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Homemade baked croutons that are super crispy, buttery, and infused with garlic and curry powder! It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and makes the perfect topping for soups, salads, wraps, and more!
📘 What Are Croutons
Croutons (or croûtons in French) consist of bread that is diced, seasoned, and then baked or pan-fried until crispy. Croutons are usually used as a topping for soups and stews or added to salads to add texture.
Here, we will be making garlic croutons that are coated with curry powder for an earthy, savory, and slightly spicy flavor! You will want to use these croutons everywhere!
🍞 How to Make It
Making croutons at home is incredibly easy and requires just a handful of ingredients that you most probably already have on hand. Here is what you will need:
- Bread – Preferably rustic bread or baguette that is 1-2 days old. I advise against using sandwich bread. More on that in the Tips.
- Oil – You can use any oil as long as it has a neutral flavor. I recommend canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil.
- Butter – In addition to the oil, I like to add a tablespoon of melted butter for extra flavor.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic. If you want extra garlicky croutons, use 4 cloves instead 2.
- Curry powder – I personally went with this Vietnamese curry powder, but you can use your favorite curry powder!
Oven VS Stovetop
While it’s totally possible to prepare these croutons in a skillet on the stovetop, I still recommend using the oven for three reasons:
1. You will need less oil. Baking helps create a crunchy texture without having to add too much oil.
2. It’s more evenly crunchy. Baked croutons are crispy all the way through, while stovetop ones tend to stay slightly tender on the inside.
3. It’s easier. Just coat with oil and bake. Making croutons on the stovetop requires stirring frequently and adjusting the heat to prevent them from burning.
Start by cutting the bread into 3/4-inch cubes. Next, transfer to a baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, melted butter, and minced garlic. Pour the garlic oil over the bread and stir to coat using your hands. The bread should absorb most of the oil.
Spread the croutons into an even layer and bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
Finally, sprinkle the curry powder over the croutons and stir to coat!
📔 Tips
- Avoid using sandwich bread. Sandwich bread tends to absorb a lot more oil and won’t yield crunchy croutons. I highly recommend sticking to regular bread, preferably 1 or 2 days old.
- Coat with the curry powder after baking. I found out that if croutons are coated with curry powder before baking, the spices tend to burn and lose their flavor. That’s why it’s preferable to add the curry powder after baking.
🍲 Where to Use It
Croutons can be used in a handful of ways! From soups to salads, stews, wraps, or chili, croutons are a great way to add texture and flavor.
These curried croutons would be delicious on top of this Vegan Corn Soup, Vegan Borsch, or this Sweet & Sour Lentil Soup!
These croutons are perfectly crunchy and garlicky with a delicate curry flavor! It’s super easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought! If you have never made croutons at home, this is a must-try!
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Curried Garlic Croutons
Ingredients
- 4.5 ounces bread about 2 cups diced
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp vegan butter melted
- 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp curry powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to
375 °F (190°C). - In a small bowl, stir together the oil, melted butter, minced garlic, and salt. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Dice the bread into 3/4-inch cubes and transfer to a clean baking sheet. Drizzle with the garlic oil and use your hands to coat the bread. Spread the diced bread into an even layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking. Once the croutons are golden brown, remove from the heat and sprinkle with the curry powder. Stir to coat the croutons with the curry powder.
- Enjoy the croutons on top of soup, stews, or in salads, wraps, etc. Croutons will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature stored in an airtight container.
Notes
- Avoid using sandwich bread. Sandwich bread tends to absorb a lot more oil and won’t yield crunchy croutons. I highly recommend sticking to regular bread, preferably 1 or 2 days old.
- Coat with the curry powder after baking. I found out that if croutons are coated with curry powder before baking, the spices tend to burn and lose their flavor. That’s why it’s preferable to add the curry powder after baking.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
I must say, your recipe is perfect. I tried it for our dinner yesterday and the whole family loved it. One more winning recipe!
Glad you liked these croutons Isabella! Thanks for your rating!
Great recipe!
Stirring oil into sponges not likely to yield even results:
I spead oil mix evenly in a pan and press slices each side before cutting.
What an awesome idea!!!
Thank you.