Is There A Best Type Of Bread To Use For Homemade Croutons?

Down the aisle in the grocery store where salad dressings are stocked, or perhaps in the produce section near the veggies, you will find a few varieties of bagged croutons that some chefs and home cooks alike would never look twice at. Not that there's anything wrong with store-bought croutons — and by all means if they're something you enjoy, then please continue purchasing them. It's just that to pay upwards of five dollars for a bag of croutons is seen as unfathomable to some experienced cooks. That's because they know how easy it is to make much better ones at home, using ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. 

With that being said, do you need to use a particular kind of bread for croutons? Well, what do you already have on hand? Because that's the good thing about homemade croutons. It doesn't matter if you have leftover cornbread from three nights ago, the ends left from a loaf of wholegrain bread used for sandwiches, or even the other half of an everything bagel – most types of bread will work. Crusty breads such as sourdough will tend to produce crispier results, if that's what you're after — or you can even turn Olive Garden breadsticks into croutons if you have any leftovers.

All of these examples would be considered breads on their last leg, and that's often ideal for this purpose. Stale bread is better for croutons than fresh bread because it's drier. This helps it stay in nice cubed shapes while being mixed with other flavors and seasonings, before being baked or fried.

Speaking of flavorings, seasonings, and baking, let's discuss how you can save a buck (or five) and get to making your own homemade croutons. To start, use whatever bread or bread-like component you have on hand, as long as it's not moldy bread — go ahead and discard that. Don't discriminate on the type of bread thinking it won't look like the croutons you're used to seeing at the store, because that's how the tastiest recipes are created.

You'll want to slice or tear the bread into about ¾ inch cubes or pieces. Coating the cubes in fat such as melted butter or oil (or a mixture of both) will make them crunchy, and ensure the seasonings stick. You could use animal fats like tallow or lard for extra flavor, or even duck fat. 

Croutons with seasonings other than salt and pepper can add an extra burst of flavor to a standard side salad — try tossing the cubed bread with fragrant herbs, garlic, or parmesan a few minutes into the baking time. If you're using a bread like foccacia, which is already abundantly seasoned with herbs as well as liberally coated in olive oil, then you might want to use less seasoning — and it's also worth noting that it can cook quicker due to the extra oil, so keep a close eye on the croutons to avoid burning them. Once your homemade croutons are ready, you can add them to a variety of salads, as a soup topping, or even blend them into crunchy breadcrumbs that can be used interchangeably with panko in recipes. The croutons will last for a week in an airtight container, giving you several days of tasty toppings.