These homemade, vegan croutons are super easy to make and extremely versatile. I love them on my gluten free caesar salads. I have been celiac since my early 20s and I know store-bought gluten free croutons can be pricey. An easy solve is to make your own croutons!
They can be flavored with any seasoning you’d like and are the perfect crunch to any salad or soup! All you need for this recipe is gluten free bread, seasoning and oil.
The best part is that these easy croutons are vegan, nut free, gluten free and low fat option. I’ve been creating gluten free, dairy free and nut free recipes for years and this one is hands down one of my favorites! These easy vegan croutons are made in less than 15 minutes and with simple ingredients.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy peasy: Just cube bread, toss with oil and seasoning, then bake or air fry. Minimal mess and cleanup!
- Taste just like traditional croutons! You cant even tell these crispy croutons arent straight out of a bag! They have the perfect texture and make for the best crunchy topping.
- Save money: Skip store-bought croutons and use up leftover gluten-free bread instead.
- Flavor boost: Homemade croutons add a satisfying crunch and savory punch to any salad or soup. They take your dish from plain to exciting!
- Customize it! Want spicy croutons? Add a pinch of chili flakes. Craving cheesy flavor? Use nutritional yeast in the seasoning mix. You control the taste!
- Freshness matters: Store-bought croutons can get stale. Homemade ones come out perfectly crisp and flavorful every time.
- Less waste: Don’t toss out that leftover stale bread! Use it for delicious croutons and reduce food waste.
- The perfect topping for your favorite salad. I especially like them on top of my caesar salads.
- No soggy croutons here! These are the crispiest croutons!
- Make for excellent salad toppers!
- A tasty way to enjoy stale bread slices.
- These organic vegan croutons use no animal products and no dairy products.
INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS
Bread cubes: This is the base of your croutons. Use any vegan, gluten-free type of bread you like. Fresh bread, day-old bread, sandwich bread, sourdough bread, sliced loaf of bread or a baguette work great! All these options are available at your local grocery store.
Olive oil: A little bit of olive oil adds moisture and helps crisp up the bread cubes. You can substitute another high-heat cooking oil like avocado oil or vegetable oil.
Garlic herb seasoning: This gives the vegan croutons flavor. Look for a pre-made vegan italian seasoning blend or simply use a mix of dried italian herbs like garlic powder or fresh garlic, onion powder, black pepper, sea salt and dried parsley. Use organic herbs for organic croutons.
TASTE & TEXTURE
These vegan croutons are crispy and flavorful. The outside will be golden brown and crunchy, while the inside will be lighter and have a bit of bite. The garlic herb seasoning adds savory flavor, but you can adjust the amount depending on how strong you like it.
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) or prepare your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- If your bread isn’t already cubed, cut it into 1-inch cubes.
- In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with a little olive oil until evenly coated.
- Add the garlic herb seasoning to the cubed bread and toss again to make sure everything is well combined.
- Spread the seasoned bread pieces in a single layer on a lined baking sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. If using an air fryer, spread the coated bread cubes in a single layer in the basket or the air fryer baking tray.
- Bake the croutons for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Cook for about 5 minutes in the preheated oven or air fryer, tossing halfway through to ensure even browning. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn quickly in the air fryer.
- Once golden brown and crispy, remove the crunchy croutons from the oven or air fryer and let them cool to room temperature before storing.
EXPERT TIPS & TRICKS
- Make sure your bread cubes are evenly sized for consistent browning.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet or air fryer basket, as this will prevent the croutons from crisping properly.
- The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your bread cubes and your oven or air fryer. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning.
- You can even make on a pan in the toaster oven.
- Perfect topping for your tomato soup!
- Savory vegan croutons can be a great addition to a trail mix or savory party mixes of nuts, croutons and dried fruit.
- Add extra garlic powder or minced garlic for homemade garlic croutons. To me, the more garlic the better.
Variations
- LEMON GARLIC CROUTONS: 1/2 tbsp of lemon + 1/2 tbsp garlic infused oil
- MEXICAN SPICE CROUTONS: 1/2 tbsp taco seasoning + 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
- CHEESY BUFFALO CROUTONS: 1/2 tbsp roasted garlic nutritional yeast + 1/2 tbsp vegan buffalo sauce
- SMOKY BBQ CROUTONS: 1/2 tbsp bbq sauce + 1/2 tbsp bbq seasoning/rub
- SALT AND PEPPER CROUTONS: avocado oil + salt + pepper
- CRISPY HONEY MUSTARD CROUTONS: 1/2 tbsp honey mustard + 1/2 tbsp roasted garlic nutritional yeast
- PUMPERNICKLE CROUTONS: Use pumpernickle bread instead of white bread
- PIZZA CROUTONS: 1/2 tbsp roasted garlic nutritional yeast + 1/2 tbsp tomato paste + 1/2 tbsp olive oil + vegan parmesan cheese
- GARLIC CHEESY CROUTONS: 1/2 tbsp roasted garlic nutritional yeast + 1/2 tbsp olive oil + vegan parmesan cheese
- CHEESY HOT SAUCE CROUTONS: 1/2 tbsp roasted garlic nutritional yeast + drizzle of hot sauce. These are hands down my favorite!!
Serve and store
Once cool, store your vegan croutons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. A great way to store for longer is to transfer them to a freezer bag or air-tight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat frozen croutons on a baking sheet in a preheated 300°F oven for a few minutes until crisp again.
Looking for more allergy friendly easy recipe?
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Easy Homemade Vegan Croutons Recipe (gluten free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups 1-inch bread cubes gluten-free, vegan
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or oil of choice
- 1-2 tablespoons garlic herb seasoning vegan-friendly
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) or prepare your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- If your bread isn’t already cubed, cut it into 1-inch cubes.
- In a bowl, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil until evenly coated.
- Add the garlic herb seasoning to the bread cubes and toss again to make sure everything is well combined.
- Spread the seasoned bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If using an air fryer, spread the cubes in a single layer in the basket.
- Bake the croutons for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even browning. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn quickly in the air fryer.
- Once golden brown and crispy, remove the croutons from the oven or air fryer and let them cool completely before storing.
Notes
-
- Make sure your bread cubes are evenly sized for consistent browning.
-
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet or air fryer basket, as this will prevent the croutons from crisping properly.
-
- The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your bread cubes and your oven or air fryer. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning.
-
- You can even make on a pan in the toaster oven.
- Use less oil for the low fat option.
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