It takes less than 10 minutes to make them, and a few simple ingredients such as olive oil and your favorite dry herbs. They are perfect for soups, salads, and stews. Air fryer croutons are a quick and healthy way to add crunch and taste to soups, stews, and salads. They are a great alternative to oven-baked or stovetop pan-fried croutons because they are quicker to make, and if you want, you can make them with very little to no fat.Be creative with this recipe. We give you a template and all instructions you need to make the best air fryer croutons, but feel free to change the seasoning and use your favorite herbs and spices. This air fryer croutons recipe requires minimal effort and takes only about 10 minutes to make, including prep time and air fry time.Follow our step-by-step instructions, and your croutons will turn out perfectly golden, light, and crisp every time.We use a Ninja air fryer, but any other model will do. Make our homemade croutons if you don’t have an air fryer.
Serving suggestions
Use air fryer croutons like regular homemade croutons:
Extra virgin olive oil
We use hearth-healthy extra virgin olive oil instead of melted butter. The olive oil adds a delicate fruity flavor to the croutons. If you are on an oil-free diet, you can omit the oil. The croutons will be less tasty but still perfectly crunchy.Avocado oil is a good alternative to olive oil because it is also relatively healthy and heat resistant.
Salt and Pepper
Salt and black pepper are the basic condiments for air-fried croutons. Add more or less based on your taste and dietary preferences. We recommend using sea salt, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. However, you can use many other herbs and spices. We advise using dried herbs instead of fresh ones because they are more resistant to heat. Fresh herbs burn easily. Try dried oregano, parsley, sage, mint, basil, thyme, or Italian seasoning. You can add one or more dried herbs if you like.Spices are also great for adding aroma and flavor. Try garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes, curry powder, and chipotle powder if you want a hot smokey flavor. Some like to add parmesan cheese to add even more flavor. We prefer to keep this recipe dairy-free. To do so, cut the bread into slices first, then cut off the crust. This is often necessary with sourdough bread or with a rustic loaf. When cutting bread, use a serrated bread knife. Cut each slice of bread into bite-size cubes of the same size, between ⅓-inch (0.8 cm) and ¾-inch cubes (2 cm). You don’t need to remove the crust if you use fresh bread or bread with a thinner crust like a baguette, sandwich bread, bread rolls, and so on. Cut the bread into slices first, then cut it again into cubes. Transfer the bread into the air fryer basket. The bread can overlap. It doesn’t have to be on a single layer. Set temperature to 400°F or 200°C, and cook time to 5 minutes, and air fry, shaking the basket one time at around the 3-minute mark. If you like crunchier croutons, air fry them a little longer, in increments of 2 minutes, shaking the basket every two minutes. The croutons should be golden, light, and perfectly crunchy.
Soups: such as zucchini soup, butternut squash soup, and Tuscan bean soup.Salads: on a tofu salad, tomato-cucumber salad, or on Cesar salad.Stews and casseroles: top a chickpea stew or Italian bean stew with your homemade croutons, it brings bold flavor to your meal.
More air fryer recipes
If you like this air fryer croutons recipe, you might also like these air fryer favorites:
Juicy air fryer zucchiniCrispy air fryer tofuEasy air fryer greens beans15-minute air fryer asparagusAir fryer chickpeasEasy air fryer eggplant
Tips
Cut the bread into cubes of the same size so the air fryer croutons will cook evenly.One to two-day-old bread is easier to cut.Season with your favorite herbs and spices.Shake the air fryer basket a couple of times while the croutons bake.
Storage
Store homemade croutons in an airtight container like a mason jar or a zip-lock bag at room temperature (on a shelf or the kitchen counter) for up to one to two weeks. They can keep crunchy for longer if you live in a dry place. We do not recommend storing homemade croutons in the refrigerator. The moist air in there will make them soggy faster. Freeze croutons in a freezer-friendly bag for up to 2 months. To thaw, spread them onto a baking sheet or a large plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb extra moisture. They’ll thaw in a couple of hours at room temperature.To make them crunchy, air fry at 400°F or 200°C for about 2 to 3 minutes.
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