Easy Sourdough Garlic Croutons

This is almost too simple to be called a recipe.  But since I know that many people don’t think to make their own croutons at home, I thought I’d give you this little reminder.  Homemade croutons are simple to make, they are a great way to use up stale bread, and they taste better than anything you can buy at the store.

Consider the amounts and instructions below to just be a basic guideline.  You can stick to the basics, like I did this last time, or you can add whatever herbs and seasonings you like to make your own homemade croutons recipe.  Have fun!

Sourdough Garlic Croutons

8 cups sourdough bread cubes (about 3/4 inch)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic powder and salt.  Put bread cubes in a large bowl.

2. Drizzle a tablespoon of oil around the outside of the bowl, toss well with a wooden spoon.  Continue adding oil, a tablespoon at a time, and tossing in between.  When you’ve added all the oil, continue stirring and tossing bread cubes for a few minutes longer.  Eventually the bread will be uniformly coated with the oil (for the most part). Taste a few of the bread cubes and add extra salt and/or other seasonings if you wish.

3. Spread the bread cubes out in a single layer on a parchment-lined half sheet pan.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven, checking and stirring the croutons every five minutes, until golden brown and crisp (probably 10-15 minutes total).  Allow croutons to cool on the pan and then transfer to an airtight container or Ziploc bag.

Recipe notes: You don’t have to make a full 8 cups of croutons.  These are the amounts of oil and seasonings I used for 8 cups, but feel free to divide the recipe in half or even a quarter if you only have a small amount of bread to use up.  Also, you can use whatever bread you like and whatever seasonings you like.  Have fun and experiment!

In the summer I love to eat homemade croutons on green salads, but in the fall and winter, I find myself eating them more often on soups!  I really enjoyed them on some Split Pea Soup the other day!