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    Home » Food

    Homemade Air Fryer Croutons

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    The best recipe to make crispy, crunchy, flavorful homemade air fryer croutons with leftover sourdough or french bread. They pack a lot of flavor crunch and come together in just a few minutes to perfectly pair with salad or soup.

    Homemade Croutons in the Air Fryer on parchment paper

    This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you decide to purchase through my link, I may earn a very small commission at no additional cost to you.

    can you make croutons in the air fryer?

    You can definitely make croutons in the air fryer. They're delicious and easy!

    It is a great way to use up stale bread. Instead of throwing it out, you can make croutons out of it.

    A great way to create flavorful breadcrumbs. If you need breadcrumbs for a recipe and don't have any on hand, you can pulse these in the food processor and have bread crumbs in seconds.

    It's quick and easy. You can have air fryer croutons in less than 15 minutes.

    best ingredients for homemade air fryer croutons

    • your favorite bread (I use a rosemary sourdough)
    • onion powder
    • dried basil
    • dried oregano
    • garlic powder
    • kosher salt
    • black pepper
    • oil (I use avocado oil)
    ingredients for homemade croutons in the air fryer

    how to make croutons in air fryer

    Detailed instructions and measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

    • Mix all of the spices together in a small bowl and set aside.
    • Cut the bread slices into small squares and add them to a mixing bowl.
    • Drizzle half of the oil and toss together coating the bread on all sides. Drizzle the remaining oil, tossing again to coat.
    • Take your spice mix and sprinkle a little at a time, toss to coat, and repeat until all of the spice mixture is mixed in and all the bread is coated.
    • Place the bread cubes in the basket of the air fryer.
    • Place the basket in the air fryer and fry at 400°F for 4 minutes.
    • Open the basket and shake so that all the croutons are mixed around. Place back in the air fryer and fry an additional 2-3 minutes at 400°F.
    • Remove from the air fryer and enjoy on your favorite soup or salad!
    bread in mixing bowl
    oil on bread in mixing bowl
    bread in mixing bowl
    bread in mixing bowl with seasoning
    bread in mixing bowl with seasoning
    seasoned bread in the air fryer basket

     tips for croutons in air fryer

    • Don't cook your croutons too long in the air fryer. When you put them back in the second time, keep a close eye on them so they don't burn.
    • They will get crispier as they cool down.
    • If you want a little spice, you can add crushed red pepper to the spice mix.
    • If you choose salty bread, go easy on the added salt. They can get too salty quickly.
    • Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket. They will not cook evenly if the basket is too full. They don't need to be in a single layer, but it isn't important that there is room for them to crisp up.

    Are croutons vegan?

    This really depends on if you are making them homemade or purchasing them store-bought. With this recipe, as long as you choose vegan bread your croutons will be vegan.

    When it comes to store-bought, some are and some aren't. Some utilize butter or other ingredients that would make them not be vegan.

    Can you freeze homemade croutons?

    Yes! You absolutely can freeze homemade croutons. Place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container and store them up to 6 months for maximum freshness.

    best homemade croutons faq

    How do I store homemade croutons?

    It's best to store them in an airtight container. They'll stay nice and crunchy!

    How long do homemade croutons last?

    I find that they last about 2 weeks at room temperature.

    Can I use air fryer croutons for stuffing?

    You absolutely can! You can use them in any place you would use pre-made croutons.

    What is the best bread for croutons?

    I find that sourdough and French bread work very well in this recipe

    Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

    No. It is not necessary to preheat the air fryer for this recipe. It may effect the cooking time if you do.

    Can you make bread crumbs with croutons?

    You can make breadcrumbs with croutons by simply crushing the croutons. You can do this by hand in a bag, or by pulsing them in a food processor until they are a fine crumb.

    Can I use bread crumbs for croutons?

    If you're looking for a little crunch in place of croutons, you could use panko-style breadcrumbs instead.

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    Homemade Croutons in the Air Fryer on parchment paper

    lower calorie homemade croutons air fryer for ww

    • You could use oil spray (olive oil or avocado oil) instead of ¼ cup of oil.
    • Use a point-friendly/lower calorie bread. You can use pretty much any bread in this recipe. Make sure the nutritional information on the bread is lower calorie or weight watcher friendly.

    croutons air fryer substitutions

    avocado oil - You can replace the avocado oil with melted butter for more flavor. It will increase the calories but will add a lot of flavors.

    garlic powder - you can use garlic salt in place of garlic powder, but you will need to be sure to lower the amount of kosher salt you add to the bread.

    gluten-free - you can turn these into gluten-free croutons by using gluten-free bread in place of sourdough or French bread.

    Italian seasoning - if you don't have dried basil and dried oregano on hand, you can use Italian seasoning instead.

    What are Caesar croutons made of? - Caesar croutons are made the same way as any other croutons, but often contain higher amounts of garlic that lend to a Caesar salad flavor.

    how to store homemade croutons

    Keep them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for a couple of days.

    what can croutons be used for?

    Croutons have a multitude of uses, not just as a salad topper.

    You can top your favorite soup with them (they go great on tomato basil soup), pulse them to breadcrumbs and use them in meatballs, meatloaf, or chicken parmesan.

    They also make a really great topper for casseroles!

    • Tortellini Tomato Florentine
    • End of Summer Salad
    • Chicken Parmesan
    Homemade Croutons in the Air Fryer on parchment paper

    Air Fryer Croutons

    sweetlysplendid.com
    The best way to make crispy, crunchy, flavorful homemade croutons in the air fryer with leftover sourdough bread. They pack a lot of flavor crunch and come together in just a few minutes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 7 mins
    Course Bread
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 servings
    Calories 99 kcal
    Protein 2 g

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 slices of your favorite bread I use a rosemary sourdough
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ cup oil I use avocado oil

    Instructions
     

    • Mix all of the spices together in a small bowl and set aside.
    • Cut the bread slices into small squares and add them in to a mixing bowl.
    • Drizzle half of the oil and toss together coating the bread on all sides. Drizzle the remaining oil, tossing again to coat.
    • Take your spice mix and sprinkle a little at a time, toss to coat, and repeat until all of the spice mixture is mixed in and all the bread is coated.
    • Place the bread in the basket of the air fryer.
    • Place the basket in the air fryer and fry at 400°F for 4 minutes.
    • Open the basket and shake so that all the croutons are mixed around. Place back in the air fryer and fry an additional 2-3 minutes at 400°F.
    • Remove from the air fryer and enjoy on your favorite soup or salad!

    Notes

    The nutrition information will vary greatly depending upon the bread you use. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Air Fryer Croutons
    Serving Size
     
    3 tablespoons
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    99
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    6
    g
    9
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    0
    mg
    0
    %
    Sodium
     
    128
    mg
    6
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    10
    g
    3
    %
    Fiber
     
    0
    g
    0
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    2
    g
    4
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Have you tried this recipe? Please let us know how it was in the comments or tag us on Instagram @sweetlysplendid!

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    Kara is a wife & mother living deep in the heart of Texas. She loves all things food and spending time with her family and dogs. She has a passion for cooking and loves making yummy, family-friendly recipes.

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