Homemade croutons are one of the simplest things you can prepare. Almost any type of bread works well in them, and most herbs and spices are suitable for seasoning them. Depending on your preferences, the bread can be cut into smaller or larger pieces; spices can be added to it or you may use by itself, and it is possible to serve them as an addition to soups and salads. My favourite croutons are those seasoned with garlic and herbs, that’s what I make most often in my kitchen. I season the bread cut into small cubes with freshly mashed garlic, because the smell of croutons seasoned with fresh garlic is phenomenal. If you prefer dried garlic, you may go for that instead.
What herbs I add to croutons depends on the soup or salad I’m serving the croutons with. Most often, I put on rosemary, thyme, herbs de Provence, chili flakes, basil and oregano. The freedom of spices is what I like the most in croutons. So if you have stale bread at home and you don’t know what to prepare with it, be sure to check out the following recipe for croutons.
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Ingredients for croutons.
- 250 g toast bread
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of Himalayan salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of herbs de Provence
- 1 big clove of garlic
How to make croutons.
Cut the slices of toast bread into cubes of about 1.5 centimetres. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, herbs de Provence and a clove of garlic squeezed through a press. Add the cut bread and mix it all together. Next, spread the pieces of bread on a large baking tray lined with baking paper, then put the tray in the oven preheated to 160 degrees Celsius for 30-35 minutes. Stir the croutons occasionally while baking. Following that, remove the croutons from the oven and set it aside to cool down. When ready, serve the croutons immediately, or when they reach room temperature put them in a tightly closed container and you can store for about 2 weeks.
Good to know when making croutons.
You can make croutons from almost any type of bread. It can be bread, rolls, baguette, challah, as well as gluten-free bread. Both fresh and stale bread are perfect as a basis for croutons. Croutons are a great way to use up stale bread.
What to serve croutons with? These crispy pieces of bread are the perfect addition to cream soups, salads and stuffing. I very often serve them with cream tomato soup, as well as soup with cream of potatoes and leek. Surely you have your favourite soups to serve croutons with.
Do you like soups with croutons? If so, try our recipe for Creamy leek and potato soup.
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