Homemade air-fried croutons are extremely tasty and quick to make. They’re available on the market too, but the homemade versions don’t get stale and have a longer shelf life. These salad toppers are simple to make and don’t require pricey bread.
Convert everyday sandwich bread into mouthwatering, crunchy croutons. You can use all sorts of bread for this recipe.
Even if a loaf of bread is too old to be used for sandwiches, you can still make croutons out of it as long as it isn’t moldy. Moldy bread could lead to food poisoning.
A few pieces of leftover bread, some butter, and seasonings are all you need to get started.
In this blog, I’ll share the simplest method to make croutons in your air fryer. Plus, we’ll look at several queries related to this recipe!
Let’s get to the details!
Air fried Croutons
Ingredients
Here’s the list of ingredients you need to start with the recipe:
- Four slices of white, whole-grain, or sourdough bread sliced into 3/4-inch cubes.
- 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon of ground pepper and Kosher’s salt.
- 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of parsley flakes.
Directions For Cooking
- Preparation of bread: Take 4-5 slices of bread. Then, use a sharp or serrated knife to cut the bread so it doesn’t tear. Place the slices of bread onto the cutting board. Cut into bite-size pieces.
- Seasonings: Whisk parsley flakes, garlic powder & kosher salt, and blend it with melted butter in a medium-sized bowl. After thoroughly mixing, carefully pour the mixture over the bite-sized bread pieces. Toss them until evenly coated. Let it sit for 2 minutes, allowing the butter to absorb for two minutes by sitting.
- Preparing the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 200 degrees Celsius or (400 F). Put the seasoned bread in the air fryer’s basket and fry it for 7 minutes or so. These will start to smell nice. Cook for 2 more minutes and then toss with a spatula.
Once they’re done, move the croutons onto a platter covered with a serving sheet. Eat them with your preferred salad or soup.
Do not use oil while cooking the croutons. It will dry the bread for stuffing, dressing, and other bread puddings.
This video shows us how to make crispy air-fried croutons with just 3 small ingredients:
What To Serve with Homemade Croutons?
Although croutons are typically eaten with a salad, there are other ways to enjoy them. You may even make your croutons to munch on a movie night or alongside tea!
Here is a list of some preferred foods to serve with croutons:
- Soups: Adding croutons will make it even better if you enjoy warm soup. Soups with gazpacho and tomatoes, French onion soup, and cheesy bears are a perfect pairing.
- Chili: Seasoned it with paprika, chili, and cumin to make crusty spicy croutons. It makes a fantastic addition to a steamy rice bowl. Chili pairs very well with cornbread croutons.
- Stews and casseroles: Add homemade croutons to a chickpea stew or an Italian bean stew to give the dish a mouthwatering taste.
Nutritional Information
One serving of the croutons from this recipe contains almost 127 kcal. These calories are further divided into the following nutrients:
| Nutrients | Amount (g/mg) |
| Carbohydrates | 14g |
| Fat | 7g |
| Cholesterol | 15mg |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sugar | 2g |
| Calcium | 39mg |
| Iron | 1mg |
FAQs
How long can we store homemade croutons?
Homemade air-fried croutons may last for up to a week in an airtight container. Its shelf life depends on how dry and crisp they are, but it will be at its best during the first two days.
To gets the crisp back; you can reheat them in your oven or air fryer!
What is the composition of Croutons?
Croutons contain bread and some simple ingredients. Along with bread, they’re seasoned with melted butter or olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
You may add any ingredient to make your customized croutons. Most croutons contain a blend of paprika, chili, garlic, parsley, and salt tossed over bite-sized bread.
The seasonings bring out the flavor of the bread, while the oil or butter helps the bread produce crisp, golden edges.
Do croutons make a nutritious snack?
The nutritional advantages of croutons may be limited, even if made from whole-grain bread. They do increase caloric intake from processed grains but provide little nutritional benefit.
They aren’t the greatest diet disasters, but they are not so beneficial! The croutons are also frequently fried, adding extra fat to a healthy dish.
How can we reheat homemade croutons?
You can reheat homemade croutons in an air fryer, oven, or pan-fryers.
- Oven: Place stale croutons in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 5 minutes. Continue to reheat them until they have become crisp.
- Pan-fryer: For flavorful croutons, pan-fry them with some butter and spices at medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Air Fryers: To reheat croutons in air fryers, cook them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-7 minutes until crispy and brown!
Croutons Vs. Bread; Which Ones are Healthier?
White bread is enriched with calcium, while croutons contain greater amounts of selenium, fiber, vitamin B1, copper, and iron.
Compared to white bread, croutons are 28% higher in selenium. White bread has two times less saturated fat as compared to croutons. Those contain 0.69g, while croutons have 1.5g of saturated fat.
Do croutons fit into a low-carb diet?
Not at all. Croutons are rich in carbohydrates. Due to their high net carb content, croutons should be avoided during the keto diet. It roughly has 68.33g of net carbs per 100g serving.
It’s critical to keep your net carb intake to 20g to 30g daily for a healthy keto diet.
Are breadcrumbs and croutons the same thing?
Although they may differ physically, they are made from the same ingredient: bread. I assume breadcrumbs and croutons have just one difference: their processing!
Breadcrumbs are made by rolling out the croutons and crushing them until fine pieces are left while croutons are larger pieces of toasted bread with herbs, butter, and olive oil,
Do croutons have to be kept in the fridge?
Croutons can be stored in the refrigerator. However, it’s better to keep them at room temperature, which prevents croutons from becoming soggy and less crispy due to humidity and moisture.
Croutons, when stored in a fridge, turn out to engulf greater moisture content than that kept on a counter. You just need to keep them in an air-tight container.
How can you make stale croutons crisp?
Croutons should cool on the baking pan in a single layer. Use it immediately or store it for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Bake croutons at 400 degrees for three to four minutes to get the crisp back!
Which oil is best for making air-fried croutons?
Extra virgin oil is best for making crisps in an air fryer. Avocado oil can substitute for olive oil because it’s also healthy and heat resistant.
The croutons gain a subtle flavor from the olive oil. You can eliminate the oil if you are following a fat-free diet. But adding oil adds flavor too. However, the air-fried croutons would be extremely crunchy yet less fatty.
What Is the Best Bread for Croutons?
My recipe works well with white sandwich bread, which is convenient because I always keep a loaf on hand. Sourdough, French bread, and leftover breadsticks or dinner rolls are all excellent for creating homemade croutons.
If you use fresh bread instead of stale, you may need to cook it for a little longer. Refrigerate croutons in an airtight container with a paper towel.
What should I do with any leftover croutons?
Keep them at room temperature in an airtight container, such as a plastic ziptop bag.
To absorb excess moisture and keep the croutons crisp, line the container or bag with a paper towel. Remove as much air as possible from the bag before shutting it. Croutons can also be frozen for longer-term storage.
Final Thoughts
- Homemade air-fried croutons are extremely tasty and crispy. They’re crunchy on the outside, giving real munching goals.
- Croutons are ready within minutes with bread and some customized seasonings. You can have them alongside soups, salads, and an all-rounder snack.
- Although they don’t fall into a highly nutritious food category, they are rich in carbs and fiber. The croutons made from whole-grain bread are better than the ones made from white bread.
- You can reheat them in ovens or air fryers anytime you like!