Do You Really Have To Use Stale Bread To Make Croutons?

For centuries, people have been looking into ways to use stale bread, whether that was dipping it into soups, making French toast (which, in French, is called "pain perdu" or "lost bread"), or cutting it up and toasting it into croutons. The latter are a convenient and easy-to-use ingredient that will help to up your culinary game. You can use them to garnish your salads, add them to delicious winter soup recipes, or stuff your turkey with them.

But what if you're craving homemade croutons and don't have stale bread? The good news is that you can make croutons with fresh bread — you'll just have to put in a bit more work. Stale bread is easier to cut into even pieces because it's harder and won't move as much while you're slicing. It also requires less baking time, since it's already lost some of its moisture. This is why most crouton recipes call for bread that is at least a day old. 

However, if you only have fresh bread and don't feel like waiting or going to the store, you simply need to cook the pieces for longer so that they can get nice and crispy. You also might have to pay a bit more attention, since your pieces will likely not be as even, which means they could be ready at different times. Of course, using stale bread is also a great way to combat food waste, so we would still recommend this over fresh alternatives on most occasions.

Although people are baking less now, making croutons is so quick and easy that even those who've given up on baking should try it. All you need to do is cut the bread into the desired shape and size. Keep in mind that thicker slices will make for a better crouton, since they crisp more evenly and are not as likely to burn or to crumble. Toss the pieces with olive oil or melted butter, and your choice of seasoning. Then, bake or fry the pieces for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they're crispy.

You can use any type of bread to make croutons, though the results will vary depending on your choice. Many people like sourdough and other crusty, flavorful breads that have an extra crispy finish. If you like your croutons with a bit of softness, breads like challah achieve a balanced texture. Breads with too many holes like ciabatta can bake unevenly, which makes it harder to get the perfect amount of crispiness. 

At the end of the day, the cool thing about making things in your own kitchen is that you can customize the recipe to fit exactly what you're in the mood for, and because croutons don't take much time or effort, they're a perfect ingredient to experiment with.