Croutons – so easy, never buy from the store again

Croutons are so simple to make and absolutely necessary in Cesar Salad and tomato soup! Actually, croutons are great on almost all kinds of salads and soups. Homemade croutons are so easy to make and taste so much better than any kind of store bought croutons. If you have bread at home, you can whip these up in a few minutes.

Why You’ll Love These Easy Homemade Croutons

Most people don’t realize that the secret to a world-class Caesar salad or a comforting bowl of tomato soup isn’t the broth—it’s the crunch. These croutons are:

• Infinitely Customizable: Swap out herbs like rosemary, thyme, or smoked paprika to match your meal.

• Zero Waste: The best way to use up sourdough, French bread, or ciabatta that’s past its prime.

• Better Texture: You get a crispy exterior with a slightly airy, tender center that bagged croutons just can’t replicate.

Croutons go great on…

Chinese Chicken Salad

A quick and easy Chinese Chicken Salad made with shredded chicken, crunchy bagged coleslaw mix, and a flavor-packed sesame-hoisin-ginger dressing. It’s not traditionally authentic, but every delicious flavor is there—perfect for busy weeknights or make-ahead lunches!

Get this recipe

Creamy Cesar Dressing

Creamy, tangy homemade Caesar salad dressing made with Kewpie mayo, anchovies, fresh lemon, garlic & Parmesan. Ready in 5 minutes — better than bottled!

Get this recipe

Visual Step-by-Step Guide for Making Croutons:

What’s in this

bread
olive oil
garlic granules
onion granules
italian seasoning
salt

Homemade Croutons

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

When I tried to get my vegetable adverse son, Blaise to eat a salad, the only kind he would eat is lettuce and lots of dressing. Nothing else. No tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, avocado, spinach… just plain romaine lettuce. No fancy red leaf, no mesclun. Nada. But he likes parmesan cheese and he loves bread so the idea of caesar salads became a good compromise. I found an amazing recipe for caesar dressing and I figured I might as well make the croutons if I’m also making the dressing. So here were are. Croutons are so good and so easy to make, I would never buy them from a store again.

Author: Ellen
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8 servings (4 cups) 1x
Category: From Scratch, Salad, Side Dish
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 demi baguette, 6 oz. loaf, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon onion granules
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, drizzle the olive oil on the bread and evenly sprinkle the rest of the seasonings. Toss to combine.
Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, turning halfway.
Remove from oven and let cool completely.