Croutons Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade croutons so hard? ›

3: Don't let the bread get perfectly crisp in the oven

The croutons will continue to crisp up as they cool, so croutons that are perfectly crisp straight out of the oven will end up being rock hard when they cool. Those are the croutons that hurt your mouth to eat – no one likes that!

Homemade croutons will keep fresh for weeks when properly stored, so they're great for making ahead. To Store: Once the baked croutons have cooled completely to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container or large zip-top bag. Store them on the counter for up to 2 weeks.

Croutons are made from toasted or fried bread, including white, wholemeal, sourdough and granary. Use them for a crunchy texture in salads, soups and more. Any kind of piece of bread that has been toasted or fried to crunchy crispness counts as a crouton.

Put the croutons into an airtight container or storage bag.

Scoop the cooled croutons into an airtight container or storage bag that's large enough to hold all of them. The croutons don't have to be in a single layer when you store them, so use whatever container you like.

Crowding the pan.

Pile the bread cubes on top of each other and they won't have enough space to crisp up and brown. Instead, make sure they're in a even layer.

Homemade croutons are less expensive than storebought; they're also ten times tastier. They enhance every salad on which they are sprinkled, and can also be used as a garnish for soups, or crushed with a rolling pin and sprinkled on pasta or used as a filling for an omelet.

Once it's stale, cut it in cubes; preheat the oven to 400 degrees; place the bread cubes in a bowl and stir in enough olive oil to moisten them. Add salt and pepper. I add red pepper flakes — a choice. Place the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes — until the bread cubes are lightly browned.

Obviously, there's no law saying croutons can't be eaten like a snack, but certain things can give you the sense it's discouraged. One of those things: the suggested serving size on the back of the package, which is typically two tablespoons.

Our croutons are made with Romano cheese, seasoned with garlic, Italian herbs & spices, and baked to a delicious golden brown.

Almonds, walnuts, or pecans add a delightful crunch to salads and are rich in healthy fats and protein. They provide a nutrient-dense alternative to croutons, supporting heart health and satiety.

Are croutons healthier than bread? ›

A. Regarding nutritional value, croutons and bread are practically identical. Therefore, croutons, especially those made from whole-grain bread, might provide limited health benefits. Moreover, most croutons have more sodium than your store-bought bread.

Croutons: Yes, you can freeze them! Cube stale bread and toast it for a few minutes. Then, place the croutons into a resealable freezer bag and stow in the freezer. You can also freeze the uncooked bread cubes and toast them at a later time.

Croutons will most likely spoil do to moulds or yeasts growing on them (especially if they're not dry enough) so you might want to store them in the fridge (in an air tight container) and not for too long.

Tearing bread by hand before coating them in fat and seasoning (think olive oil, flavorful garlic, aromatic herbs, and plenty of salt) and baking it yields croutons with uneven edges that get extra crispy in the oven, creating even more of the crispy, crunchy textures that are the key to making better salads at home.

You can't turn stale bread back into fresh bread completely, obviously, but you can get pretty close with a paper towel and a microwave. Simply spray the paper towel with a good amount of water (you want it damp) and then wrap you bread in it, and microwave for 15–20 seconds.

Put the bread in a cold oven, then turn the heat to 300° F. Let the loaf slowly heat up for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the density and dryness of the bread. Start checking the bread after 10 minutes.

Let me explain: Most croutons are crunchy through and through, but these are designed to be crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle–far better for munching out of hand (or as a complement to tender salad leaves) than the hard, desiccated store-bought kind.