How long it takes: 10 minutes Equipment you’ll need: air fryer Servings: makes 2 cups Like homemade bread crumbs, this is an incredibly simple recipe, one of the kind of recipes that will make you wonder why you haven’t always been DIYing it versus buying it. Plus, the results are incredible: crisp but not hard, perfectly seasoned but not overly salty. Irresistible. Float these bad boys in a bowl of smoky roasted tomato soup or scatter them over a bed of greens with your favorite vinaigrette (raspberry vinaigrette, perhaps?). I won’t even blame you if you just eat a handful as a snack.
Reasons To Love Air Fryer Croutons
Ridiculously easy. Bread, oil, seasoning, air fryer. Boom! That’s all you need to be on your way to air fryer crouton town, population YOU. There’s really nothing to this recipe and you can easily make these croutons just before assembling a salad or while you wait for soup to warm up. Instant upgrade. Bagged salads and canned soups go from ho-hum to high-end when you add air fryer croutons. Highly customizable. I use a simple garlicky herb seasoning blend for these homemade croutons, but you can switch things up with your favorite herbs and spices. So much better than store-bought. Crispy air fryer croutons will ruin you for all other croutons, especially those hard, dried-out, super salty store-bought ones.
Ingredient Notes
Olive Oil: If you like, substitute melted butter for an even richer flavor. Kosher Salt and Black Pepper: Simple seasonings, yet the bits of kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper add so much flavor. Garlic Powder: An easy pantry add-in, garlic powder gives your croutons savory goodness without the bite of fresh garlic. Don’t confuse garlic powder with garlic salt, or the croutons will be too salty. Italian Seasoning: Another pantry item, Italian seasoning is a blend of herbs which makes it easy to bring lots of flavor to the table without having to haul out a half dozen jars of herbs. Cubed Day-Old Bread: You can cut the bread as large or as small as you like, or tear the bread into pieces for a more rustic appearance. Just make sure the pieces are all roughly the same size for even cooking.
How To Make Air Fryer Croutons
Stir together the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Add the bread to the bowl. Toss the bread with the seasoned oil mixture until it’s evenly coated. Arrange the bread cubes in an even layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 380ºF for 5 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket or tossing the croutons every couple of minutes. (If your air fryer basket is roomy and there’s lots of space for the hot air to circulate, you can skip the shaking.) Cook until the air fryer croutons are golden brown and crisp.
Best Bread For Croutons
You can really use any kind of bread you like, from sourdough to rye and rustic country loaves. Even everyday white sandwich bread is just fine! Dry bread works better than fresh bread.
Possible Recipe Variations
Experiment with different breads. We love everything bagels made into croutons. Whole grain breads with lots of seeds make amazing croutons. Make them unseasoned. If you’re making croutons for a recipe that already has lots of big, bold flavors, you may want to leave the croutons unseasoned. If you’re starting with a delicious bread, you can even leave out the salt. Add cheese. After you toss the bread with the oil and seasonings, add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese and stir to coat all the bread with cheese. Air fry as directed. Switch up the seasonings. Minced fresh herbs; thyme, sage, rosemary or chives; spices like smoked paprika or even curry powder. There are endless options for air fryer croutons! Oven method: I’ve been baking croutons in my oven for ages. If you don’t have an air fryer, try oven-baked homemade croutons.
How To Use Air Fryer Croutons
Salads: Croutons are an essential part of panzanella salads. Try this classic panzanella salad with tomatoes or asparagus panzanella salad. Croutons play a large role in an Italian-style salad, with romaine, tomatoes, kalamata olives, sliced red onion, and tangy Italian dressing. A Caesar salad with homemade caesar dressing and air fryer croutons is amazing! Soups: A classic tomato soup topped with croutons is the best! Pasta e fagioli is another soup that goes well with croutons, or a creamy carrot soup. Substitute air fryer croutons for the toasted bread on French onion soup.
Make Ahead Ideas
You can make air fryer croutons up to 2 weeks in advance. See the storage suggestions below.
Storage Suggestions
Store your homemade croutons in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure they are completely cool before storing. If they’re still warm when you seal them up, condensation will form on the inside of the container and make your croutons soft.
