Croutons. Those crisp and crunchy cubes of toasted bread that add texture and flavor to salads. We love them. Homemade Parmesan croutons elevate even a simple side salad. And they are so easy to make!
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Besides being tasty, homemade croutons are much less expensive than store bought.
They can be made from just about any type of bread and are a great way to use dry, stale or leftover bread. For this post, I used leftover dinner rolls from Bertucci’s and a small bagel that had been in the freezer for a while. Courser, denser bread make really good croutons.
And once prepared, croutons will remain fresh far longer than unprepared bread.
Basically, croutons are small pieces of bread that are either cut into uniform cubes or torn into more rustic pieces. The pieces are drizzled with olive oil or butter and seasoned. Herbs and cheese can be added for more flavor. They are then toasted. Croutons are also great with soup or just to snack on.
How-to make croutons
Cut bread cubes into about 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces.
Grate 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Add the bread cubes to a large bowl. Sprinkle on the garlic powder, your favorite herb seasoning blend, salt and pepper.
Add the Parmesan cheese. Toss.
Drizzle on a 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Toss again to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Spread the mixture onto a large sheet pan allowing space so cubes toast evenly.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip with a spatula and return to oven for 2-3 more minutes or until desired crispness.
Allow to cool on the pan. Store croutons in an airtight container for a few days or place the croutons into a resealable freezer bag and store in the freezer.
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Homemade Parmesan Croutons
Yield 4 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups bread cubes, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 – 3/4 teaspoon of your favorite herb seasoning blend
- salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Add the bread cubes to a large bowl. Sprinkle on the garlic powder, herb seasoning blend, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Toss.
Drizzle on the olive oil and toss again to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Spread the mixture out on a large pan allowing space so cubes toast evenly.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip with a spatula and return to oven for 2-3 more minutes or until desired crispness.
Can’t I sauté croutons on the stove top?
If you prefer, you can use a frying pan on the stove top to toast the croutons. This method needs a little more attention than baking. Just be sure to stir and toss the bread frequently so all sides become crisp and golden adding additional oil or butter if needed.
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