SUPER EASY HOMEMADE RUSTIC CROUTONS
One of my biggest pet peeves of all time is throwing out food. I’m a huge advocate of planning your meals in advance, understanding what you have in your fridge and getting creative with your left over ingredients.
Since I live in Germany, a country known for their amazing freshly baked bread and buns, we enjoy fresh buns from the bakery almost everyday. Thank GOD I’m not gluten intolerant because when I go to the bakery, I sometimes buy more buns than I can consume because I get too excited when I see them in display. Unfortunately, freshly baked buns get stale so quickly that you can’t really save it for the next day. But oh no, I never throw them away. Also, I can’t remember when I actually finished an entire bag of toast. So, why would you throw it away when you can make croutons out of them and add them into your soups and salads? I never really understood the logic of buying processed croutons at the grocery stores when you can easily make it at home and you probably already have all the ingredients to make it. Plus, you can store your croutons for up to a week so you’ll always have delicious croutons whenever you need it!
You definitely need to pair these croutons with my roasted tomato soup!
It’s honestly so easy where there is no right and wrong way to make it and you probably don’t need a recipe. Just don’t burn it! Also, make sure to you store your bread properly so it doesn’t mould. Keep it in a dry and cool place (on your counter top in a paper bag or in the fridge).
A well seasoned croutons are a great little garnishes that you can add into your soups and salads to give that extra crunch and savoury flavour. I personally prefer big croutons in my soups which give more of a rustic appearance. When you dunk the croutons into a hot soup, it soaks up all that liquid and it’s absolutely delicious! It really is the little touches of additional flavour and texture that make your dish more dynamic and fun.
I hope you enjoy!
-Ari Yori
SUPER EASY HOMEMADE RUSTIC CROUTONS RECIPE
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 10-15 minutes
portion:
INGREDIENTS
2-3 stale buns or half of loaf of bread, cut into large cubes or smaller bite sized pieces (fresh buns substitute)
1/4 cup (53g) olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp onion flakes (optional)
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375/190.
In a large bowl, add chunks of bread/bun and generously drizzle olive oil then lightly toss until the oil is evenly incorporated.
Sprinkle the remaining ingredients and lightly toss until everything is evenly mixed together.
Place the seasoned bread chunks on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or just in a large baking dish. Spread the chunks well so it doesn’t cover or overlap one another in order to bake evenly.
Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until it turns to a golden brown colour. Lightly turn the croutons halfway so all sides are evenly baked.
Remove from the oven, and let cool down. You can serve it immediately or store it in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.
