Homemade gluten free croutons are easy to make and delicious, and you can use them in all of your favorite soups, salads, and stuffings. This homemade crouton recipe is also dairy-free, vegan, and tastes better (cheaper too) than anything you’ll find in the store.
I thought the days of enjoying big crunchy, flavorful croutons were gone when I went gluten-free. The store-bought GF croutons, when I could find some are super expensive, and while they might curb a craving, I don’t think they are worth the high price tag.
These gluten free croutons are flavored with Italian seasoning, and you can use them in your favorite salads. Don’t forget the gluten free salad dressing! Our favorites are this gluten free Caesar dressing, gluten-free Italian dressing, and gluten-free balsamic vinaigrette.
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Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- It tastes like the real thing. If you miss big crunchy, flavorful Italian croutons, you’ll love this gluten free crouton recipe.
- Easy to make. Simply cut up gluten-free bread, mix in the seasoning and olive oil, and bake.
- Cheaper. A bag of store-bought gluten-free croutons is over $5 and doesn’t even compare to this gluten-free crouton recipe.
- Customizable. This recipe includes Italian seasoning, but you can use cheese and parmesan, onion powder, or make plain croutons.
- Make ahead. You can make a big batch to have on hand for salads, soups, and other recipes during the week or longer. I’ll give more tips below.
Ingredients
- Gluten-free Baguette. Any gluten free bread will work for homemade croutons. But if you want big crunchy croutons, use a whole loaf of GF baguette or french bread; my favorite is Scar Gluten free Baguette. Of course, you can also make homemade gluten free bread.
- Italian seasoning. I recommend making my homemade Italian seasoning mix recipe for the best flavor; you can also use store-bought Italian seasoning or a blend of dried oregano, dried basil, and dried parsley.
- Garlic powder. I prefer garlic powder over raw garlic because it distributes more evenly on the bread.
- Salt to help the rest of the flavors pop.
- Extra virgin olive oil. For the best flavor, I recommend using high-quality olive oil.
How to Make Gluten-Free Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- While the oven is heating up, prepare the croutons.
- Slice the bread into 1/2 to 1-inch cubes and place into a large mixing bowl. You’ll get between 4- 5 cups of bread.
- Add half of the olive oil and Italian seasoning to the bread and stir until combined.
- Pour in the rest of the oil and seasoning and mix again. Use your hands to lightly push the bread into the sides of the bowl to soak up every last bit of oil and seasoning.
- Spread the bread cubes onto a large baking sheet, making sure the bread cubes are not overcrowded and in an even layer.
- Cook for bread for 15-20 min or until toasted and firm.
Supplies
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Baking Sheet
Cooking tips
- Many gluten-free crouton recipes call for stale bread, but that is unnecessary; fresh bread works just fine; it might take a little longer to brown and get toasty. You can even use leftover gluten free bagels or GF sandwich bread.
- You can create any size croutons; a smaller crouton will need a shorter cooking time.
- To keep this recipe dairy-free and vegan, use gf bread that does not contain butter, eggs, or other dairy products. Schar baguette is vegan and dairy-free.
- If you don’t care about making vegan croutons, you can also swap melted butter for the olive oil.
- In my opinion olive oil gives the best flavor but you also use avocado oil or other oils in it’s place.
- Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on the croutons after they cook for extra flavor.
Serving suggestions
- Of course, these delicious Gluten free Italian croutons are perfect in gluten free Caesar salad, but you can use them in any of your favorite salads.
- Or sprinkle a few on soup or use them for stuffing.
- You can also crush them to use as Italian breadcrumbs.
Storage
- After the croutons cool, place them into an air-tight container or storage bag and store them at room temperature or in the fridge for two weeks.
- You can also freeze croutons for up to 3 months. Let the croutons thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter before using them. If you need to crisp the croutons, cook in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes.
Other Gluten Free Italian Recipes
Gluten Free Croutons
Homemade gluten free croutons are easy to make and delicious, and you can use them in all of your favorite soups, salads, and stuffings. This homemade crouton recipe is also dairy-free, vegan, and tastes better (cheaper too) than anything you'll find in the store.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Gluten Free Baguette I use Schar Gluten Free Baguette.
- 1 teaspoon homemade Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- While the oven is heating up, prepare the croutons.
- Slice the bread into 1/2 to 1-inch cubes and place into a large mixing bowl. You'll get between 4- 5 cups of bread.
- Add half of the olive oil and Italian seasoning to the bread and stir until combined.
- Pour in the rest of the oil and seasoning and mix again. Use your hands to lightly push the bread into the sides of the bowl to soak up every last bit of oil and seasoning.
- Spread the bread cubes onto a large baking sheet, making sure the bread cubes are not overcrowded and in an even layer.
- Cook for bread for 15-20 min or until toasted and firm.
Notes
Serving size is about 1/3 cup.
Storage
After the croutons cool, place them into an air-tight container or storage bag and store them at room temperature or in the fridge for two weeks.
You can also freeze croutons for up to 3 months. Let the croutons thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter before using them. If you need to crisp the croutons, cook in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 231mgPotassium: 8mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Have you tried this homemade gluten free croutons recipe yet? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. Also, share a picture in our Gluten-Free Italian Recipes Facebook group! We all learn from each other’s experiences.
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