Homemade Croutons - 4 ingredients! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

FAQs

Why are my croutons not crispy? ›

Crowding the pan.

Pile the bread cubes on top of each other and they won't have enough space to crisp up and brown. Instead, make sure they're in a even layer.

Why are my homemade croutons soggy? It could be that you stored your croutons before they were fully cooled. Warm croutons trap moisture, and the croutons can become soggy if they're stored airtight too soon. This can also cause them to go stale too quickly.

The expected shelf-life for homemade croutons is about two weeks. Moisture encourages mold, so make sure your croutons are completely dehydrated during the bake and let cool completely at room temperature before storing them away in an airtight container.

You will get crunchier croutons if you bake them, as the heat of the oven will dry them out as well as toasting the edges making them golden. You can also grill or fry them, but they might be slightly softer in the middle – lovely on a tomato salad, but won't keep as long as drier baked croutons.

Yes! Allow baked croutons to cool completely. Place in airtight packaging and freeze up to 3 months, or longer if vacuum sealed.

Croutons don't expire in the sense that they become dangerous to eat. There simply isn't enough moisture in them to feed an spoilage bacteria and other such organisms.

What can I use instead of croutons? ›

Our croutons are made with romano cheese, seasoned with garlic, Italian herbs & spices, and baked to a delicious golden brown. Try all of Olive Garden's signature ingredients.

Nearly any type of bread—in a loaf or pre-sliced, with or without crust—may be used to make croutons. Dry or stale bread or leftover bread is usually used instead of fresh bread.

This is not an Italian salad at all. You would not find it in Italy, but nonetheless it is a salad that was very popular in Italian American restaurants in the 60's and 70's and has made a strong come back now.

If they do get wet, something may start growing: in that case, toss them. In case croutons do not have expiry dates, it does not. It is, after all, more dried bread; due to low moisture (water content ), it is low microbial spoilage.

Let me explain: Most croutons are crunchy through and through, but these are designed to be crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle–far better for munching out of hand (or as a complement to tender salad leaves) than the hard, desiccated store-bought kind.

Put the bread in a cold oven, then turn the heat to 300° F. Let the loaf slowly heat up for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the density and dryness of the bread. Start checking the bread after 10 minutes.