How To Make Homemade Potato Flake Sourdough Croutons

Make these homemade Potato Flake Sourdough croutons for your next salad! They are the perfect salad topping, but are also so delicious as a snack. Homemade croutons are so much better than store bought and are so easy and cheap to make! It’s a simple way to use up your stale bread and to give it a new use!

Homemade sourdough croutons can be made with any type of sourdough bread, really. We always have some time of potato flake sourdough loaf made around here. As much as everyone loves and devours the bread, sometimes we have a few slices of leftover bread that gets stale. I hate to ever throw anything out that is still safe to eat. That’s why these sourdough croutons are PERFECT!

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Tools you will need:

Bread Knife

Measuring cups and spoons

Large Mixing Bowl

Small bowl

Whisk

Cookie Sheet

Parchment paper/Aluminum foil (optional)

Ingredients

Stale potato flake sourdough bread: We make out bread using a potato flake sourdough starter! If you don’t have stale bread, you can use fresh bread, just bake it in the oven for a few minutes before turning it into croutons.

Extra-virgin olive oil: Avocado oil is also a great option.

Garlic powder: I choose to use garlic powder just to make this recipe as simple as possible. However, fresh garlic could definitely be used in place of garlic powder.

Salt: Salt adds flavor to the croutons that you don’t want to skip out on.

Parsley:Fresh or dried will work, but again, I used dried just to make these croutons super easy!

Romano cheese shredded (I used fresh grated Romano cheese, but I think the Parmesan and Romano cheese blend in the shaker bottle would work even better)

Additional flavor options: Italian Seasoning

How to make easy Potato Flake Sourdough Croutons

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.

Prepare the Bread: Cut day-old bread into inch cubes. If the bread is not yet stale, you can toast the cubes in the oven for a few minutes to dry them out slightly.

Mix the Ingredients: In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, parsley, and cheese. Whisk together to thoroughly mix. In a large bowl, place the cubed bread and pour the olive oil mixture over the cubes. Toss the bread cubes gently to evenly coat with the oil and seasonings.

Spread on Baking Sheet: Transfer the seasoned bread cubes to the prepared baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer.Do not overcrowded to ensure even baking and crispiness.

Bake in the Oven:

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the croutons for 10-15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy. About half way through, remove them from the oven and stir to help ensure that all of the croutons are coated and are cooking evenly. Return to the oven. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning, as oven temperatures may vary. If your cubes are slightly larger it can take up to 15-20 minutes of baking time.

Cool and Serve: Once the croutons are golden and crispy, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Transfer them to a serving bowl if using immediately.

Storing the croutons: If saving for later, allow them to cool completely and put them in a airtight storage container, such as a mason jar. This is the best way to keep them fresh. Store them at room temperature. If you have made a big batch, consider storing some in a freezer bag in the freezer for longer shelf life. Ensure you squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag to keep the croutons crunchy. When taking them out of the freezer, reheat them in the oven.

These homemade croutons are simple to make and far superior in flavor and texture to store-bought croutons. Experiment with different seasonings and bread types to customize them to your taste preferences.

Using Garlic Sourdough Croutons:

These croutons make a great addition to various dishes. They are perfect for favorite salads, soup recipes, and even as a topping for creamy soups like leek soup or tomato soup. For a homemade caesar salad, these croutons add the little crunch needed to complete the classic Caesar salad.

Why use stale bread for homemade croutons?

Texture: Stale bread is drier and firmer than fresh bread, which helps achieve the desired crunchy texture of croutons. Fresh bread might become too soft or soggy during the cooking process.

Better Absorption: Stale bread absorbs seasonings and oil more effectively than fresh bread. Croutons made with stale bread will have better flavor.

Reduces waste: I love that this recipe uses up some of our stale bread, that otherwise would probably not get eaten. Using stale bread for croutons is a cost-effective way to not only make croutons, but to not waste homemade bread. Instead of throwing away bread that is no longer fresh, you can repurpose it into something delicious and useful.

Variations and Tips for Potato Flake Sourdough Croutons

For those with dietary restrictions, you can use gluten-free bread to make gluten-free croutons. Experiment with different seasonings, like Italian seasoning, or a different cheese like parmesan cheese. You can also mix in fresh or dried herbs for added flavor.

Remember to check the recipe card below for detailed instructions and measurements. This simple recipe can be adjusted to suit your taste, making it one of the easiest things you can do to use up stale bread as well as elevate your favorite soups and salad recipes.

Simple Homemade Potato Flake Sourdough Croutons

Make these homemade Potato Flake Sourdough croutons for your next salad! They are the perfect salad topping, but are also so delicious as a snack. Homemade croutons are so much better than store bought and are so easy and cheap to make! It's a simple way to use up your stale bread and to give it a new use!

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

  

• 4 heaping cups of stale potato flake sourdough bread
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1/2 cup of Romano cheese shredded I used fresh grated Romano cheese, but I think the Parmesan and Romano cheese blend in the shaker bottle would work even better
• Italian Seasoning is also another great flavor option.

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
• Cut day-old bread into inch cubes. If the bread is not yet stale, you can toast the cubes in the oven for a few minutes to dry them out slightly.
• In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, parsley, and cheese. Whisk together to thoroughly mix. In a large bowl, place the cubed bread and pour the olive oil mixture over the cubes. Toss the bread cubes gently to evenly coat with the oil and seasonings.
• Transfer the seasoned bread cubes to the prepared baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer.Do not overcrowded to ensure even baking and crispiness.
• Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the croutons for 10-15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy. About half way through, remove them from the oven and stir to help ensure that all of the croutons are coated and are cooking evenly. Return to the oven. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning, as oven temperatures may vary. If your cubes are slightly larger it can take up to 15-20 minutes of baking time.
• Once the croutons are golden and crispy, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Transfer them to a serving bowl if using immediately.
• If saving for later, allow them to cool completely and put them in a airtight storage container, such as a mason jar. This is the best way to keep them fresh. Store them at room temperature.

Notes

If you have made a big batch, consider storing some in a freezer bag in the freezer for longer shelf life. Ensure you squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag to keep the croutons crunchy. When taking them out of the freezer, reheat them in the oven.