Our garden is still producing a good amount of lettuce, so we are eating lots of salads as side dishes. But sometimes you want to dress up a salad. We love to add sunflower seeds, extra vegetables and we love croutons. The little bit of extra crunch, those crispy squares of flavor add to the salad, make a salad that much better.
We usually can’t purchase croutons at the store, since most of them contain dairy. I’m the only one who can eat diary at our house, so I needed to come up with a good alternative for my family.
So many bread products have diary in them, either butter, milk or sometimes cheese. I can find a few kinds of bread my family can eat at our local bread store but often I’ll will make my own dairy free, egg free bread. The homemade bread is what I usually use to make these delicious croutons.
Whether it’s bread from the store, like I used in these photos or homemade bread, these croutons are really easy to make and packed with flavor too.
How to Make Homemade Croutons
Step 1 Cut the bread into chunks. If it’s sliced bread from the store, cut it up into squares. If it’s homemade bread, I like to cut a couple of thick slices and then cut it into squares.
Step 2 Heat some dairy free butter or oil in a skillet. I will either use olive oil or Earth Balance butter. Both work well. Just use what you have on hand.
Step 3 Toss the bread cubes into the melted butter and stir to coat them.
Step 4 Sprinkle the buttered cubes with the seasonings. I like to use garlic powder, parsley and salt. Parmesan cheese is also good to add, if you don’t need to go dairy free.
Step 5 Brown the croutons in the skillet over medium heat. I let the croutons sit on one side for a few minute and when they start to crisp up and brown on that side. I’ll give them a stir to brown the next side. Continue until the croutons are nice and brown.
These croutons turn out nice and crunchy on the outside but still a little soft in the middle. If you like stronger flavors add a little more seasoning. Pepper is also a nice addition to the spices for a little more kick.
- 2 slices of bread, preferably thick slices, cut into squares
- 2 tablespoons Dairy Free Butter or Oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Parsley
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper (optional)
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the bread cubes to the melted butter and stir to coat.
- Mix spices together and sprinkle on top of butter bread cubes.
- Cook bread cubes over medium heat stirring often until golden brown.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
What yummy extras do you like to add to your salad?
Yum! Those croutons look delicious! Surprisingly, my kids actually enjoy croutons, too. 🙂 Pinning your recipe for later, Shelly.
Thanks Sandra!
I love this. I can’t buy croutons because, well, my husband think they are snack food. But, with this, I can make just as much as I need.
My husband loves them as a snack too. I usually make a little extra so he can snack on them later. 🙂
these look really delicious!
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