Learn how to make crunchy, homemade Air Fryer Croutons with only 3 simple ingredients in just a few minutes from a dietitian!
I don't know about you, but nothing drives me crazier than food waste and spending money on something that only takes a few cents and a few minutes to make, especially when I have the ingredients on hand.
I've started to make my own sourdough bread since I first published this recipe. So, now I feel like I really can speak to the difference between fresh bread and store-bought bread even more.
Most crouton recipes that I've come across are recipes for sourdough croutons and use "day-old bread", referencing freshly baked sourdough (like from scratch at home or a bakery), not the kind purchased from a grocery store.
The good news is that you can make crispy croutons with different types of bread. I've found that the crunchiest croutons are made with regular sandwich bread. And they are so much better than store-bought croutons! 🤩
So, the next time you have leftover bread to use up, remember to make these crispy air fryer croutons and add them to your favorite salad or soup!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe Crispy air fryer croutons in 5 minutes? Yes, please! It's so easy that most older kids will be able to make these homemade croutons themselves. 🥳
- Three Simple Ingredients All you need is regular bread, olive oil, and garlic salt to make your own croutons.
- Kid-Approved When my kids are around, these croutons seem to disappear before I'm finished with the final batch, which I take as a compliment 😉
🤷♀️What is a Crouton?
Good question! A crouton is a piece of re-baked (or air-fried) bread that is torn into pieces and seasoned. Croutons are used to give flavor and texture to salads and soups and stews or eaten as a snack.
🙋♀️Dietitian Tip
I've been cooking for kids for a long time (my oldest is now 17 - can't believe it!) and often find myself telling other parents, "Sometimes it's not what you serve, but how you serve it."
Salads are a perfect example of this. Have you noticed that salads served with croutons are a much bigger hit with kids than salads served without them? I assume that's why you see Caesar Salads served at most restaurants. 😉
Hey, if adding croutons to a salad is what it takes for kids to ask for more, I'm all in!
🥖Ingredient Notes
- Bread Any kind of bread, Italian bread, sourdough bread, whole wheat bread, etc.
- Olive Oil I use extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil or melted butter can be used instead.
- Garlic Salt I use the garlic salt grinder from Trader Joe's. A pinch or two of salt and garlic powder can be used instead. A little bit goes a long way.
🤩How to Make Homemade Air Fryer Croutons
Here's a quick overview of the steps to make these croutons in an air fryer. For the full list of ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Cut or tear the bread into cube shaped, crouton-sized pieces (about one-and-a-half inch cubes).
- Use a medium or large mixing bowl to toss bread cubes with olive oil and garlic salt.
- Lay bread pieces in a single layer on a baking basket fit for your air fryer. Air fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes. They should be golden brown.
- Let cool for at least five minutes before serving.
🥗Adding Croutons to Salads and Soups
- Croutons add a delicious crunch to salads and soups, but only if you add them right before eating.
- Even the most crispy and crunchiest croutons will get soggy after they sit in salad dressing or soup for a while.
- This recipe is not heavily seasoned, so the flavors will blend right in with most of your favorite salads.
- Croutons are not just for Caesar Salads, lol! Change things up a bit by topping Butternut Squash Soup or Lentil Soup with croutons or add them to a simple lettuce salad.
💡Helpful Tips
- The pieces will shrink a little, but not much.
- Do not use or eat moldy bread - ever.
- A serrated knife works best for cutting bread.
- You can always add more olive oil, but I don't think it's necessary.
- If you like heavily seasoned croutons, feel free to add Italian seasoning, onion powder, or parsley.
- Let the croutons cool to help give them the best texture.
- If you don't have garlic salt, try 'everything but the bagel' seasoning or use salt and garlic powder as a substitute.
- In my experience, croutons made with store-bought bread does not stay as crunchy as they do with homemade bread. I'm pretty sure this is because of the dough-conditioners and vital-wheat gluten added to make bread so soft. So, you may need to add them to the air fryer for another few minutes if they start to soften after a day or so.
- Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for how to properly and safely use your air fryer.
- It’s best to use a silicone basting brush or good quality oil mister with a high-heat oil (like avocado oil) to coat the air fryer basket to prevent food from sticking.
- I use a Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven. Different air fryers might require small adjustments in temperature and/or cook time.
❓Questions You May Have
Use any kind of bread. This is what's so great about this recipe. I used stale sourdough bread and slices of Sprouted Whole Grains by Dave's Killer Bread to make the croutons in the pictures here in this post.
Yes, they sure can be made in the oven. You will have to pre-heat your oven and at least double the cooking/baking time.
Once croutons are cooled to room temperature, they should be stored in an airtight container or re-sealable bag.
To freeze croutons: Store in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze. If the croutons soften when defrosted, air fry them for a few minutes to give them a little crunch.
Besides salads, add croutons to your favorite soups. You can even use a blender or food processor to blend leftover croutons to make breadcrumbs. Yum!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Croutons
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread 2 cups of bread cubes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil extra virgin
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
- Tear or cut bread into crouton-sized pieces. About one-and-a-half inch cubes.2 slices bread
- Add the cubes of bread, olive oil, and garlic salt to a medium or large bowl. Use tongs or your hands to toss them together.1 teaspoon olive oil, ⅛ teaspoon garlic salt
- Spread seasoned bread pieces out in a single layer on your fryer basket.
- Air fry at 375° for 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn the croutons.
Notes
- Garlic salt can be substituted with 'everything but the bagel' seasoning, salt and garlic powder, or your favorite herb blend.
- Avocado oil can be used in place of olive oil.
- Day old fresh bread or stale bread will give the most crunch to croutons. Still, regular sandwich bread will work just fine!
- If you use air fryer that doesn't allow air to circulate under the basket, consider tossing the croutons after the first two minutes.
- If you have an air fryer that causes pieces to blow around, cover them with another air fryer rack.
- Always follow the manufacturers instructions on how to properly and safely use your air fryer.
- I use a Cuisinart Digital AirFryer Toaster Oven and do not need to toss the croutons halfway through. Different air fryers might require small adjustments in temperature and/or cook time.
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