Homemade Sourdough Croutons

These homemade sourdough croutons are so crunchy and flavorful, the perfect way to use up leftover bread. Fresh garlic and herbs make these homemade croutons the best part of any salad. 

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Homemade croutons are ridiculously easy to make, and the taste and texture is head and shoulders above any store-bought croutons. When I make these croutons from leftover sourdough bread, the house smells like amazing Italian heaven. These are the perfect topping for salads or creamy soups, but honestly they make a great snack too. 

Croutons are small bread cubed tossed in olive oil and spices and baked to crunchy, savory perfection. They are usually made with stale bread. Making croutons is a great way to use up the end of that loaf of bread that you didn’t quite get to before it dried out and no one wanted to eat it. If you make your own homemade sourdough bread, you definitely don’t want to let it go to waste if there happens to be some extra slices that sit around for a few days. Give it a second life and turn it into fresh croutons that everyone will love.

tools and equipment needed

• cutting board
• serrated knife
• mixing bowl
• baking sheet

simple ingredients needed to make sourdough croutons

sourdough bread cubes – (about 5 or 6 slices sourdough bread) cut into bite size cubes

olive oil – gives the croutons their crunchiness 

Italian seasoning – made with herbs like dried parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and sage, Italian seasoning adds amazing flavor to many things – especially croutons!

minced garlic – nothing beats fresh garlic

real salt – full of essential electrolytes and minerals, add to taste

what style of sourdough bread loaf is best for sourdough croutons?

One of the greatest things about croutons is that you can use just about any kind of old sourdough bread product that you have laying around. Artisan style bread, sourdough sandwich bread, French bread, etc. I’ve even made croutons out of some plain sourdough bagels that no one ended up eating.

how to make sourdough croutons

Prep for baking: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cube and season bread: Cut stale sourdough bread into 3/4″ cubes and dump into a large bowl. Whisk oil and seasonings together and drizzle over bread cubes. Use a large spoon to toss until everything is evenly coated. Spread into a single layer on a sheet pan.

Bake: Bake the croutons for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir with a spatula. Bake for 10-15 more minutes or until the flavorful croutons are golden brown and crispy. They will get more crunchy as they cool down.

Enjoy: Serve your own homemade croutons right away. Store any leftovers in an air-tight container. 

​recipe tips and notes

-You can adjust the size of the croutons if you want them to be bigger or smaller. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.

-I find that 20 minutes is the perfect amount of time for a perfectly crispy crouton. Bake them longer if you want them extra crunchy.

-Make a big batch of croutons and store in the freezer in a zip-top bag. When you’re ready to use them, take some out of the freezer and bake in the oven for just a few minutes to crisp them up again.

​sourdough crouton recipe variations

• ​Mix up the flavors by using different herbs or spices!
• Use melted butter instead of the olive oil for another layer of flavor.
• ​Grate some parmesan cheese onto the warm croutons when they come out of the oven.

ways to use sourdough croutons

-Top all of your favorite salads with the best croutons

-Serve them on top of your favorite soups. I like to add them to homemade tomato soup with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

-Eat them plain as a snack! We love munching on them when they’re still a little warm from the oven.

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