Air Fryer Croutons
Transform ordinary bread into perfectly crispy, golden-brown croutons in your air fryer, with this easy 4-ingredient recipe!
How to Make Croutons in the Air Fryer
Let’s be real, the best part of eating salads is….croutons!! Even my kids love eating soups or salads if they are topped with crispy, flavorful chunks of toasted bread.
Store-bought croutons can be shockingly expensive – I mean, it’s just bread right?! But with this easy recipe, you can make your own crave-able croutons at home with simple ingredients and your air fryer!
Croutons are usually baked in the oven, but an air fryer is not only faster, but it is more energy-efficient. The air fry technique uses intense, circulating hot air, creating a delicious crunch and the perfect golden brown crust, with less oil and without heating up the whole kitchen.
Once you try this method, you’ll never bake homemade croutons any other way and you’ll never buy them from the store again either!
Ingredients
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- 1 Loaf of Bread
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper (optional)
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Instructions
To Prep: Preheat air-fryer to 390°F. Slice the bread into approximately 1″ pieces and place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the olive oil to bowl of seasoning and stir well to combine.
- Drizzle half of the seasoned oil mixture into the bowl of bread cubes. Toss to coat, then drizzle more oil as needed, until all of the bread cubes are fairly well coated in the oil.
- Place the seasoned bread cubes in the air fryer basket, spreading out as much as possible so they are in a single layer.
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, stirring once about halfway through the cooking time.
Prep Tips
- Yield – This recipe makes approximately 4 cups of croutons (depending on the size of your bread loaf).
- Bread – I recommend using French baguette, Italian bread, or sourdough bread but really any type of bread can work, even simple sliced sandwich bread. For best results, use day-old bread, or even stale bread, as it will crisp up perfectly!
- Variations – You can easily switch up the flavor of your croutons by using a different blend of spices, such as ranch seasoning. You can also sprinkle with your favorite dried herbs after baking, such as parsley or rosemary.
- Substitutions – Feel free to make this a gluten friendly recipe by using gluten-free bread. You can also use a different type of light cooking oil, such as avocado oil.
- Storage – Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. It is important to make sure that the croutons are completely cooled before sealing in a zip-top bag or container. This prevents moisture from being trapped, which can make the bread soggy.
More Air Fryer Recipes To Try:
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pickles
- Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
- Air Fryer Pretzels
- Air Fryer Fried Ice Cream
Air Fryer Croutons Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Air Fryer Croutons
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 Loaf Bread
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper optional, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air-fryer to 390°F. Slice the bread into approximately 1″ pieces and place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to bowl of seasoning and stir well to combine.
- Drizzle half of the seasoned oil mixture in the bowl of bread cubes. Toss to coat, then drizzle more oil as needed, until all of the bread cubes are fairly well coated in the oil.
- Place the croutons in the air-fryer basket, spreading out as much as possible so they are in a single layer.
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, stirring once about halfway through the cooking time.
Notes
- Yield – This recipe makes approximately 4 cups of croutons, depending on the size of your loaf of bread.
- Bread – I recommend using French baguette, Italian bread, or sourdough bread but really any type of bread can work, even simple sliced sandwich bread. For best results, use day-old bread, or even stale bread, as it will crisp up perfectly!
- Substitutions – Make this a gluten friendly recipe by using gluten-free bread. You can also use a different type of light cooking oil, such as avocado oil.
- Storage – After the croutons have cooled completely, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
Nutrition
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