Oven Baked Parmesan Croutons For Soups And Salads

Make oven-baked parmesan croutons in under 20 minutes with this Italian inspired recipe. This is a tasty crouton recipe for soups and salads everyone loves.

This recipe for Italian style croutons with parmesan cheese is one of my favorite ways to use up baguette bread. Although, you’re not limited to a baguette.

Once you learn how to make croutons from bread in the oven, you can use any bread you’d like. Sourdough and homemade focaccia bread are great options, too.

Ingredients for this homemade croutons recipe

Ingredients you need for making baked croutons with parmesan cheese are simple: baguette bread, butter, salt, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese that’s freshly grated.

It’s true that you can use stale baguette bread for this recipe, but fresh works just fine as well. I like little croutons with a little chew, and that’s exactly how I’ll teach you to make them, too.

How to bake parmesan croutons in the oven

Let’s get to making these croutons…

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add baguette cubes to a large mixing bowl with butter.

Mix together until bread is covered. Add salt and garlic powder and mix to combine.

 Step 2. Transfer croutons to a parchment-lined baking tray.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

How long to bake croutons in the oven

Bake for 8 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt.

 Step 3. Take them out of the oven, flip croutons, then continue baking them for 3-5 minutes more until lightly browned and slightly crunchy.

The inside will continue to harden a bit after they come out of the oven, so don’t brown them too much.

When transferring them to a bowl or adding them to soups or salads, don’t forget to use the extra parmesan that will be left on the sheet tray. It’s delicious.

Step 4. Serve your diy croutons immediately in soup or salad. Or let cool and store them for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Caption – Good luck not eating all of them off the baking tray. That’s a serious problem in my house when I make croutons for side dishes.

Soups and salads parmesan croutons taste good in

Try croutons for gourmet soups

• Chilled zucchini soup. One of my favorite ways to enjoy croutons in soups is with this make-ahead zucchini soup
• Tomato soup. There is nothing more classic than tomato soup, but these oven-baked parmesan croutons are a step up from your preferred grilled cheese. They’re the perfect addition to comfort food.
• Classic minestrone soup. Sometimes known as Italian vegetable soup, minestrone soup is a thick soup with plenty of vegetables. Give it an extra crunch with these parmesan croutons.
• Creamy Italian sausage and broccoli soup. Some people love croutons in creamy soups while others are not a fan. If you’re part of the former group, who loves having croutons soak up all the flavor in the soup, then these oven-baked parmesan croutons will not disappoint.

Try homemade croutons in salads like these

• Chicken caesar salad. Croutons are an essential part of a good Caesar salad and homemade croutons elevate even the simplest Caesar salads. Add chicken like these sous vide chicken tenders or crispy Italian chicken.
• Strawberry balsamic salad. Sometimes the best sweet salads need a little bit of savory to them, and oven-baked parmesan croutons are an excellent way to add the right amount of savory crunch to this classic summer salad. Add fresh strawberries with a balsamic vinaigrette to greens, then top with these Italian style croutons. Add a little sous vide corn and this salad is next-level amazing.
• Italian salad with red wine vinegar. Although a classic “Italian” salad can have many variations, there’s one key ingredient in common: red wine vinegar. Don’t be afraid to douse your croutons in the vinegar, but wait until you’re just about to pop them in your mouth so you don’t lose their crunch.

How long homemade croutons last

Fresh oven-baked parmesan croutons will last about 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. I’m pretty sure you’ll love them so much that they probably won’t even last 3 days.

How to store croutons for days

Store fresh oven-baked parmesan croutons in the fridge in an airtight container.

Choosing the right container for storage is essential or you’ll find that the croutons lose their crunchy texture quickly. If it’s going to be 1-2 days, store them on the counter at room temperature.

Get even more flavor for Italian croutons

Go a step further and include more herbs with an Italian blend seasoning.

A classic store-bought “Italian seasoning” will do, but you can also consider making your own Italian blend out of dried herbs, maybe even from your own kitchen garden if that’s an option.

Most “Italian seasoning” blends include some combination of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and sage. Consider trying your own proportions to find what you like best.

Other flavorful seasonings for croutons

Add any of these ingredients to the croutons before popping them in the oven.

Red pepper. For a little kick, consider adding red pepper flakes to your parmesan croutons. It’ll liven them up without losing the classic Italian flavor.

Tarragon. This might not be the first spice that pops into your head, but we promise this common French spice will blend amazingly with your perfect parmesan.

Cayenne and garlic powder. If you go for these two complementary spices, your croutons will burst with flavor. Go easy on the quantity of both (start with a little pinch) to keep the croutons pleasantly spicy.

Kitchen tools to help make croutons in the oven

• High-quality olive oil like BONO or Colavita olive oil
• Beautiful Acadia wood cutting boards like mine from Viking (thanks friends a Viking for this one!)
• Handy mixing bowls
• Mini tongs to feel like a chef when adding croutons to soups and salads

Knives need sharpening? Get your knives sharpened by mail with $10 off a sharpening package from Knife Aid with code SBG10. See my documentary-style video on mail-in knife sharpening.

Final tips for making homemade Italian croutons

• Try adding different flavors and seasonings to change up these croutons, including crushed red pepper flakes.
• Store leftover Italian croutons on the counter for a few days in an airtight container.
• Use a high-quality Italian parmesan cheese.

Love these flavors, too?

I’m pretty obsessed with Italian style foods. Check out what I’m cooking today @sipbitego.

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Find new ways to enjoy your favorite food with sous vide cooking including 100+ recipes in my new book – The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.