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These Air Fryer Croutons are the easiest and most flavorful little basic that you need in your recipe box of tricks! Made with just a couple of ingredients and only a few minutes of your time. They add so much to a salad, but croutons aren't just for boring salads anymore! Try them on this Roasted Brussel Sprout Salad with Caesar Dressing, or this Greek Panzanella Salad, or even in a Tomato Basil Soup. They are perfect for whatever you think could use a little carby crunch!
Ingredients
- French Baguette
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Air Fryer Croutons
If you have used an air fryer, you know how easy this is going to be! But if you don't have an air fryer, never fear! These can be made in the oven or on the stovetop as well! But since this is an air fryer recipe, let's talk about the air fryer first and then discuss alternative options at the end.
How to cut the baguette into croutons
- Cut the baguette in half and then slice each half in half down the middle the long way, so that you have two halves like you would if you were making a sub sandwich.
2. Hold the 2 halves together and then slice them in thirds perpendicular to the first cut so that you have 6 long skinny baguette pieces.
3. Now hold the 6 pieces together and then slice down the length of the baguette into ยฝ-1 inch increments.
4. There you have it! Bread cubes! Place them in a large bowl and set aside while you make the seasoning.
How to make them buttery and garlic-y
In a large sauce pan (or microwavable bowl) combine ยผ cup butter, ยผ cup olive oil, ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder, ยผ teaspoon sea salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Heat this on medium low until the butter is melted and then give it a good whisk to combine it all.
Now, remove the pan from the heat and add the melted mixture to the bowl with your baguette cubes. Toss the cubes in the butter and oil mixture so that they are all evenly coated.
That is it for prepping! Now they just need to be toasted so they are golden brown and crisp. Here are 3 different methods of doing that.
Air Frying Croutons
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to fry them in a couple of batches. No matter which air fryer you use, make sure you don't over crowd the basket. Add just enough baguette cubes to fill the basket no more than halfway full.
Preheat your air fryer to 400ยฐF. Once it is heated, add the bread cubes and cook for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, remove the basket and shake it vigorously to toss the croutons. Return the basket to the air fryer and cook for 2 more minutes.
They should be golden brown by now. If you would like them darker, return the basket and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes until they are browned to your liking.
They are ready to add to your salad, soup or to just to eat like popcorn! ๐
Stovetop
This is another super easy way to make croutons. Simply follow the instructions up to stirring the baguette cubes into the butter and oil. Set them aside while you heat your pan.
Any large skillet or saucepan will work, but I love using my large cast iron pan. It is super heavy duty and has vertical sides (rather than slanted like sauteรฉ pans), so it is good for keeping the croutons contained while you toss them around.
Heat your pan on medium heat for a couple of minutes. Once it is hot, dump your buttered baguette pieces into the pan. Shake the pan so that the pieces are in a single layer. Let them sit for a minute and then shake the pan again, to rotate the croutons so that another side browns.
Continue this until the croutons are golden brown. They should be nice and toasty crisp on the outside, but with a soft interior.
Pull them from the heat and sprinkle them with a little flaky sea salt and a few grinds of fresh ground pepper.
Let them cool before tossing them into your favorite salad! Or don't let them cool and toss them into your favorite soup!
Enjoy!
Oven Option
Prep a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375ยฐF.
Follow the instructions up until you have tossed the baguette cubes with butter and oil.
Now, place the baguette pieces on the baking sheet, spread in a single layer. Bake them for 8 minutes and then check to see the progress. If they are nice and golden brown, pull them from the oven and toss and place them back in the oven for 8 more minutes.
Once they are golden brown, they are done!
Enjoy!
Lighter Option
These croutons are so good because bread and butter are really two of the best things in life! However, there is a way to lighten them up a little bit, but still get delicious flavor and crispness.
Simply cut the butter down from ยผ cup to 2 Tablespoons, and instead of using the ยผ cup of olive oil, use an spray olive oil. Spray the bread with a couple seconds spray of olive oil before tossing the bread with the melted butter.
Cook them in your method of choice. Enjoy!
Recipes with Croutons
- Tomato Basil Soup with Parmesan Croutons
- Roasted Brussel Sprout Salad with Caesar Dressing
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Hazelnut Gremolata
- Greek Panzanella Salad
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for air fryer croutons! I would love to hear from you in the comments at the very bottom of the page! Thank you and thank you for visiting Mollie in Montana~*!
๐ Recipe
Air Fryer Croutons
Ingredients
Method
- Heat butter and oil in a small sauce pan over low heat.
- While the butter is melting, cut the baguette. To do this, cut the baguette in half the long way as if you were cutting it to make a sub sandwich. Then, holding the baguette together, cut it in thirds the long way, perpendicular to the previous cut. Continue holding it together and cut it in 1 inch cuts down the length of the baguette. Now you should have a whole bunch of 1 inch cubes!
- By now the butter should be melted. Add the garlic powder and salt and pepper to the butter and oil mixture.
- Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and then drizzle them with the melted butter mixture.
- Toss it all together so that all of the cubes are coated with the butter and oil.
- Heat your Air Fryer to 400โ
- Once it has heated, add the bread cubes to the fryer basket so that is about half full. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to do this in batches.
- Air fry the croutons for 2 minutes and then remove them and shake the basket. then place them back in the fryer for 2 more minutes.
- Remove them and check to see if they are golden brown. If so, they are done! If not, add them back into the fryer for a couple more minutes until they are browned to your liking.
- Add them to your favorite salad or soup, or serve them on a charcuterie board and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
Notes:
- These air fryer croutons freeze beautifully! This recipe makes about 4 cups of croutons, so you will most likely have some leftovers. So, to freeze these, just place any extras in a zip loc freezer bag. Try to eliminate as much air as possible. Extra air can speed up freezer burn, so the less air the better. These can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can make these in the oven or on the stovetop instead.
- Oven- Preheat oven to 375ยฐF. Follow recipe instructions until the bread cubes are tossed with the butter and oil mixture. Then, place the bread cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the 375ยฐF oven for 8 minutes, and then toss and bake for an additional 5 minutes until croutons are golden and crispy!
- Stovetop- Follow the recipe instructions until the bread cubes are coated with the melted butter mixture. Preheat a skillet on medium high heat. Place the bread cubes in the skillet and let them sit for a minute.ย Then, toss the bread cubes in the skillet until they are golden brown and crispy!
- For a lighter version, cut the butter to 2 Tablespoons and then spray the cubes with a spray olive oil instead of adding olive oil it to the melted butter mixture.They will still be delicious!
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