Homemade Sourdough Croutons are one of the easiest things you can make. Learn how to make these crispy, crunchy baked croutons, so much better than store-bought and great for adding texture to salads and soups. If you ever asked yourself what can I do with this old sourdough bread then this is for you! Stale sourdough is perfect for making your own croutons.
If you love sourdough, like me, you'll know that it goes stale pretty quick. And if you're like me and hate wasting food, then you'll find a way to use up that stale sourdough. Of course one of my favourite ways to use up stale sourdough is to make French Toast. But there's another way to use up that stale bread.
Making your own croutons is so easy and they will taste better than anything you can buy in the store. These sourdough crotons are great not only for soups but for salads and snacking too! Trust me, every single time I make these they disappear in a flash!
Here's What You'll Need
- Sourdough Bread - stale sourdough works really well. If you don't have sourdough don't worry you can still make these, in fact, most batch bread will work. The only exceptions being, sliced bread loaves and soda bread.
- Oil - lightly flavoured olive oil is best here. You can use infused oils if you have them, garlic infused oil works really well.
- Salt - flaky sea salt, such as Maldon sea salt flakes works really well.
- Garlic - this is optional but highly recommended! You can add other herbs too if you have them, fresh thyme works lovely.
Why This Recipe Works
- Great for using up stale sourdough bread!
- Really easy to make with minimum effort.
- So tasty, my family snack on these like they're sweets!!
- Really great for soups and salads.
How To Make Sourdough Croutons
This is just a quick visual guide, please see the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Slice the bread, brush with oil and pop in the oven for a few minutes.
- Take the tray out of the oven then rub each side of the bread with garlic.
- Cut the bread into chunks, toss in oil add some sea salt then pop them back in the oven and cook until golden.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Bread - we love sourdough for making croutons but most bread will work well, wholemeal, granary work very well too. The trick is to use stale bread and make sure it is sliced thickly. You can leave the crust on or off, it's up to you. I prefer the crust left on when it comes to sourdough.
- Bake or fry? - I prefer to bake these, but you can fry them too. You will need to fry them in batches if you fry them and toss them often so that they are golden on all sides.
- Oils - you should be aware that any oil you use to make these croutons will be absorbed by the bread so the finished croutons will take on that flavour. I find that a mild, lighter flavoured olive oil works really well. Rapeseed oil works well too.
- Extras - the world is your lobster here! You can add dried herbs, fresh herbs, garlic is great. Rubbing the garlic on the toasted bread first adds a subtle garlic flavour which we love. You can add more garlic if you like. Grated cheese works well too. See my notes in the recipe card below for full instructions on how to add flavours.
FAQs
How long do homemade croutons last? Well, they can last for up a week. Once cooled transfer them to a sealed bag or airtight container. I keep them on the counter. That said, every single time I make these they do not last longer than 2 days, they are very snackable!
Can you freeze croutons? Yes! You can freeze these croutons. Once cooled put them in a freezer bag, make sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible before you seal it then freeze for up to a month. The great thing about croutons is that they thaw really quickly so take them out of the freezer a couple of hours before you use them. You can refresh them in a preheated oven if you like.
Add Your Sourdough Croutons To These Soups and Salads:
- Vegetarian Caesar Salad - one of my all-time favourite salads. With crispy croutons and a creamy dressing without the anchovies, this salad is great as a side or as a main dish.
- Roasted Beetroot Salad - rich roasted beets with creamy feta and crunchy walnuts, this also comes with a tangy orange mustard dressing!
- Roasted Carrot and Fennel Soup - made with just a few simple ingredients this vegan soup is perfect for lunch or as a starter for a special occasion meal add in some croutons for extra crunch and texture!
- Carrot and Lentil Soup - add these croutons to this warming and filling soup, it's packed with flavour and so tasty. Perfect for a cosy lunch or supper.
- Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup - a lovely delicate soup that is warming and satisfying. A healthy soup that’s easy to make and ready in no time.
Have you made these Croutons? Rate it and leave me a comment below to let me know what you think!
Sourdough Croutons
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices of slightly stale sourdough bread
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (353°F ) / 160°C Fan (320°F)Place the sliced bread on a baking tray, brush each side of the bread with oil.Cook for about 10 minutes or until the bread is starting to brown.
- Remove the tray from the oven.Rub each side of the sliced bread with the garlic.Cut the bread into cubes. Return them to the tray.Add the remaining oil and toss the bread. Sprinkle some of the salt over the croutons then return the tray to the oven and bake for another 8 - 10 minutes or until the croutons are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and leave the croutons to cool on the tray.Transfer to a bowl or bag and sprinkle the remaining salt over the croutons.
Notes
- Bread - slightly stale sourdough is best for this recipe, however, any bread will work except for sandwich bread which is usually thinly sliced.
- Want more garlic - if you want more of a garlic flavour to these then I would use garlic-infused oil. You can make your own by adding 1 very finely grated clove of garlic to the oil a good few hours before you make the croutons.
- Herbs - if you want to add herbs to these then for dried herbs, add them to the croutons when you add the salt. For fresh herbs, I would add them towards the end of cooking, so add them at the last 5 minutes and toss well.
- Storing - Once cooled transfer them to a sealed bag or airtight container. Keep them on the counter.
- Freezing croutons - Once cooled put them in a freezer bag, make sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible before you seal it then freeze for up to a month. The great thing about croutons is that they thaw really quickly so take them out of the freezer a couple of hours before you use them. You can refresh them in a preheated oven if you like.
- Nutritional Information - is calculated using an online nutrition tool. It is approximate and can vary depending on how many croutons you add.
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