I get excited about croutons. I know — I’m a little odd that way.

I’ve loved those crunchy little bits for as long as I can remember. My mom served a salad at nearly every meal, and croutons were a regular at our table. Crunch upon crunch became the norm, and I still enjoy big green salads with croutons nearly every day.

Pre-packaged croutons are fine, but I prefer torn homemade croutons for many reasons. The biggest one is practical: torn croutons stay mixed through the salad better.

The uniform cubes from a bag tend to sink to the bottom of the bowl, so every crunchy bite becomes a matter of fishing one out. First-world problem, perhaps, but it’s annoying.

Torn croutons, by contrast, have irregular shapes and surfaces that wedge into lettuce and greens, cling to dressing better, and stay distributed through the salad. Their texture is dreamy: crunchy without being overly dense, and they won’t shred the roof of your mouth the way some store-bought croutons can.

Making torn croutons is also a great way to use bread that’s getting stale — waste not, want not. They’re endlessly customizable, too: change the fat, herbs, or spices to match the salad you’re serving.

The method is simple. Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces, toss with oil or melted fat, add salt and seasonings if you like, and bake on a rimmed sheet at a moderate temperature until crisp, shaking the pan occasionally. That’s it.

Torn croutons in their natural habitat: a glorious salad. (This salad recipe appears separately.)

Torn Croutons

Use whatever bread you have on hand. Baking time will vary depending on the bread’s freshness and type, so keep an eye on them.

For best results, tear the bread into pieces that are similar in size so they bake evenly. They don’t need to be identical shapes, but try to keep sizes close to avoid some pieces overcooking while others remain underdone.

Choose the fat based on the flavor you want. My top pick is bacon grease — if you have it, warm it until liquid so it coats the bread evenly. Extra virgin olive oil is my next favorite for a bright, Mediterranean profile. Neutral oils or light olive oil work well if you prefer less added flavor; they simply help the spices stick and the bread crisp.

I usually season with a basic garlic and onion combo because it pairs well with most salads. Dried herbs or citrus zest are nice options when you want a specific flavor direction: oregano and lemon zest make a great Greek-style crouton, for example.

Bake the croutons until they’re thoroughly dry and crisp so they’ll stay crunchy for a couple of days when cooled and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you prefer croutons that are crisp on the outside but still a bit soft inside, remove them sooner; those are best eaten within a few hours.

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If main-dish salads are your thing, check other recipes on the site such as Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef Salad), Cheeseburger Salad, Greek Salad, Pizza Salad, Tex-Mex Cobb Salad, Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad + Meal Prep, and Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad.

Torn Croutons {homemade croutons}

Rebecca Lindamood

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Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bread
• 1/4 cup oil or liquid bacon fat
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion

Optional but tasty:

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• the zest of a lemon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Tear the bread into evenly sized, small bite pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and dried oregano and lemon zest if using. Drizzle the oil or liquid fat over the bread and toss gently so the pieces are coated. Spread the bread in a single, uncrowded layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the croutons are dry to the touch and lightly golden in places. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan; they will continue to crisp as they cool. Use within about 3 hours if slightly soft, or cool completely and store at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using your actual ingredients if needed.

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