If you have an old leftover sourdough loaf sitting on your counter, do not waste it and make some delicious homemade Italian sourdough croutons out of it! Most of the croutons you find at the grocery stores are unhealthy. Indeed, they are filled with cheap oils, artificial flavors (also called natural flavors, but ain’t nothing “natural” about them!) and/or preservatives. Croutons are not only so easy to make, but also quick. They require a handful of ingredients which you already have in your pantry!
Ingredients you need to make croutons:
- Sourdough bread: Sourdough bread is a naturally leavened bread that I love becaause of its distinctive sourness. With all the herbs and cheese, I find using sourdough makes the most delicious croutons! Preferably, you can use a loaf that is 1 to 3 days old. Moreover, I find bread loaves that are passed the 3-day mark have become too hard to make tasty croutons or to even cut them.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Its sharp and nutty flavor adds a nice kick to the croutons. You can also use any other types of parmesan cheese, but Parmigiano Reggiano is my all-time favorite!
TIPS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE ITALIAN SOURDOUGH CROUTONS
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat and set aside. Cut bread into 1-inch-thick slices and into 1-inch cubes. Put them in a mixing bowl.
In a second small mixing bowl, add olive oil, garlic powder, parsley and oregano. Mix and pour the olive oil mixture into the bread cubes.
With clean hands, mix the bread to ensure all the cubes are coated with the olive oil mixture. TIP: Before baking them, you can taste one cube and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary.
Line bread cubes in a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano. TIP: By lining them as a single layer, it will help them bake more evenly.
Bake in the middle rack for 12-14 minutes, according to your crispiness preference. TIP: Depending on how old your bread is, you may need to cook longer or less. Additionally, the baking time can change depends on how crispy you like your croutons. I suggest you take them out at the 10-minute mark and give it a taste test for its doneness. In this recipe, I am using a 2-day old bread and I baked the croutons for 12 minutes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE
How long can croutons be stored? Croutons can be stored in an airtight bag or container at room temperature up to 7 days. Furthermore, you can store them in the freezer up to 1 month.
How do I use frozen croutons? Take them out of the freezer, let them thaw and reheat them at 300°F for 5 minutes. They will become crispy again!
What can I use croutons for? Other than using them as a salad topper, these croutons are excellent on creamy soups or around Holidays’time, they can be used for stuffing. You can also crush them to make breadcrumbs. Finally, I love to use them as a snack by themselves!
If you enjoyed these croutons, try them out on my Roasted Caprese Bocconcini Soup!
If you’ve tried this Homemade Italian Sourdough Croutons recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can let me know how it went by commenting in the comments section below and don’t forget to leave a rating!
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- ½ lb sourdough loaf (half a loaf) 1-3 days old
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat and set aside.
- Cut bread into 1-inch-thick slices and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Put them in a mixing bowl.
- In a second small mixing bowl, add olive oil, garlic powder, parsley and oregano. Mix and pour the olive oil mixture into the bread cubes.
- With clean hands, mix the bread to ensure all the cubes are coated with the olive oil mixture. Taste one cube and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Line them in a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano. Bake in the middle rack for 12-14 minutes, according to your crispiness preference.
