Parmesan Herb Croutons

Forget buying croutons at the store! You can easily make it at home with much better results. We just served these for dinner with the family this Sunday and everyone raved about them. Dinner with “the family” means at least 15 people, when it’s Sergi’s immediate family, and that’s only part of us. That’s what happens when you have 10 brother and one sister:). The point is, these croutons passed the test.

They are crisp and crunchy, but you won’t break a tooth on them. The biggest advantage homemade croutons have over store-bought ones are the taste: I made mine with garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese, butter and olive oil. No stale taste involved at all here! Besides, who doesn’t have a few leftover slices of bread lying around? You can store the stragglers in the freezer until you have a collection large enough to make a batch. Not only are croutons delicious with salads, they are also great sprinkled on soup, such as Creamy Tomato Soup.  

Ingredients:

5 cups bread cubes
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 Tablespoon parsley, minced (you can also use rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc.)
1 teaspoon dry herbs (whatever kind you like)
1/4 teaspoon salt, ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the bread into cubes, as big as you like. I like them pretty small, about 1/2 inch. I usually use Italian bread, but you can use whichever bread suits your fancy.
In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, olive oil, minced parsley, dry herbs, garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. You can also add other herbs, like thyme or rosemary. 
Toss with the bread cubes until they are evenly coated.
Spread the bread cubes evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. You can make one small batch and spread it out sparsely like this.
Or cut up a whole loaf that you bought specifically to make croutons and you’ll have a lot more:).

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, depending on how big you cut the bread cubes. Stir the croutons halfway throughout baking. 

Store the croutons in a covered container or a ziplock bag.

Parmesan Herb Croutons

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Olga's Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Miscellaneous

Ingredients

• 5 cups bread cubes
• 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 Tablespoon parsley, minced (you can also use rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc.)
• 1 teaspoon dry herbs (whatever kind you like)
• ¼ teaspoon salt, ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the bread into cubes. Whisk the other ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Add the bread cubes to the bowl and toss until evenly coated.
4. Spread the bread cubes evenly on a rimmed baking sheet.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the bread cubes. Stir the croutons halfway through baking.
6. Store in a covered container or ziptop bag.

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