Easy Gluten-Free Croutons

Jazz up your meals with these easy homemade gluten-free croutons! They offer crunch at every bite and are a breeze to make, too. Once you try it, you might never give store-bought croutons a second look – especially since you know you can make healthier ones at home! 

Few things beat a crispy, crunchy, and flavorful crouton atop a salad drenched in your favorite dressing. When going gluten-free, croutons are easy to miss! But they’re also so simple to make at home. I’ve yet to find store-bought gluten-free croutons that surpass this recipe. Happy eating!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe

• It’s so rich in flavor. 
• They can even be eaten on their own — they’re that good!
• They’re cheaper than store-bought ones (especially since gluten-free croutons are a bit hard to find in grocery stores and not nearly as tasty!).   
• Adds a satisfying crunchiness to various soups and salads. 
• It is a great way to deal with stale bread! 
• It can be made in less than 30 minutes. 
• So versatile! You can season the croutons with your favorite blend of herbs and spices. 
• Vegan and vegetarian recipe.

Ingredient Notes

• Gluten-free Bread of Choice – You can use any store-bought or homemade bread you prefer to make these croutons. This is also the perfect time to use any stale sandwich bread in the pantry!
  • For store-bought, I personally like to use Little Northern Bakehouse gluten-free bread slices. For homemade, I love to use my gluten-free focaccia as well as my gluten-free sourdough bread. 

• Melted Butter – Gives a rich, savory taste to the croutons and helps make them crispier as they bake. Use dairy-free butter if necessary.
  • You can also use olive oil or a mix of the two.

• Garlic Powder – Adds a nice, savory flavor to the homemade croutons. 

• Dried Basil – Adds a spicy and sweet taste to the croutons.

• Salt – Gives a bit of saltiness while enhancing the flavors of the other seasonings. 
• Dried Oregano – Provides an earthy, pungent flavor to the croutons. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Croutons

1. Preheat the oven to 375℉ and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Arrange the bread cubes on the baking sheet and drizzle them with melted butter or oil.
3. Sprinkle the bread cubes with garlic powder, basil, salt, and oregano.
4. Toss everything to ensure an even coating.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the croutons are crisp.
6. For a golden finish, place them under the broiler for about 1 minute.
7. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Seasoning Ideas

Play with different herbs, spices, and seasoning blends to flavor your croutons, such as:

• Smoked paprika
• Smoked salt
• Adobo seasoning
• Ground cayenne pepper
• Ground black pepper
• Guacamole seasoning
• Dried Thyme
• Dried Rosemary
• Curry powder

My Favorites Ways to Use These Croutons

• Great addition to favorite salads like vegetarian Caesar salad, Mediterranean Cucumber Salad, Southwest Salad, Strawberry Feta Salad, or other Vegetarian Salad Recipes.   
• As a topping for soups like tomato soup, Sweet Potato Soup, Potato Soup, Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup, and any of these 30 delicious blender soups.  
• Ground to breadcrumbs and used as a topping on Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese or as a coating for Gluten-Free Mozarella Sticks. 

Storing Gluten-Free Croutons

Leftover croutons can be stored at room temperature for up to four days in a resealable bag or an airtight container.

Expert Tips

• Using slightly stale or day-old bread can give your croutons the best texture. While you can use fresh bread, it might need to bake a little longer to achieve the same results. 
• You can adjust the seasonings you put in if you use seasoned or herbed bread. 
• Cut bread into ¾ to 1-inch cubes, so it’s all bite-sized. This will help it cook evenly and crisp inside the oven.   
• To ensure more even cooking, arrange all the croutons in a single layer on the baking sheet, avoiding overcrowding. 
• Flip the croutons halfway through baking to get even browning on all sides.

More Delicious Gluten-Free Recipes

Gluten-Free Cheez-Itz

Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread

Gluten-Free Morning Glory Bread

Chickpea Flour Crackers