Crouton Builder
Fat, seasoning, temperature: three variables, and any stale bread becomes the perfect crouton.
- Preparation
- 8 min
- Cook/bake time
- 12 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
Fat, seasoning, temperature: three variables, and any stale bread becomes the perfect crouton. Croutons for a Caesar salad are different from those for a pumpkin soup, and both are ready in ten minutes. Choose the fat and the flavor profile, the rest is always the same.
Why this works
A crouton is crispy when its water has been completely extracted, not when it is brown on the outside. That is the difference between the oven and the pan: in the pan, the surface browns in minutes while the core remains moist, and this crouton will become chewy after an hour. In the oven at 180 degrees, it dries evenly and keeps for a week. That is why the temperature here is lower than you might expect: at 220 degrees, it would be dark on the outside before the middle is dry. The fat has a second role: it conducts the heat into the pores of the bread and simultaneously carries fat-soluble aromas from garlic or herbs. That is why the seasoning goes into the fat and not onto the dry bread.
Build your own
Pick one option per row. Ingredients, steps, cook mode and shopping list adapt instantly.
Your pick: Olive oil · Garlic & Herbs · Cubes
