The perfect addition to any salad, Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons are so delicious. Seasoned with Italian seasoning and garlic powder, you'll have homemade croutons in under 30 minutes, basically for FREE.
These homemade croutons go perfectly with a Caesar Salad along with our Traditional Caesar Dressing.
Croutons are perfect for Soups or Salads! Try some homemade croutons with our Creamy Potato and Onion Soup or Barley Lentil Soup!
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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Day-old Italian Bread. This is key. There is no reason to buy fresh bread for croutons. Use stale bread and you'll get the perfect texture crouton, plus it's like you're not actually even paying for it.
- Olive Oil. Olive oil is a major flavor in the recipe so I always preach to use a high-quality olive oil. That means if you taste the olive oil, it should taste good to you!
- Parmesan. Parmesan or Parmigiano. Don't skimp on it because this will provide a lot of the salty goodness.
- Seasoning. I use garlic powder and Italian seasoning to make it easy. I don't recommend fresh garlic because it will burn in the oven if you cook it for 20 minutes.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.
How to make Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Chop up the day-old bread into ½-inch to 1-inch pieces.
Step 2: In a bowl toss the bread with olive oil, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Step 3: Place the bread onto a baking sheet with plenty of space between each piece. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the croutons are golden-brown and crispy.
Step 4: Remove the croutons from the oven and return them to the bowl. Immediately toss them with the parmesan while they are still hot and then pour them back on the tray to cool.
Your croutons should come out looking golden brown and crispy as shown above. Tossing with the Parmigiano immediately will allow it to melt to the croutons.
Serve them with a Caesar Salad or on top of a soup like Sausage and Lentil Soup or Butter Chicken Soup for the perfect topping!
Pro-Tips
- Always use leftover bread that is a day or two old. This will get you crunchy croutons.
- Be generous with olive oil. This is what will make the croutons crisp up and become golden brown in the oven.
- Let your croutons cool completely before storing otherwise they will get spongey.
What to Serve Homemade Croutons with?
The big one is salad of course! Croutons go great with a Traditional Caesar Dressing and salad or Easy Chipotle BBQ Chicken Salad. Or you can serve them with a simple spring mix and one of our favorite dressings like Lemon Basil Vinaigrette or Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing!
The other best use for Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons is to serve them with soup. They go great when you serve them on top of our Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage or Creamy Mushroom Mascarpone Soup!
Homemade Italian Parmesan croutons are also perfect for bread stuffing. They're the perfect substitute for cube stuffing in our Thanksgiving Italian Sausage Stuffing and Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms!
How to Store Homemade Croutons
Croutons are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container. DO NOT COVER until completely cooled or they will get soggy or spongey. Store croutons for up to 1 week for freshness.
Recipe FAQs
You are not adding enough olive oil. Be generous with olive oil. The fat is what gives the crouton its crispiness.
You didn't let them cool completely before storing them. You need to let them cool on the pan before storing them so they release all of their moisture.
They are a great substitute for breadcrumbs. Toss them in the food processor and let them break down into breadcrumbs.
More Soup to Serve Croutons on!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 baking pan
Ingredients
- ½ loaf day old Italian bread
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup parmigiano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Chop up the day-old bread into ½-inch to 1-inch pieces. In a bowl toss the bread with olive oil, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Place the bread onto a baking sheet with plenty of space between each piece. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the croutons are golden-brown and crispy.
- Return the croutons to the bowl immediately and toss with the parmigiano while they are still hot. Serve with soup or salad.
Notes
-
- Always use leftover bread that is a day or two old. This will get you crunchy croutons.
- Be generous with olive oil. This is what will make the croutons crisp up and become golden brown in the oven.
- Let your croutons cool completely before storing otherwise they will get spongey.
Deb
Perfect crunch… flavor is exactly like the old school Trader Joe’s croutons that have now been discontinued and that was exactly what I wanted!!! Love this easy recipe!!
Vincent DelGiudice
These are so easy to make and will be a great addition to any soup or salad! Hope you like them!