These homemade soup croutons are the perfect addition for a big bowl of soup or use them on salads! They are savory from the garlic butter and so easy to make. Prep them in just 5 minutes.
I have a confession to make. I made these for my homemade vegetable soup the other day and ended up snacking on them all day and eating the whole entire batch. They are seriously so yummy. I like them extra crunchy, so that stay firm even after floating to the bottom of my soup bowl.
These croutons are perfect for my Garden Vegetable Soup, as seen below, or try them in my Chicken Minestrone Soup, Turkey Lentil Soup, Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup and Bistro French Onion Soup.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love These Soup and Salad Croutons:
- They are crunchy, buttery and the perfect addition to almost any soup
- These croutons are so simple to make. Just toss them in a garlic butter mixture and throw them in the oven.
- The recipe tastes so much better than store bought croutons
These croutons are also amazing in salads! Try tossing them into my Parmesan Bacon Brussel Sprout Salad or in a Caesar Salad with my Homemade Caesar Dressing.
The Ingredients:
2-3 day old Italian Round or French Loaf: A slightly hardened stale bread is perfect for this recipe because it creates a little crunch even after submerged in soup.
Salted Butter and Garlic: Creates a garlic butter sauce to toss the croutons into and soaks into the bread to build the most delicious flavor.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper: Simple seasoning that goes a long way.
Italian Seasoning (Optional): Adds an Italian flavor from a blend of rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, sage, and marjoram.
*Full recipe ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations:
If you don't have Italian seasoning, just make your own with a blend ⅛ teaspoon each of dried thyme, basil, rosemary and oregano.
For bread, you can also use ciabatta or sourdough if you prefer the taste of those.
How to Make Soup Croutons:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bread into one inch cubes. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Step 3: Transfer the garlic butter into a large bowl. Add in the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Whisk to combine.
Step 4: Toss in the bread and make sure to coat all the croutons in the garlic butter.
Step 5: Spread them out onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the center of the oven, until nice and crispy.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Step 7: Top your favorite soup and salads with these delicious croutons. Enjoy!
Expert Tips for Garlic Butter Croutons:
Don't over brown or burn the garlic, as it can result in a bitter taste. Only cook for 30 seconds in the butter, then place the cookie sheet in the center of the oven when baking to avoid burning.
Recipe FAQs:
Use a crunchy bread that will crisp up like french, Italian round, ciabatta or sourdough. Don't overload them in garlic butter or oil. Then, bake at a temperature of 350 for 15 to 18 minutes.
Allow them to cool completely before storing so no moisture ruins them. Place in a sealed tupperware or sandwich baggies and use within 2 days.
Soups You Will Love Pairing with these Croutons:
If you tried this Homemade Soup Croutons Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Soup Croutons
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups of croutons 1x
Description
These homemade soup croutons are the perfect addition for a big bowl of soup. They are savory, crisp and so easy to make!
Ingredients
- 3 large slices of 2-3 day old bread (Italian round or french loaf)
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, fine
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning: Blend of rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, sage, and marjoram
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut the bread into one inch cubes. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the garlic butter into a large bowl. Add in the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Whisk.
- Toss in the bread and make sure to coat all the croutons in the garlic butter. Spread them out onto a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the center of the oven, until nice and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes.
- Top them on your favorite soup and salads and enjoy!
Notes
Don't over brown or burn the garlic, as it can result in a bitter taste. Only cook for 30 seconds in the butter, then place the cookie sheet in the center of the oven when baking to avoid burning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: soup topping
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: american
Holly says
Made these with the vegetable soup! So good!!