By Samin Nosrat
Updated May 23, 2024
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- 5(411)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Store-bought croutons simply can’t compete with homemade ones. To begin with, your raw ingredients are almost certainly of a higher quality, and hence more delicious, than the stuff anyone else will use. What’s more, the rustic, uneven shape of torn croutons, like these croutons from "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat, lends a variety of textures to your salads. Dressing clings to them better, they’re more lovely to look at, and they are less likely to scratch the roof of your mouth.
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:8 cups
- 1-pound loaf day-old country or sourdough bread
- ⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt, as needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
234 calories; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 342 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
Heat oven to 400 degrees. For more teeth-friendly croutons, remove the crusts from the bread, then cut the loaf into inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into inch-wide strips. Working over a large bowl, tear each strip into inch-size pieces. Alternatively, you can tear croutons directly off the loaf, as long as you get somewhat evenly sized pieces.
Step
2
Toss croutons with olive oil to coat them evenly, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Use a second sheet as needed to prevent crowding, which will entrap steam and keep the croutons from browning.
Step
3
Toast croutons for about 18 to 22 minutes, checking them after 8 minutes. Rotate the pans, switch their oven positions, and use a metal spatula to turn and rotate the croutons so that they brown evenly. Once they begin to brown, check them every few minutes, continuing to turn and rotate. Some croutons might be done when others still need a few more minutes of baking, so remove them from the tray and let the rest finish cooking. Bake the croutons until they’re golden brown and crunchy on the outside, with just a tiny bit of chew on the inside.
Step
4
Taste a crouton and adjust the seasoning with a light sprinkling of salt if needed. Let croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400 degrees.
- To make classic torn croutons, stir 2 cloves finely grated or pounded garlic into the olive oil before dressing the croutons. Toss with 1 tablespoon dried oregano and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes before toasting.To make cheesy torn croutons, toss the torn bread with the olive oil, then add 3 ounces (about 1 cup) very finely grated Parmesan and lots of coarsely ground black pepper to the bowl, and toss until combined. Toast as directed above.
Ratings
5
out of 5
411
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
dimmerswitch
First, the olive oil measure in this recipe should be 1/3 C. Looks like a typo in ingredients as published here. I have been making my own crouton for 30 years, but it didn't occur to me to tear the bread until seeing Samin's recipe. Genius. I've made these in both standard and "classic" - see Tip at bottom of recipe - and they're great to use in salad, with soup, to dip in hummus or other spreads or on their own with a libation. Airtight container and they've held well for a week for us.
mike h
Pro tip: after 2-3 cups croutons have baked, drop them while still hot into a paper bag (or similar) containing: 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, 2-3 tablespoons (combo) of finely chopped parsley thyme sage oregano. Close the bag and shake it until croutons evenly coated then transfer to a pan or plate to cool before serving. Magic!
Luther
These are really good. As another said, the olive oil is 1/3 cup. Lightly sprinkled oregano in addition to salt before baking. Put these in a sealed container and kept great for three weeks. Then used them in my dressing for Thanksgiving. Hubba-hubba.
seajaywood
Reference other notes/comments. Time given in recipe seems long…but may work if you are using a traditional oven or have it to that mode. In convection oven/mode 8 minutes worked for me after following recipe.
Darren Stephens
Did a hall of a baguette, third of a cup of olive oil salt and pepper. Didn’t shy away from using the crust. I did nine minutes at 400°. We loved these, and will make them again.
DJ
Love this simple recipe, the savior of old bread. If you thinly slice off the crust in large pieces and toast them along with the croutons, it makes terrific crackers.
Gina
Love these but always have lots to spare so after they’re cool I freeze them and they keep for a long time. I pop what I need in the toaster oven for one toast cycle to warm them back up/get them crispy and let them cool while I prepare the salad. Delicious.
Debbie B
My croutons were very brown after only 8 minutes. They would have been burnt to a crisp after 18-22 minutes!
Chris
Delicious and easy. I made the cheesy, garlicy version in the Tip section. You'll definitely want to keep an eye on them after the 8-minute mark. I shuffled them around every couple of minutes and took them out after about 18 minutes.
Lisa
Yummy!
Mary Kay
Garlic salt and cayenne!
Louis
Crouton without garlic is a big no-no where I come from...
Jane
I make croutons often, adding olive oil and fried sage/thyme/rosemary/garlic and onion salt (and salt and pepper) to the cubed bread before baking it on a sheet pan at 350 for 10 minutes. Then LEAVE THEM IN THE OVEN to crisp up for a couple hours. Delicious and easy.
VP Fox
About the bread for croutons, I use Irish Soda bread.
kkholiday
This would be a great recipe if they added more seasoning notes. There is the "classic" recipe in itals at the bottom, but salt and olive oil alone is painfully bland.
Ann
Years ago I discovered the ease and tastiness of homemade croutons. Be creative with seasonings and use. Once the croutons are cooled, I have always frozen them in an airtight container. The croutons keep for months, and they are thawed by the time the salad/soup reaches the table.
Chef Hawkeye
400 seems too high. The olive can burn. I use 225, it may take a little longer but safer
Bridget
I've started making mine in my air fryer, recipe I used said single layer but I usually make about 1 2/3 layer, tossing halfway, and they come out perfect without heating up the kitchen.
Namara
My electric knife came in very handy for cutting off the tough crusts of my artisanal loaf of bread. A useful thing to own for those of us with arthritic hands.
ShanGen
“…they’re easy to make with this recipe from Samin Nosrat, and they last for weeks on your counter. “ By Emily WeinsteinUse immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.Which is it?
Ellen
I make croutons with whatever bread needs to be used, sour dough, brioche, doesn’t matter. I prefer 375 convection for about 10 minutes. I like to toss with olive oil and salt after toasting. Sometimes these disappear before making it to the salad!
Mike H
I used garlic infused EVOO instead of grating or pounding garlic. Toasted for about 20 minutes at 375 in a convection oven. Even those who are not crouton fans loved them. I didn't know that they would keep that long!
TWSF
Too bland. Try adding a 1/2 tsp each of crushed sage, rosemary and thyme - and even one or two cloves of crushed garlic - to the olive oil before tossing the bread pieces in it.
Melissa
I make croutons out of stale bagels.
Private notes are only visible to you.
