Healthy Baked Homemade Croutons

By Becky Hardin

Published Apr 5, 2025

This HOMEMADE CROUTONS RECIPE is super simple. Impress everyone including yourself with these HEALTHY BAKED CROUTONS! I love that these are BAKED and not fried, making them a healthier alternative to this classic recipe. They're the perfect way to take any salad from good to great. - 5

You’re going to love my Healthy Homemade Croutons. They’re oven-baked (not fried), super simple to make, and honestly so much better than anything you’d grab off a grocery store shelf. Once you see how easy and delicious they are, I guarantee you’ll never go back to store-bought again. These golden, crispy bites add the perfect crunch—and a little wow factor—to any salad. Trust me, you’ll impress everyone…including yourself!

A bowl filled with golden, crispy homemade croutons, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, on a light surface with a striped napkin beside it. - 6

Homemade Crouton Recipe

I know it’s so easy to go to the store and buy a package of pre-made croutons. But believe me, there’s nothing like the fresh aroma coming from baked croutons in the oven! This homemade crouton recipe uses simple ingredients to make a c lassic crouton that goes well with any salad, especially my Caesar Sala d . Whip up a batch to keep on hand when you need them!

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
▢ kosher salt
▢ freshly ground black pepper
▢ 3 cups rustic bread or baguette* crust removed and bread cut into ¾-inch cubes

Optional Seasonings:

▢ crushed red pepper** Herbs de Provence, basil, thyme, rosemary, chili powder, onion powder. There are many options—have fun with this recipe.
▢ 4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Video

Instructions

Place oven rack to middle position, and preheat to 375°F.
In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the minced garlic for 30 seconds. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
Pour the olive oil/garlic mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Press the garlic with a rubber spatula or the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much garlic oil as possible. Reserve the garlic for another use.
Microwave the butter, in a small bowl, at 30% power for 20-40 seconds. The butter could bubble over, so watch closely in the last 10 seconds. Add it to the olive oil/garlic mixture and stir well. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Add the salt, black pepper, and your favorite herbs/seasonings to the butter/oil mixture, then add the bread cubes. Toss until the cubes are evenly coated in the oil/butter mixture. kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, crushed red pepper**, 3 cups rustic bread or baguette*
Pour the croutons onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake 15-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
Remove from the oven***, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, and toss until all croutons are covered. Allow to cool completely. 4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment

Fine Mesh Sieve
Baking Sheet

Becky’s Tips

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Healthy Baked Homemade Croutons Step by Step

Homemade baked healthy croutons ingredients - 7

Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients and place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Close-up of minced garlic being whisked into olive oil in a glass measuring cup. - 8

Infuse the olive oil: Whisk 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and 2 minced cloves of garlic together in a small bowl for 30 seconds.

Minced garlic being strained from garlic-infused olive oil through a fine mesh sieve over a glass bowl. - 9

Strain and reserve garlic: Strain the garlic-infused olive oil through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to press the garlic and extract every bit of flavorful oil. Set the strained garlic aside for later.

Melted butter being poured from a small white bowl into a bowl of garlic-infused olive oil. - 10

Combine butter with garlic oil: Microwave 3 tbsp butter in a small bowl at 30% power for 20 to 40 seconds, keeping a close eye on it during the final 10 seconds to prevent bubbling over. Once melted, pour the butter into the garlic-infused olive oil and stir to combine.

Cubed bread tossed with the seasoned garlic butter mixture in a glass mixing bowl with a white spatula. - 11

Season and toss bread cubes: Season the butter and oil mixture with kosher salt and black pepper to taste, then stir in your preferred spices—such as onion powder, crushed red pepper, or dried herbs. Add the cubed bread and toss well to ensure every piece is evenly coated.

Seasoned bread cubes spread out evenly on a dark baking sheet before baking. - 12

Bake: Add the seasoned croutons to a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 15-25 minutes until they’re golden brown and crispy.

Golden baked croutons on a dark baking sheet, coated with Parmesan cheese. - 13

Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the warm croutons with 4 tbsp of finely grated Parmesan cheese and toss to evenly coat. Allow the croutons to cool completely before serving, and enjoy!

Top-down view of a bowl filled with crispy, golden-brown Parmesan croutons with a few scattered on the table. - 14

How to Store

These healthy baked croutons will last up to 3 weeks. Just make sure you store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh. They’ll stay crisp and crunchy without getting too stale.

Freeze: You can also freeze homemade croutons, and thaw and reheat them in the oven when you’re ready to use them. However, they taste best (and keep their crunchiness) when stored at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions

I love using these croutons to add some crunch to my Mandarin Orange Salad . I also top my Creamy Chicken Soup with these! Sometimes I’m lazy and dunk them in my Chopped Chicken Caesar Salad Dip just for fun!

more Homemade Recipes to try!

3 Ingredient Pie Crust

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Brownie Mix

Overhead view of a bowl of crispy Parmesan croutons, showcasing their golden-brown texture on a neutral background. - 23

Healthy Homemade Croutons Recipe

Equipment

Fine Mesh Sieve
Baking Sheet