Turn yesterday's bread into today's tasty croutons

How to make, use, and freeze croutons to reduce bread waste

Author

Kristina Todini, RDN
August 18, 2023

Don’t toss that day-old bread!

Tell me true: do you have a bag of day-old bread in the pantry (or even the freezer) that is right on the cusp of growing moldy science experiments?

If so, I have the perfect zero waste cooking tip for you…

Make it into croutons!

One of my favorite ways to use up stale bread is to cut into into bite-size pieces, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle it with salt and dried herbs, and bake until golden brown and crispy.

Then I add the crunchy, flavorful croutons to my favorite salads and soups all week long. And if there’s a big enough batch, I even freeze them to take out for later (and I have a simple trick to keep them crunchy below).

Below I’ve rounded up a few crouton tutorials for you – as well as some of my favorite recipes using these crunchy bread bites – so you too can stop buying bagged and overly processed croutons. 👇

How to Make Homemade Croutons

Homemade Sourdough Croutons

An easy homemade croutons recipe using leftover sourdough bread. Only 3 ingredients and 10 minutes!

👉 The recipe for the sourdough croutons above can be used with any type of bread, so use it as a base recipe and get creative with your favorites.

How to Freeze Croutons for Later Use

How to Freeze (and Thaw) Croutons So They Stay Crunchy

Crunchy croutons that are just as tasty as if they were freshly baked!

Recipes for Using Your Croutons

Vegan Caesar Salad

A plant-based twist on traditional Caesar salads made with vegan Caesar dressing, plant-based Parmesan cheese, and crispy chickpeas.

Roasted Tomato Leek Soup

Roasted Tomato Leek Soup, an easy homemade tomato soup with leeks, garlic, and fresh basil.

DID YOU KNOW? 🧐

The word crouton is derived from the French word 'croûte' which means 'crust' — crouton is actually the diminutive form of the word, so it translates to 'little crust' in French.

LOVELY LINKS 🔗

  • SHOP IT: EarthHero, my favorite eco alternative to Amazon, has 15% all zero waste back to school items like lunch boxes, refillable inks pens, and water bottles. (Shop EarthHero here!)

  • LEARN IT: After seeing it growing all over Iceland when I visited in June, I’ve been deep diving into the herb Angelica and learning about its medicinal uses. (NC State Extension)

  • KNOW IT: Adopting a Mediterranean lifestyle – which includes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; healthy eating habits like limiting added salts and sugars; and habits promoting adequate rest, physical activity, and socialization – lowers risk of all cause and cancer-related death. (ScienceDirect)

❝

If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.

Robert Browning, poet

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