Kitchen Basics: Croutons

Every cook has a certain kitchen calculus that determines whether it is better to make certain things from scratch or buy them pre-made. Admittedly, I prefer making things myself versus buying them. My restaurant had a totally scratch kitchen and now that I am no longer under any time pressure to cook dinner after getting home from a long day at work, I prefer to make most things from scratch.

I can control the quality better when I make things from scratch and I can save a lot of money in the process. A case in point: seasoned croutons for salads. I see at the grocery store that you can spend a ton of money on very few croutons. Or, you can buy a really nice loaf of bread for next to nothing and make enough croutons to last for a very long while.

Bread Cubes

Dice the bread into whatever size cubes you want. They will shrink slightly as they cook. Just keep the size of the cubes consistent so that they cook at the same rate.

Bread Cubes Ready for the Oven

Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on the bread cubes and toss them well to coat. You don't want the cubes to be wet, but you do want the seasonings to adhere to them. Sprinkle the cubes with the seasonings of your choice. I use dried basil, dried oregano, dehydrated garlic, salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Toss well to coat and spread in a single layer on a sheet tray.

Finished Croutons, Cooling

Put in a moderate oven (350F). You want to cook the croutons, turning them as necessary, until they are browned all over. It's pretty much impossible to give cook times for them because so much depends on how stale the bread is to begin with. The staler the bread, the less water to evaporate. I know it is a hardship, but this is one of those times when you're just going to have to sample the product as it cooks!

If you are making croutons for just a single use, you can leave them as soft as you like in the center. However, if you are making a batch for long term storage, you will need to cook almost all of the water out of them. If you try to store croutons that are still moist in the center, that moisture will break down the crust on the croutons and they will likely mold.

I cook mine until they are just about crunchy to the center, knowing that the remaining little bit of water will evaporate as the croutons are cooling. They must cool all the way to room temperature before you try to store them. Store in a tightly covered container. They will last a very long time, much longer than it will take you to eat these addictive little cubes of goodness!