Homemade Croutons
Struggling to find dairy free or vegan croutons? Making homemade croutons is easier than you might think, and you decide what goes (or doesn’t go) into them.
While I normally find living dairy free to be relatively easier than I thought it would be, I still occasionally struggle to find dairy free versions of common grocery items.
It literally boggles my mind how many things have hidden dairy in them, and finding croutons for salad seems like an impossible task.
I mean I can understand why the cheesy garlic croutons have dairy, but it annoys me so much that companies find the need to add dairy to plain ones. Costco used to carry a brand of croutons that didn’t contain dairy, but the bag was insanely large and I haven’t been able to find it lately.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve scoured ingredients lists just so I can make my favorite kale caesar salad, to no avail. So I decided to start making my own. It’s relatively simple, but it does require a little extra planning, and about 5 minutes of active time.
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To make my own dairy free croutons, I start with a super soft Italian or French bread loaf – like the cheap kind from your grocery store, not the fancy, crusty ones. I cubed them all up (with my super awesome bread knife), and I lay them out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.
Then I spray them with buttery cooking spray (dairy free, of course), and I sprinkle them with salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and a little bit of parsley. You could totally use an Italian seasoning blend, but I don’t normally have any on hand.
How to make croutons
They get popped into a hot, 400˚F oven and then they toast. For about 15 – 20 minutes. It will depend on how crispy you want them and how small you cubed your bread. The smaller you cut the bread, the less time it will take for them to get crispy.
Last time I made them, I made two cookie sheets full. I let them cool, and then I stored them in a large zip-top bag for when I make salads. I even use them to garnish soups, and also they’re great for snacking.
Either way, they’re so easy to make, and you’ll be more than happy to skip the crouton section at the grocery store.
Homemade Croutons
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Italian or French bread, cubed
- Cooking spray
- Granulated garlic
- Italian seasoning blend or dried parsley
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Spray bread pieces with cooking spray and season with garlic, parsley, salt & pepper (to taste).
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until croutons have are crisp and golden.
- Category: Basics
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, French
Keywords: dairy free, vegan, easy, bread
Published: January 11, 2018. Updated: November 4, 2021.
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These are so much better that store-bought, easy to make and not loaded with chemicals! love this