How to Make Homemade Gluten-Free Croutons

Homemade gluten-free croutons are so easy to make. With just a few healthy ingredients, you get a delicious crunchy topping to use any time!

I love crunchy things. I'm a huge texture person, and need that crunch especially on my salads. I never realized how easy it was to make your own croutons. Plus they are so much tastier than store bought!

Homemade croutons have more than just a hard crunch, there's a bit of lightness to them that only fresh croutons have and it's fabulous! Also, I like adding a variety of seasonings to pair with whatever meal they're going on.

Pro tip- make more than you think you'll need because it's hard to stop eating them right out of the oven! Especially because it's so hard to find good gluten-free ones at the store (to learn more about how to figure out what is in those store bought croutons check out this guide on reading food labels).

Ingredients

These gluten-free croutons technically only need one ingredient, but with a couple more they just get better and better! Here's what I suggest:

• Cubed gluten-free bread 
• Garlic
• Seasonings

How To Make Gluten Free Croutons

Making your own croutons is so easy to do, and they taste so much better than store bought! You just may never buy them again! Here's what to do:

1. Rub the bread pieces with a cut clove of garlic.
2. Mix the bread with oil and seasonings.
3. Bake.
4. Enjoy!

Flavor suggestions

The simplicity of fresh garlic, salt, and pepper on these gluten-free croutons is fabulous! But sometimes you need a little something extra. Here are some other seasonings you can try using to mix things up:

• garlic powder
• smoked or regular paprika
• oregano
• thyme
• parsley

Serving suggestions

Croutons add such a wonderful crunch and flavor to so many dishes, here are some ideas of how to use them:

• Top salads like this Romaine Salad with Vegan Caesar Dressing
• Eat them alone as a crunchy snack
• Add some texture to soups like Tomato Soup or Sweet Potato Soup
• Dip in Vegan Cheese Fondue
• Use as a topping on casseroles like Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Preparation tips

To make the best ever homemade croutons, make sure to check out these helpful hints:

• Any gluten-free bread will work for this recipe. The heartier the bread the crunchier they'll be. Lighter bread will give more of an airy result.
• If you don't need gluten-free, use regular bread.
• Cube the bread in relatively uniform sizes so they cook evenly. I recommend an inch or smaller.
• I used olive oil for this recipe, you can use any oil you prefer, or omit it all together.
• A cookie sheet covered with parchment paper will give you the best results (plus it will help with cleanup!).
• Bread and the size of your cubes will affect baking time, start checking your croutons around 10 minutes into baking to watch for burning.

Storage tips

Homemade gluten-free croutons are best served fresh, but they will keep longer:

• Store leftover croutons in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days, after this they'll start to loose crunch.
• You can also freeze the croutons! Quality will start to diminish after a few weeks, but they'll be safe for up to 3 months.
• However you store them, make sure to try to get as much air out of the container as possible, a sealable bag works best.

Common Questions

More Vegan Toppings and Sauces

Adding a little something extra to your meals is a nice way to shake things up. Whether you're after more flavor or texture, these plant based recipes have you covered:

• Mushroom Bacon
• Vegan Parmesan Cheese
• Chickpea Vegan Sausage Crumbles
• Vegan Sour Cream
• Homemade Tomatillo Salsa Verde