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    Home » Breads » Air fryer croutons

    Air fryer croutons

    Published: Jun 19, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Air fryer croutons are our favorites because they have all the crunch and taste of regular croutons but only a fraction of the fat.

    It takes less than 10 minutes to make them, and a few simple ingredients such as olive oil and your favorite dry herbs. They are perfect for soups, salads, and stews.

    air fryer croutons
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • More air fryer recipes
    • Tips
    • Storage
    • Recipe

    Check out our best vegetable sides recipe collection!

    Air fryer croutons are a quick and healthy way to add crunch and taste to soups, stews, and salads.

    They are a great alternative to oven-baked or stovetop pan-fried croutons because they are quicker to make, and if you want, you can make them with very little to no fat.

    Be creative with this recipe. We give you a template and all instructions you need to make the best air fryer croutons, but feel free to change the seasoning and use your favorite herbs and spices.

    This air fryer croutons recipe requires minimal effort and takes only about 10 minutes to make, including prep time and air fry time.

    Follow our step-by-step instructions, and your croutons will turn out perfectly golden, light, and crisp every time.

    We use a Ninja air fryer, but any other model will do. Make our homemade croutons if you don't have an air fryer.

    air fryer croutons on tomato soup
    Air fryer croutons on tomato soup.

    Ingredients

    ingredients for air fryer croutons
    Ingredients for air fryer croutons: cubed bread, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Optionally add spices and dried herbs.

    Bread

    Use any bread (French bread, baguette, Italian bread, sandwich bread, hot dog buns, sourdough bread, rye bread, white bread, or other). You can use bread made from wheat or gluten-free bread.

    Both fresh and stale bread is ok for making croutons. However, fresh bread is a little harder to cut, and it takes an extra minute to get crunchy. One to two-day-old bread makes the best croutons because it's easier to dice and not too dry yet.

    Extra virgin olive oil

    We use hearth-healthy extra virgin olive oil instead of melted butter. The olive oil adds a delicate fruity flavor to the croutons.

    If you are on an oil-free diet, you can omit the oil. The croutons will be less tasty but still perfectly crunchy.

    Avocado oil is a good alternative to olive oil because it is also relatively healthy and heat resistant.

    Salt and Pepper

    Salt and black pepper are the basic condiments for air-fried croutons. Add more or less based on your taste and dietary preferences. We recommend using sea salt, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

    If you are on a low sodium diet, you might consider replacing the salt with a potassium chloride salt substitute but talk to your doctor first.

    Herbs and spices

    Seasoning is the fun part where you can experiment and get creative. We usually play it safe and use dried rosemary and garlic powder to season our croutons. It's a great combination, and everyone will love it.

    However, you can use many other herbs and spices. We advise using dried herbs instead of fresh ones because they are more resistant to heat. Fresh herbs burn easily.

    Try dried oregano, parsley, sage, mint, basil, thyme, or Italian seasoning. You can add one or more dried herbs if you like.

    Spices are also great for adding aroma and flavor. Try garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes, curry powder, and chipotle powder if you want a hot smokey flavor. Some like to add parmesan cheese to add even more flavor. We prefer to keep this recipe dairy-free.

    air fryer croutons in air fryer basket

    Instructions

    Dice the bread

    If your bread is stale and has a thick and hard crust, we advise removing it because it can get too hard in the air fryer, and we don't want you to chip a tooth.

    To do so, cut the bread into slices first, then cut off the crust. This is often necessary with sourdough bread or with a rustic loaf. When cutting bread, use a serrated bread knife.

    slicing off the crust of the bread

    Cut each slice of bread into bite-size cubes of the same size, between ⅓-inch (0.8 cm) and ¾-inch cubes (2 cm).

    diced bread

    You don't need to remove the crust if you use fresh bread or bread with a thinner crust like a baguette, sandwich bread, bread rolls, and so on.

    Cut the bread into slices first, then cut it again into cubes.

    cutting a baguette into cubes

    Season and air fry

    Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 400°F or 200°C.

    Transfer the bread cubes into a large mixing bowl. Add extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs and spices. Mix well with a spoon or with your hands.

    seasoning the bread

    Transfer the bread into the air fryer basket. The bread can overlap. It doesn't have to be on a single layer.

    Set temperature to 400°F or 200°C, and cook time to 5 minutes, and air fry, shaking the basket one time at around the 3-minute mark.

    If you like crunchier croutons, air fry them a little longer, in increments of 2 minutes, shaking the basket every two minutes.

    diced bread in air fryer basket

    The croutons should be golden, light, and perfectly crunchy.

    air fryer croutons

    Serving suggestions

    Use air fryer croutons like regular homemade croutons:

    • Soups: such as zucchini soup, butternut squash soup, and Tuscan bean soup.
    • Salads: on a tofu salad, tomato-cucumber salad, or on Cesar salad.
    • Stews and casseroles: top a chickpea stew or Italian bean stew with your homemade croutons, it brings bold flavor to your meal.
    tomato soup with air fryer croutons

    More air fryer recipes

    If you like this air fryer croutons recipe, you might also like these air fryer favorites:

    • Juicy air fryer zucchini
    • Crispy air fryer tofu
    • Easy air fryer greens beans
    • 15-minute air fryer asparagus
    • Air fryer chickpeas
    • Easy air fryer eggplant

    Tips

    • Cut the bread into cubes of the same size so the air fryer croutons will cook evenly.
    • One to two-day-old bread is easier to cut.
    • Season with your favorite herbs and spices.
    • Shake the air fryer basket a couple of times while the croutons bake.

    Storage

    Store homemade croutons in an airtight container like a mason jar or a zip-lock bag at room temperature (on a shelf or the kitchen counter) for up to one to two weeks. They can keep crunchy for longer if you live in a dry place.

    We do not recommend storing homemade croutons in the refrigerator. The moist air in there will make them soggy faster.

    Freeze croutons in a freezer-friendly bag for up to 2 months.

    To thaw, spread them onto a baking sheet or a large plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb extra moisture. They'll thaw in a couple of hours at room temperature.

    To make them crunchy, air fry at 400°F or 200°C for about 2 to 3 minutes.

    Recipe

    air fryer croutons

    Air fryer croutons

    Author: Nico
    Air fryer croutons are our favorites because they have all the crunch and taste of regular croutons but only a fraction of the fat.
    It takes less than 10 minutes to make them, and a few simple ingredients such as olive oil and your favorite dry herbs. They are perfect for soups, salads, and stews.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 3 mins
    Cook Time 7 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 68 kcal

    Equipment

    • Air fryer

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 3 cups (½ pound) cubed bread
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
    • 2 twists black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon dried herbs - optional (rosemary, Italian seasoning, or other)
    • ¼ teaspoon spices - optional (garlic powder, red pepper flakes, or other)

    Instructions
     

    DICE THE BREAD

    • If your bread is stale and has a thick and hard crust, we advise removing it because it can get too hard in the air fryer, and we don't want you to chip a tooth.
      To do so, cut the bread into slices first, then cut off the crust. This is often necessary with sourdough bread or with a rustic loaf. When cutting bread, use a serrated bread knife.
      slicing off the crust of the bread
    • Cut each slice of bread into bite-size cubes of the same size, between ⅓-inch (0.8 cm) and ¾-inch cubes (2 cm).
      diced bread
    • You don't need to remove the crust if you use fresh bread or bread with a thinner crust like a baguette, sandwich bread, bread rolls, and so on.
      Cut the bread into slices first, then cut it again into cubes.
      cutting a baguette into cubes

    SEASON AND AIR FRY

    • Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 400°F or 200°C.
      Transfer the bread cubes into a large bowl. Add extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs and spices. Mix well with a spoon or with your hands.
      seasoning the bread
    • Transfer the bread into the air fryer basket. The bread can overlap. It doesn't have to be on a single layer.
      Set temperature to 400°F or 200°C, and cook time to 5 minutes, and air fry, shaking the basket one time at around the 3-minute mark.
      If you like crunchier croutons, air fry them a little longer, in increments of 2 minutes, shaking the basket every two minutes.
      diced bread in air fryer basket
    • The croutons should be golden, light, and perfectly crunchy.
      air fryer croutons
    • Serve on soups, stews, and salads. Let cool down completely before storing in an airtight container.
      tomato soup with air fryer croutons

    Notes

    Nutrition information is for one portion out of twelve.
    To make croutons on a pan or in the oven check out our homemade croutons recipe.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Air fryer croutons
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 68 Calories from Fat 18
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 2g3%
    Saturated Fat 0.3g2%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 27mg1%
    Carbohydrates 11g4%
    Dietary Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 3IU0%
    Vitamin B6 0.02mg1%
    Vitamin C 0.03mg0%
    Vitamin E 0.2mg1%
    Vitamin K 2µg2%
    Calcium 13mg1%
    Folate 26µg7%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 0.1mg5%
    Magnesium 7mg2%
    Zinc 0.2mg1%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

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