Don't let your leftover bread go to waste - make Homemade Sourdough Croutons instead! It's a great way to use up stale bread and they're so easy. Make a big batch and add them to creamy soups in the colder months and on top of salad in the summer for a little crunch.
As a dietitian, I am working on doing my part to decrease food waste, and that starts by doing so in my own home. I can't always finish a loaf of bread by the time it starts to go stale, and making my own homemade croutons is one of my favorite ways to use up slightly stale bread! These work for any type of bread, but leftover sourdough bread is my favorite. I hope you love these Sourdough Croutons as much as I do! 😊
This recipe pairs great with soups like a Creamy Butternut Squash Soup or Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Gouda. Or add it to salads like a Beet & Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Easy - this is such an easy recipe. All you do is cut your stale sourdough bread into cubes, season them, and bake them in the oven.
- Nutrition - sourdough bread contains prebiotics for a healthy gut. This recipe also uses extra-virgin olive oil that contains oleic acids, healthy fats that help support your heart and brain health.
- Budget-Friendly - it's so much less expensive to make your croutons with old sourdough bread you already have than buying a bag of packaged ones!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
These easy homemade croutons are made with simple ingredients. Below are some notes. Check the recipe card for measurements.
- Sourdough Bread - I use a few slices of sourdough bread. For perfectly crunchy croutons, use slightly stale bread (at least 1-2 day-old bread). You can use homemade sourdough or sourdough from the grocery store. This recipe will work with any kind of bread, including gluten-free bread.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - olive oil is added to make them extra crispy. Use avocado oil if you prefer a more mild flavor.
- Garlic Powder - garlic powder adds so much flavor.
- Italian Seasoning - using Italian Seasoning is an easy way to season these croutons with a combination of herbs that pair well with sourdough. It typically includes basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. Sometimes it includes dried parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder, too.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper - to tie all the flavors together.
How to Make Homemade Sourdough Croutons
Below are the instructions for how to make sourdough croutons with some photos that I hope are helpful.
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 375℉ (190°C). Prep a large baking sheet or sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup. With a sharp knife, cut your sourdough loaf into about 1-inch cubes. If you prefer larger croutons, make thick slices to cut them into bigger cubes of bread.
Step 2 - In a large bowl, mix the sourdough bread cubes with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings.
Step 3 - Place bread cubes on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Oven times will vary so be sure to check them after 15 minutes and every 1-2 minutes after that. The croutons are done when they are a golden brown color.
Hint: Be sure each piece of cubed bread is coated with the oil and seasoning blend so they get crispy and the flavor is evenly distributed.
Dietitian Tip
Sourdough bread has some specific pros and can fit into a balanced eating pattern for many people. Because of the fermentation process used to make sourdough, it has a lower glycemic index than white bread. It also contains prebiotics which are important nutrients for gut health. And it is lower in gluten than many other breads and easier for some people to tolerate.
Video of How to Make Homemade Sourdough Croutons
Here's a video of how to make this recipe.
Variations
The best part of making homemade sourdough croutons is that you can customize them in so many different ways according to your taste! Below are some ideas.
- Garlic Parmesan - add grated parmesan cheese and fresh garlic for a decadent cheesy garlic flavor!
- Spicy - add spice with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or chili powder.
- Sweet - sweeten them up with a bit of maple syrup, honey or brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Different Spices - you can easily change up the flavor of these fresh croutons by adjusting the spices! Try out adding cumin, paprika or curry powder for a different flavor.
Storage for Homemade Sourdough Croutons
To make sure your leftover croutons stay crunchy, here is how to store homemade croutons.
- Room temperature - store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Fridge - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezer - store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4-6 weeks. To reheat from frozen, let them sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes and then heat them on low heat in the oven, in a pan, or the air fryer.
Expert tips
- Use bread that is a bit stale for the best results.
- Be sure to coat each bread cube with the oil and spice mixture. This is the best way to ensure each crouton gets crispy.
- Check the croutons after 15 minutes and keep an eye on them after that so that they don’t burn.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these homemade sourdough croutons are a nutrient-rich option. Sourdough bread contains lower amounts of gluten than many other breads. For this reason, it’s easier to digest for many people. It also contains prebiotics which help support gut health. This recipe also uses extra-virgin olive oil that contains oleic acids, healthy fatty acids that help support heart health, brain health, and hormone health.
There are a few reasons! One is to avoid food waste since it’s a good way to use up stale bread. Another is that they don’t contain added ingredients like preservatives and artificial flavorings.
Here are some of my favorite recipes to add them to: Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup, Beet & Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese.
Nope! You can use any kind of stale bread for this recipe.
Related
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Perfect for Pairing
Here are my favorite recipes to pair with Homemade Sourdough Croutons:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Homemade Sourdough Crouton Recipe (5 Ingredients)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups sourdough bread, diced into 1 inch cubes (use thick slices of sourdough)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (190°C). Prep a large baking sheet or sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup. With a sharp knife, cut your sourdough loaf into about 1-inch cubes. If you prefer larger croutons, make thick slices to cut them into bigger cubes of bread.
- In a large bowl, mix the sourdough bread cubes with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings. Be sure each piece of cubed bread is coated to make sure they get crispy.
- Place bread cubes on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Oven times will vary so be sure to check them after 15 minutes and every 1-2 minutes after that. The croutons are done when they are a golden brown color.
Video
Notes
- Use bread that is a bit stale for the best results.
- Be sure to coat each bread cube with the oil and spice mixture. This is the best way to ensure each crouton gets crispy.
- Check the croutons after 15 minutes and keep an eye on them after that so that they don’t burn.
- Room temperature - store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Fridge - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezer - store in an airtight container for up to 4-6 weeks.
Nutrition
References: Healthline, Cleveland Clinic
Sarah
I made these and added them to tomato soup with some dill on top and they were so good! I couldn't help but snack on them this afternoon too cause they're so yummy. Love the idea of using leftover bread to make these.
Mallory
Hi Sarah!! Thank you so much for taking time to leave a review. 🙂 I'm so happy to hear that you love the croutons!! I totally agree they are so delicious on top of soup. So happy you are enjoying the blog and please let me know if there are any recipe ideas you want me to post.