Food Blogger USA

Garlicky Homemade Croutons – Minimalist Baker Recipes

September 15, 2022
Jean J. White

Homemade crispy croutons on a baking sheet

Who could say no to toasty and savory little bites of bread!? Not us. Flavorful, crunchy croutons are always a welcome addition to soups and salads, and they also happen to be SO quick and easy to make at home! 

Once you give these homemade croutons a taste, we’re sure you’ll be putting them on everything, or just eating them right off the baking sheet. Let us show you how it’s done!

Sliced sourdough bread, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian herbs, and oil

How to Make Croutons

The first step is to choose your bread. Any type of savory bread will work, including sourdough, sandwich bread, and gluten-free, too! We tested all three and found sourdough had the best texture and flavor and sandwich bread created the most classic “crunchy” croutons.

To begin, cut the bread into cubes, creating maximum surface area for crispiness and flavor.

Knife on a cutting board with cubed bread

Then toss the bread with your choice of oil (avocado or olive oil). While avocado oil produces a more neutral flavor, you can’t go wrong with either one!

For a classic crouton taste, season the cubed bread with salt and pepper, plus garlic powder and dried Italian herbs (basil + oregano). You can also play around with the spices so they go with a specific dish you’re making!

Tossing cubed bread on a baking sheet with oil and seasonings

After baking for a quick 8-12 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, crispy, golden brown croutons await!

Close up shot of croutons with crispy golden edges

We hope you LOVE these garlicky homemade croutons! They’re:

Crunchy
Savory
Versatile
Classic
Quick & easy
& SO much better than store-bought!

Enjoy them on soups and salads, including our Easy 1-Pot Tomato Soup (Vegan), Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella, Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup (1 Pot!), and Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad.

Love Bread? Try These Next:

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Bowl piled high with sourdough croutons

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 12 (1/2-cup servings)

Course Condiment, Side

Cuisine French-Inspired, Gluten-Free (optional), Italian-Inspired, Vegan

Freezer Friendly No

Does it keep? 1-2 Days

  • 6 cups bread of choice*, cut into 1-inch (2 ½ cm) cubes (8 slices standard-size sandwich bread or 4-5 slices of larger bread like sourdough yield ~6 cups or 250 g)
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil (or sub olive oil)
  • 3/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning (dried basil + oregano // optional)

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).

  • Add all ingredients to a baking sheet and toss with clean hands to evenly coat. Bake for 8-12 minutes (8 for softer croutons, 12 for crunchier), or until slightly golden and firm to the touch. We baked ours for 10 minutes.

  • Let cool slightly before serving with soup or salad. Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.

*We tested this with regular sourdough bread, whole wheat sandwich bread, and store-bought gluten-free loaf bread. All worked well and produced flavorful, versatile croutons! We liked the sourdough croutons the best as they maintained the best texture and had the best flavor, but sandwich bread produced more classic “crunchy” croutons!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with sourdough bread.

Serving: 1 half-cup serving Calories: 98 Carbohydrates: 11.1 g Protein: 2.3 g Fat: 5.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8 g Monounsaturated Fat: 3.3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 271 mg Potassium: 30 mg Fiber: 0.5 g Sugar: 1 g Vitamin A: 0 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 12 mg Iron: 0.9 mg