Garlic parmesan croutons! Crispy little numbers that are absolutely loaded with cheesy garlic herb flavor and are ready to take your soup or salad to the next level.
In case you couldn’t tell by that golden, spice-covered crouton glistening with crispiness, these Parmesan croutons are the real deal. They’re packed with flavor thanks to a few simple tricks that make all the difference—and once you try them, you’ll never look at store-bought croutons the same way again.
It all starts with great bread. I like to head to a good local bakery and grab an unsliced loaf—cheese bread, herb bread, or anything that sounds irresistible. Once home, cut the loaf into cubes (about 1½ inches is perfect, but smaller cubes work too (like my mini soup croutons )and just need less oven time). Toss the bread generously with olive oil, spices, and plenty of Parmesan, making sure every nook and cranny is coated. If any cheese or seasoning settles in the bowl, swipe the bread through it so nothing goes to waste. After a short bake, you’ll be hovering near the stove, risking burnt fingertips to snack on hot, cheesy croutons straight from the pan. They’re that good—and so easy to make, there’s really no reason not to treat yourself.
Two more crouton recipes to add to your list to try next are my bacon croutons and lemon pepper croutons .
Ingredients you’ll need
Cheese bread – Sure, you could use a regular unsliced loaf of bread to make these parmesan croutons, but why would you do that? Starting with cheese bread ensures a deliciously cheesy flavor throughout.
Olive oil – This is what makes the croutons crispy. Without it, they would be little dried out pieces of toast.
Parmesan cheese – After you grate it, crumble it with your fingers into a powder; it’ll stick better this way.
Nutritional yeast – Yes, this is often used as a dairy-free substitute for parmesan cheese. But its flavor is wonderful and really adds to these croutons.
Spices – Here we’re looking at garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning , salt, and pepper. Don’t be shocked by the generous portions, it’s the perfect amount for bringing big-time delicious flavor to these croutons.
Use parmesan croutons on everything
These croutons feel right at home on a salad. They love being tossed in our bacon kale caesar salad or in our asparagus salad . Or level up the greens on your plate with a pile of these croutons on top.
Elevate your soup. While I really do love my mini soup croutons for soup, these parmesan croutons are perfect for when you want to fill your soup bowl with deliciously big crunchy bites. Pictured above are these croutons on top of our simple tomato bacon soup .
Level up your casserole. If you love crispy croutons on top of casserole (like mom’s tuna rice casserole ) then use these cheesy croutons and be prepared to be wowed.
Master your bread stuffing. Yes, I have a recipe for the best stuffing ever. And yes, it can be made even better than better by using these garlicky parmesan croutons.
Snacks! Chances are you’ll find yourself going back to the hot out of the oven tray to sneak more and more bites. So why not put these into a bowl, turn on a movie, and snack!
Garlic Parmesan Croutons Recipe
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Ingredients
- ▢ 1 loaf cheese bread (see notes)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- ▢ 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ▢ 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- ▢ ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the bread into 1 ½ inch cubes and put them into a large bowl. 1 loaf cheese bread
- Grate the parmesan cheese into a medium-sized bowl. Uses your fingers to crumble the cheese into a powder. Add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and mix well. 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Pour the olive oil over the bread cubes and sprinkle the spices over top. Use your hands to mix the bread cubes and ensure that each cube is well coated in oil and spices. ½ cup olive oil
- Transfer the bread cubes to a baking sheet. If there is any of the cheese and spices in the bottom of the bowl, take a few pieces of bread and swipe them through it so make sure all of the flavor is used.
- Bake the croutons for 25-30 minutes, mixing them halfway through. They are done when they’re golden brown and mostly crispy. They will continue to crisp as they cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Try these parmesan croutons in these recipes
Roasted Garlic Soup – Rich and Creamy
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Dairy-Free Tuna Brown Rice Casserole with Cashew Cream Sauce
Garlic Parmesan Croutons Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf cheese bread , see notes
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the bread into 1 ½ inch cubes and put them into a large bowl. 1 loaf cheese bread
- Grate the parmesan cheese into a medium-sized bowl. Uses your fingers to crumble the cheese into a powder. Add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and mix well. 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Pour the olive oil over the bread cubes and sprinkle the spices over top. Use your hands to mix the bread cubes and ensure that each cube is well coated in oil and spices. ½ cup olive oil
- Transfer the bread cubes to a baking sheet. If there is any of the cheese and spices in the bottom of the bowl, take a few pieces of bread and swipe them through it so make sure all of the flavor is used.
- Bake the croutons for 25-30 minutes, mixing them halfway through. They are done when they’re golden brown and mostly crispy. They will continue to crisp as they cool.
