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Parmesan Croutons / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com

These do need a warning attached to them: croutons from a box will never measure up again after you’ve made these.  You can use them in salads, soups, or just serve them on their own with cocktails and pop them into your mouth.  Seriously put out a bowl of these with drinks and everyone will think you are a genius.

Use good Parmesan for this, since there are so few ingredients that the quality of the bread, the cheese, and the olive oil are what are being showcased.  Take the croutons out of the oven before they are totally dry, as they will harden up further as they cool, and it’s nice for them to be a bit chewy in the middle.

And they are really simple to make. Cut some bread into cubes (leave the crusts on if you lie—I always do—I hate to throw things out, and I like the chewy texture of the crusts.

Croutons from a box will never measure up again after you’ve made these Parmesan Croutons. Use on salads & soups!

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How to Make Parmesan Croutons

Woman slicing bread on a wooden cutting board.

In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with a few glugs of olive oil.

Olive oil drizzling over cubes of bread.

Add some Parmesan, garlic, and salt and pepper.

Pepper grinder over a bowl of bread cubes seasoned with olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Toss them with your hands—that’s just the best way to get the bread evenly coated with everything.

Woman tossing bread cubes with oil and seasonings.

Spread the croutons on a baking sheet, leaving some space between them.

Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the outside in lightly browned and crisp. The middle should still be a bit soft.  Remove them from the pan and cool.

Lined baking sheet of Parmesan Croutons.

How to Make Croutons in a Skillet

You can also sauté these croutons in a skillet—just spray it with nonstick spray first. They get a lovely caramelized exterior that way, but it takes a more vigilant eye—they will take about 8 minutes, and you’ll need to stir occasionally.

Also, try other cheeses in place of Parmesan, any kind of hard grating cheese you like.  I also have made them with grated semi-hard cheeses, like Gruyere.  It’s hard to mess these up.

These will keep in a sealed container for up to 2 days.

Parmesan Croutons and crumbs on a lined baking sheet.

How to Serve Croutons:

Serve croutons with the following soup and salad recipes.

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Parmesan Croutons

5 from 1 vote
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
A few of these sprinkled in the humblest soup makes it kind of spectacular.

Ingredients 

  • 4 cups cubed good white bread
  • 3 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
  • ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, and salt and pepper.
  • Spread the croutons on the baking sheet, leaving some space between them. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the outside in lightly browned and crisp. The middle should still be a bit soft.  Remove them from the pan and cool.

Notes

Use good Parmesan for this, since there are so few ingredients that the quality of the bread, the cheese, and the olive oil are what are being showcased.  Take the croutons out of the oven before they are totally dry, as they will harden up further as they cool, and it’s nice for them to be a bit chewy in the middle.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 139mg, Potassium: 26mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 16IU, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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