Chef John's Homemade Croutons

Name: Chef John's Homemade Croutons
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 235 min
Ingredients: 0.5 cup olive oil; 4 cloves garlic, finely minced; 1 (8 ounce) loaf French bread baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 0.75 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided; 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 0.5 teaspoon paprika; 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 1 pinch cayenne pepper

4.9

(94)

74 Reviews

14 Photos

Don't let stale baguettes go to waste! These garlic-parmesan croutons are the perfect crunchy topper for salads and soups. And they're ridiculously easy to make.

Recipe by Chef John

Updated on April 2, 2019

14

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

40 mins

Additional Time:

3 hrs

Total Time:

3 hrs 55 mins

Servings:

4

Yield:

4 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

½ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 (8 ounce) loaf French bread baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
Stir olive oil and garlic together in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature until flavors are infused, about 3 hours.
Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour garlic oil through a strainer onto the bread; toss to coat bread with oil. Add 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper; toss to coat. Spread bread cubes out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn croutons and bake 15 minutes more. Push croutons together with a spatula so that they are in a compact rectangle on the baking sheet and no longer spread out; sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the top. Bake until cheese is melted and the bread is crispy and crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

474	Calories
32g	Fat
34g	Carbs
13g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 474
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 32g	42%
Saturated Fat 7g	33%
Cholesterol 13mg	4%
Sodium 890mg	39%
Total Carbohydrate 34g	12%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 1mg	7%
Calcium 202mg	16%
Iron 3mg	14%
Potassium 118mg	3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.