Learn how to make croutons in the air fryer with just 4 simple ingredients. This crouton recipe is so much better than store bought! Use in salads, soups, stuffing or just eat them straight out of the air fryer basket.
Table of Contents
This air fryer crouton recipe is the perfect way to use up stale bread. And it’s super simple too.
The hardest part of this air fryer crouton recipe may be trying not to eat them all straight out of the air fryer basket. You can use these homemade croutons for caesar salad, tomato soup, cold cucumber soup and chili. They also make a killer stuffing. Or, give them a few pulses in your food processor to make breadcrumbs.
Don’t have an air fryer? You can also make these baked croutons.
Ingredient notes
To make this simple crouton recipe, you’ll need these ingredients:
- Bread
- Olive Oil
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
The best bread for croutons
You can use any bread that you have on hand to make homemade croutons. Ideally, it will be a day or two old. A hearty loaf, with an airy crumb, like sourdough, makes for extra crispy croutons. But you can also make these croutons with a french baguette, cornbread, ciabatta, dinner rolls, even hot dog buns. Whatever bread you use, don’t cut off the crust, that’s what gives those croutons their great texture.
How to make croutons in the air fryer
- Cut bread into cubes: Dice your bread. Cut bread into ¾-inch cubes with a serrated knife. Aim for your pieces to be similar in size so that they’ll cook at the same rate.
- Season croutons: Toss with olive oil. Toss bread cubes in olive oil to coat evenly, this will ensure your spices stick. Sprinkle on spices. Sprinkle spices on the oiled bread cubes and toss to combine.
- Air fry croutons: Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees. Place the seasoned bread cubes in the air fryer basket and cook for 6-8 minutes, tossing every couple minutes, or until browned and crispy. Serve immediately or store for later.
How to make seasoned croutons
As written, this crouton recipe is delicious. However, if you’d like to add even more flavor to your croutons, here are some seasoning ideas:
- Parmesan cheese
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Parsley
- Cumin
- Nutritional yeast
- Lemon zest
- Red pepper flakes
How to store
- Let croutons cool completely then store in a sealed container or ziploc bag.
How long do they last?
- Homemade croutons will keep for up to two weeks.
Can you freeze them?
- Yes! You can freeze croutons for up to two months. To use, air fry at 300 degrees until thawed and crispy.
What to serve air fryer croutons with
Substituting crushed croutons for breadcrumbs
- Give croutons a few pulses in a food processor or blender to create breadcrumbs. Then use them in tasty recipes like these Turkey Swedish Meatballs, Shake N Bake Pork Chops, Stuffed Artichoke Hearts, Radicchio Salad or Easy Tuna Casserole.
More air fryer recipes
Did you try this air fryer crouton recipe?
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Full Recipe
Air Fryer Croutons
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread (cut into ¾ inch cubes)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees.
- Add bread cubes to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, garlic power, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Place the bread cubes in the air fryer basket and cook for 6-8 minutes, tossing every couple minutes, or until browned and crispy. Serve immediately or store for later.
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