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This irresistible homemade croutons recipe is simple to make and bursting with Italian herbs, parmesan, and garlic! You’ll never want to use store-bought croutons again.
Try my Garlic Butter Chicken Bites or Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad next.
Why you’ll love it
These croutons from scratch are infused with Italian herbs, a little garlic powder, and finished off with rich and nutty parmesan. The combo makes these golden croutons ridiculously craveable. It’s hard not to eat them all right off the baking sheet!
Croutons from the store often taste like cardboard or shelf, if you know what I mean. I never buy ’em because these tasty little nuggets are so much better and are ultra easy to make! The wonderful crunch and flavor turns any soup or salad into a satisfying meal.
What you’ll need
- Day-old bread – use a good crusty bread. If you have some that’s past its prime, this crouton recipe is a delicious way to salvage it.
- Olive oil – to crisp them up
- Garlic powder – for more savory flavor
- Italian seasoning – it’s a versatile dried herb blend
- Parmesan – always grate your own from a block
Can I use fresh bread?
- Yes, you can buy a fresh loaf if you want! Croutons from fresh bread are actually not much different than if you use stale bread.
- They will likely take an extra couple minutes to crisp up in the oven. You can definitely play it by ear and test them, then add them back into the oven if they’re not quite done enough for you.
How to make croutons
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven, and line a baking sheet with foil if desired. Cut the bread into cubes, and add to the baking sheet. Pour the oil on, and add the seasonings. Toss. Spread the croutons out, then top evenly with the parmesan. Bake until crunchy, then let cool.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here is my trusty baking sheet that’s pictured in the photos.
- A quality bread knife will make this recipe go smoothly.
- My Microplane zester is ideal for grating the parmesan cheese.
Substitutions and variations
- I prefer making these with a baguette, but you can definitely use whatever crusty bread you have on hand, rye bread if that’s your thing, etc.
- Feel free to play with the seasonings! Some other ways to jazz up croutons are Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, onion powder, other dried herbs (oregano for a Mediterranean twist), everything bagel seasoning, chili lime… endless possibilties.
What to serve with croutons
- They’re fantastic on a Caesar salad with romaine lettuce, my reader favorite Homemade Caesar Dressing, and extra parmesan.
- Or try them with your favorite leafy greens and my Chipotle Ranch Dressing. A classic Panzanella Salad works too.
- I love them on soup as well like my Easy Tomato Soup, bright Easy Zucchini Soup, this Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup, or my cozy Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Lots of options!
Leftovers and storage
- Homemade croutons will keep for a few days in an airtight container or ZipLoc bag.
- You can also try freezing them for up to about a month since they defrost super quickly when you need them.
If you made this garlic parmesan croutons recipe, please leave a star rating and comment below! Where did you use them? Talk to me below or tag me on Instagram.
Easy Homemade Croutons (Garlic & Parmesan)
Ingredients
- 2 generous cups bread (try a baguette or any good crusty bread) cut into croutons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and move the rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with tin foil for easy clean-up if desired.
- Cut your bread into croutons and add them to the baking sheet. Pour the olive oil over the bread, and then sprinkle the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt & pepper as evenly as you can over the bread. Use your hands to toss until everything is as well combined as you can get it.
- Spread the croutons out in an even layer that's clustered fairly close together (but not stacked), and then sprinkle the parmesan cheese over top. This ensures that as much cheese as possible will be stuck to the croutons.
- Bake the croutons for 10-15 minutes. I find that 15 minutes works well for fresh bread.
- Let the croutons cool for a few minutes, then add them to your salad/soup or store in an airtight container. Don't discard the bits that fell off the croutons while baking – I like to add those to salads too because they have tons of flavor.
Notes
- You can use fresh garlic if you prefer. I’d use 2-3 minced garlic cloves.
- I estimated that this amount of croutons serves about 6 (it’s enough for a large salad or a couple smaller ones). Of course, it’s totally subjective how much people eat. The recipe easily doubles (I would double all ingredients).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on April 7, 2020. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
EXCELLENT!
Thanks, Debbie!
These came out delicious but when you add to salad they became soggy. Is this because they weren’t cooked enough. I had them in the oven for 15 minutes
Hi! You could cook them for a bit longer (just watch them carefully so they don’t burn), but if you added lots of dressing to the salad and let them sit in it for a while, it’s normal for them to soften up a bit. I think also if you use a very dense bread they may retain their crunch a bit better vs. one that’s light and airy and has lots of holes.
I get so many compliments and requests to make my Cesar – avocado salad that I serve with these yummy croutons! They are so easy to make and elevate the salad to complete yumminess!!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
You are very welcome, Lori!! 😀 Thanks for your review!
First time making croutons and this recipe has me so hooked, I’ll never buy premade at the store again! So easy, so delicious! And they taste amazing in the homemade cheddar broccoli soup I made. Thank you so much for sharing. Your recipe is now a permanent part of my kitchen!
That’s so nice to hear, Irene!! 😀 Thank you for taking the time to write me a review!
So good! I had enuf bread cubes for 4x recipe so mixed all together in a large bowl then moved to 1/2 sheet pan. Baked 5 min, stirred, repeated 2x. They browned nicely, kitchen smells wonderful. Croutons are crispy, yet tender and so flavorful. Thank you for the recipe, it’s a keeper 😉
You’re very welcome!!