Croutons made from stale or leftover bread?

Question

What's the best way to make croutons - garlicy if possible! - to make soups, stews and salads more intersting?

Answer 1

Start w/ good bread, like French or Sourdough, or some kind of artisan bread. Sliced sandwich bread is not good for croutons.

Cube the bread, and put on a baking sheet w/ sides. Drizzle w/ EVOO, kosher salt, black pepper, and a little garlic powder (or garlic salt, but back down on the kosher salt). Toss well until all sides are coated; hands work best.

Toast in a 425º oven for about 10 min. When you smell them, they are ready, but set a timer to be sure. Toss and shake the pan around about half-way thru baking.

Answer 2

Croutons From Stale Bread

Answer 3

I cut the bread up into crouton size cubes, place on a cookie sheet, and hose them down with garlic spray. Shake the pan, spray again, then bake on 250F for about 1/2 hour, stirring and shaking occasionally, and more garlic spray if needed. Then I store them in a ziplock. I love croutons on demand, and I don't waste the leftover bread.

Answer 4

5 min 3 min prep

2 cups bread cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

Drizzle oil over bread, a little bit at a time. Toss until the cubes are lightly coated, not soggy.
Sprinkle on the spices and cheese. Toss until evenly dispersed. [You may vary amounts to suit your taste.].
Broil approximately 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp.
Once cooled, store in air tight container.

Answer 5

Spread the stale bread with butter that has been mixed with garlic powder, or crushed garlic, and any other herbs and spices you desire. Place on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler for a two to five minutes. check every minute to prevent burning. You may want to place your oven rack in the second position. when you remove allow to cool for a few minutes. then cut into cubes and store in an airtight container. use with in a week or two.

Answer 6

cube your bread, put olive oil in a pan, heat with fresh garlic(this infuses the oil with flavor and is better for you than butter) drizzle cooled oil over bread and toss together. bake at 350 degrees until browned, stirring often. you can also make the oil flavored with whatever spices you like. add grated fresh parmesan cheese to the cubes before you bake.

Answer 7

I recomend fresh bred for tastier croutons. You can use stale if your intent is to use up old bread.

Answer 8

take regular bread and cube it, put it on a pan and spice it with garlic powder, orageno, salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika, after spicing put some melted butter on it, mix it around and bake at 350 F and watch it carefully and stir it offten

Answer 9

toast the bread squares and saute in garlic butter with cilantro then let them dry out and volia!

Answer 10

Seasoned Crouton Recipes


Seasoned Croutons are such a simple thing to make and make the meal! If you are having a salad lunch or soup don't leave out these tasty tidbits! Some of these croutons are cubed bread and some are sliced croutons. Making them is part of the fun and the variety will have your guests asking for the recipe. You can make them ahead of time and even freeze them until you need them. This makes serving meals for holidays and parties easier. The more things you can make ahead of time the better when it comes down to the last minute crunch.
Here are some different recipes for seasoned croutons for your next meal.

Basic Buttered Bread Croutons

4 cups bread cubes
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350ºF

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour the melted butter over the bread cubes and toss to distribute the butter evenly. Now I like to put my melted butter in my oil sprayer and spray the bread crumbs while I toss them. Either way works though.
Place the bread cubes in a single layer in a baking pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring every 5 minutes for even toasting. Allow the croutons to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container. Freeze them for longer storage.

Parmesan Croutons

4 cups Bread Cubes
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Salt
4 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, finely shredded

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss cubed bread with olive oil.
Bake until the croutons are a light golden brown. As soon as the croutons are removed from the oven, toss with oregano, cheese and a little salt.

Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Spicy Croutons

4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp chilli sauce
1 Tbsp Crushed Pepper Flakes
4 cups bread cubes
(add more chilli if you want it hotter)

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Warm oil slightly on stove top in large pan. Add chilli sauce and flakes to oil, mix WELL. Add bread to mixture and toss to coat all the cubes.

Transfer to baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.

Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Italian Croutons

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch salt
4 cups bread cubes

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Warm oil and butter until melted on stove top in large pan. Add seasonings and mix well. Add bread to mixture and toss to coat all the cubes.

Transfer to baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.

Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Parmesan Italian Croutons

4 cups bread cubes (great with french bread or homemade bread)
Toss bread in mixture of
4 Tbsp Butter, melted
3 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
2 Tbsp dried basil
2 Tbsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp Parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Warm butter until melted on stove top in large pan. Add garlic and seasonings and mix well. Add bread to mixture and toss to coat all the cubes.

Transfer to baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.

Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Savory Croutons

1/4 c. Olive Oil
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup French's® Honey Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Green Onion, finely chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
3/4 tsp dried Oregano
5 cups Bread Cubes

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Heat Olive oil up in large pan. Whisk in Mayonnaise, Mustard and other ingredients until well combined. Add in the bread crumbs and toss until coated.
Transfer to baking sheet and cook in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.

Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Garlic/Lemon Croutons

1 Tbsp extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 tsp zested Lemon Peel
12 thin baguette bread slices

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl.
Brush over baguette slices and place on baking sheet.
Bake croutons until crisp, about 5 - 10 minutes.

Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed. These are great with seafood salads, soups and salads!

Peppered Croutons

Yields 4 to 6 servings

½ Loaf Day Old Bread
1 Stick Butter
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

Method - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dice bread and place in bowl. Melt butter and pour over bread, add salt and pepper. Toss well to coat bread. Place on sheet pan and bake in oven 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Jalapeno Croutons

2 TBSP Butter
2 Jalapenos cored and chopped
3 garlic cloves peeled
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 cups small bread cubes
salt

Preheat oven to 375º F
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the garlic cloves and jalapenos and cook, stirring often without browning, for 6 - 7 minutes. Remove the garlic and chiles from the oil and discard. Add the bread cubes to the skillet, tossing to coat them evenly with the oil.
Place on baking sheet in oven and cook until lightly browned stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and use warm.
Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Sesame croutons

6 slices Firm bread
2 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP Olive oil
1 TBSP Asian sesame oil
1 TBSP Sesame seeds

Cut crusts from bread. Dice into 1/2-inch cubes. In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat butter, olive oil, and sesame oil. Add bread cubes and sesame seed, stirring until well coated with butter mixture. Transfer bread cubes to a rimmed baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Bake in a 300º F oven until lightly browned and crisp (25 to 30 minutes). Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Onion Croutons

6 slices French bread, crusts trimmed
2 TBSP bacon drippings
2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp poppy seed
1/2 tsp sesame seed, toasted
1 TBSP very finely minced onion

Cube bread; set aside. Heat remaining ingredients together in a 12" skillet over medium heat; stir in bread cubes until well coated. Remove from heat; spread mixture in a single layer on a rimmed ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 300 until golden and crisp, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Sun Dried Tomato Croutons

6 slices French bread, crusts trimmed
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 TBSP sun dried tomato well minced in processor

Cube bread; set aside. Heat remaining ingredients together in a 12" skillet over medium heat; stir in bread cubes until well coated. Remove from heat; spread mixture in a single layer on a rimmed ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 300 until golden and crisp, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.