Tired of throwing away leftover bread? You can use it to make these delish & appetizing Homemade Garlic Croutons!
Why do people buy storebought croutons is something I will never understand. I mean they don’t resemble croutons in the least. And really, if you told me they were dry cat food I was more likely to believe that than the fact that these are supposed to be added on top of my salad ? .
I know I may sound a bit mean, but as a cook who is obsessed with cooking real food from scratch I feel obliged to inform you of what croutons really look and taste like…
First Things First…
What’s A Crouton? →
Pieces, or a slice of bread that’s drizzled with fat (butter or oil) and cooked until crispy.
Where Does The Word Come From? → Derives from the French croûton, a diminutive of croûte, meaning “crust”.
What Does A Crouton Taste Like? → Like toasted bread that’s even more crispy.
What Type Of Bread To Use? → Any will do. From white bread to sourdough or wheat bread.
Stale bread is better as it gets even cripier than fresh bread when baked!
How Are Croutons Made? → They’re drizzled with either melted butter or oil (olive oil or other vegetable oil) and the desired seasoning (can be anything from thyme, oregano, garlic, even cheese like grated parmesan). Then they’re baked for a few minutes while being flipped occasionally with a spatula in order to get an even color all around.
What’s best about these Homemade Garlic Croutons is that they have the airiest-crispiest texture you will ever find in a crouton. You know why?
For one, because they’re made with stale bread and for two, because the crust is being removed which tends to make croutons denser in texture.
Plus, their flavor is sooo addictive that I totally recommend not tasting them once they get out of the oven as you won’t be able to stop picking at them!
SERVE THEM WITH:
- Vitamin Packed Lentil Tomato Soup
- Cleansing & Detox Simple Greek Lettuce Salad
- Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
The -CRISPIEST- Homemade Garlic Croutons
Ingredients
- 100 grams / 3.5 oz stale bread crust removed
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 392°F.
- Shred the bread with your hands into small pieces and add to a baking pan.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well with your hands.
- Shake pan for the croutons to spread evenly.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until croutons get a golden color all over (flipping them with a flat spatula when needed). Make sure you keep an eye on as they may get burned in seconds.
- Serve on top of salads or soups.
- Store in a glass jar for up to 2 weeks.
