Crunchy Sourdough Croutons [3 ingredients]

Making sourdough croutons is a great way to use up stale sourdough bread, leftover sourdough bread or even those loaves that don't bake up quite right. Your own homemade croutons will be so much tastier than store-bought croutons. Sourdough croutons really are the most flavorful croutons ... and they help reduce food waste too!

Sourdough croutons are super easy to make with simple ingredients and can be used to add a little crunch to creamy soups, fresh salads - or even as a snack or gifted to a friend or neighbor in a pretty jar. I love to blitz them and use them as a crunchy coating on chicken. YUM!

You can add herbs or spices if you like or just keep them plain and simple - think how good garlic sourdough croutons or rosemary sourdough croutons would be on top of salad.

Croutons are just bread that has been cubed and then rebaked or fried until golden brown and crispy. Technically you can use any bread to make croutons, whether it's stale or fresh ... but it really is the perfect way to avoid wastage by using old or stale sourdough bread. Sourdough breadcrumbs and sourdough crostini are other ways to use up leftover sourdough bread.

I love making croutons with leftover Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread and Sourdough Dill Pickle Rye Bread - they are extra tasty!

Why You'll Love Sourdough Croutons!

These croutons are oh so easy to make - you'll wonder why you never made them before!

Here's why you're going to love making your own crunchy sourdough croutons:

• Use up stale or leftover sourdough bread - leftover baguettes or sourdough sandwich bread are perfect!
• Quick and easy to throw together
• Add oil and flavors of your choice - no artificial flavors or preservatives
• Turn failed sourdough loaves into croutons with no waste!

How To Make Sourdough Croutons [step by step]

Right, let's make a big batch of your own homemade sourdough croutons! You'll find the specific ingredient details in the recipe card at the end of this page.

1. Preheat your oven to 350F/180C.
   
2. Cut the slices of sourdough bread into cubes (around ¾ to 1 inch). Make sure some sourdough bread cubes have the crust on and others don't for a more rustic feel to your sourdough croutons.
   
3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place your cubed sourdough bread onto the tray in a single layer.
   
4. Pour the olive oil over the cubed sourdough bread and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper (add as much or as little as you'd like).
   
5. If you'd like to add other spices or seasonings like fresh garlic, rosemary, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley etc, add this to the pan now. Generally 1 teaspoon is plenty.
   
6. Gently toss the bread around with your hands to ensure each cube is coated with olive oil.
   
7. Place the tray of croutons in to the oven to bake at 350F/180C for around 30 minutes. I like to take them out after 15 minutes and toss them around to ensure they are baking evenly.
   
8. Once they are golden brown and crunchy, remove them from the oven and allow to cool before using them or placing in to a glass jar to store them.

Storage + Shelf Life

Croutons are made with leftover or stale bread, but that doesn't mean they will have a short shelf life. When stored correctly, these croutons should last around 2 weeks.

I find they are best stored in a glass jar in the pantry (at room temperature). Plastic containers make them go soft. But if they do go a little soft, you can just pop them in the oven again for a few minutes to crisp up.

You could also freeze sourdough croutons, however you would need to crisp them up in the oven after defrosting.

The best way to use the freezer would be just to cut up the stale bread or leftover bread you're wanting to use up, pop it in an airtight container and freeze that. When you want to make the croutons, you can just just the frozen bread cubes.

Can I Make Sourdough Croutons in an Air Fryer?

Absolutely! Sourdough croutons work really well in an air fryer because the dry heat makes them crisp up really well!

You would basically follow the same instructions as the oven and just air fry until they are golden and crispy.

An air fryer is a great way to crisp up croutons that have gone a little soft too!

How To Use Sourdough Croutons

You can literally add croutons to anything you like! Here's some of the ways we use them in my house:

• Add them to our favorite soups just before serving (they are the best in cauliflower soup, French Onion Soup and beer cheese soup).
  
• My kids literally eat bowls of these as a snack (I usually make some with parmesan cheese, rosemary and salt for them).
  
• Use them to create a crunchy topping to your favorite casserole - simply add them on top and sprinkle with your favorite melty cheese and then pop in the oven.
  
• Grind them up in a food processor to make crunchy seasoned breadcrumbs - perfect for breading chicken.
  
• Add them to the top of a salad - they add so much flavor and interest. I absolutely love them in a fresh Caesar salad with chicken or on a crunchy iceberg lettuce with homemade ranch dressing. Ok I'm officially hungry now!!

Frequently Asked Questions