian Deli (basiclly me right now) is hosting a Secret Supper Club on Saturday and I’m gonna make these to serve in the Daal, as a starter. Had no idea how to make them and ou make them look and sound easy 🙂 Regards, Susen
You are welcome Susen :). I just made them again last night. My hubby told me that we are out of croutons for our Caesar salad dinner. I had some bread on the counter and turn it into croutons. It’s not a Caesar salad with out croutons :D.
Delicious crouton recipe, flavorful and crunchy. Mine took about 14 minutes on the lowest rack (at 375). So much better than the packaged ones (: Thanks for the new staple recipe, Natasha!
Thank you for the great review Kelsey and you are welcome :).
Easily the most flavourful croutons I have tasted. Store bought croutons now taste so bad in comparison. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for the great review Ted and you are welcome :).
Lovely!!!! I just made it and its perfect……!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Mne ochen nravyatsya vashi recepi prosto umnitsya tak derjat Ydachi jelau vo. Vsem
Thank you Zarema 🙂
I’m adding this to my recipes to try. I like to top homemade soups with croutons when serving too.
Thanks Jan! I hope you love them as much as we do. They’re now a staple in our house 🙂
This is a GREAT idea and recipe!!! Do you think, or have you ever tried freezing the croutons and/or bread crumbs to make them last longer??
I haven’t but they keep at room temp pretty well if they are fully dried out. I think you could freeze them and then toast them in the oven to freshen then up and get them crispy again 🙂
Hello! Dear Natasha!Thanks for your work!)
The March 8 is a Women’s day!And in this light hour, as previously newly
Let will You to accompany:
The Hope, Belief and Love!
Thank you Alena! Happy women’s day to you as well! 🙂
Ooooo! I love croutons but I never let myself eat them because they are “bad for you”, but I could totally stand behind these! How simple yet delicious!
I have found, as a general rule, anything your son loves, I love. And there you have it.
He is a good taste tester! 😉 I agree – I didn’t feel guilty eating these; not one bit! 🙂
I remember my mom always making our own croutons (she just used bread and some butter and oil I think and dried them out in the oven). This sounds delicious. I usually cut up my almost stale bread too, and put them in a container after they dry out and use them in any recipe that calls for breadcrumbs or soaked bread (like kotleti). I’ll definitely make croutons your way, I was never really impressed with store bought, so we rarely had them in our house.
I’d never even thought of using my own bread crumbs. Duh!! Thanks so much. Someone else said that today too and I love it!!!
I agree with you Natasha, there is no reason to buy croutons. This is exactly how I make my too. Thanks for posting this, sharing it on FB 🙂
Hey girlie! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂 I wish I had checked the label sooner. I’m definitely watching that more closely. It’s amazing what kind of chemicals are ok for food!!
Put these in a food processor and voila ! ! ! ! …. you have your own
bread crumbs for your delicious Breaded Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe and over your roasted asparagus …. it just gives it the “extra” crunch and flavor
I truly enjoy getting Natasha’s Recipes – – – very easy, delicious comfort
food and I am making borsht today, vareniki over the weekend
Thanks again
Irena
Thank you so much for your sweet comment 🙂 That’s brilliant by the way; putting them in a food processor. You’re making me hungry for drumsticks! Ooh and as a topping for asparagus! Shrimp too I bet!. I’m soooo hungry!! 🙂
this is great, I let leftover bread dry out, drizzle with fat drippings, and feed to the birds…only in winter, and here with all the snow, the birds have nothing to eat….
That’s sweet of you to think of the birds. You just made me think of my mom. She does stuff like that. We call her Snow White 😉
I feed the birds all year long. In harsh winters, many of them freeze to death. Particularly if they don’t have anything to eat. They can’t keep warm. Thanks for thinking of THEM too! ♥