These lemon pepper croutons made with sourdough bread, olive oil, and lemon pepper seasoning add a delicious crunch to blended soups and salads. They’re tasty, crunchy, simple to make, and you only need five ingredients!
Once I started making my own croutons, I never looked back. They’re incredibly simple to throw together, use just a handful of ingredients, and taste so much better than anything from the store. These lemon pepper croutons are especially good—crunchy, golden, and full of bright, punchy flavor.
I make them with chunks of sourdough tossed in olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and a touch of garlic powder and sea salt. I usually use my homemade lemon pepper blend , which already includes garlic and salt, but it’s easy to adjust depending on what you have. A little fresh lemon at the end wakes everything up and adds a clean, citrusy finish.
They’re perfect for sprinkling over green or Caesar salads , floating in blended vegetable soups, or, honestly, just snacking on straight from the pan. Once you see how easy and flavorful homemade croutons can be, it’s hard to go back.
How to serve lemon pepper croutons
Brighten up soups with these crunchy lemon pepper croutons. Serve them in a blended soup like our cozy celery soup or garlic soup for added texture and a pop of lemon flavor. Or toss them with a spring mix salad to add a special bite.
You can also keep the theme going by making my lemon pepper fish or lemon pepper chicken as the main.
Lemon Pepper Croutons Recipe
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Ingredients
- ▢ ⅓ loaf unsliced sourdough
- ▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ▢ 4 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and garlic powder (see notes)
- ▢ 2 slices of lemon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 35 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the bread into small cubes and place them into a bowl. You’ll want 4 cups of bread cubes. ⅓ loaf unsliced sourdough
- Add the oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and (if using) salt and garlic powder to the bread cubes. Use your hands to mix them well then spread them out on the baking tray. Add the slices of lemon to the tray. 4 tablespoons olive oil, 4 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning, ¼ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and garlic powder, 2 slices of lemon
- Bake the croutons for 15 minutes then remove the tray from the oven. Use tongs to squeeze the lemons over the croutons (some of the lemon pulp will come out – this is a good thing!) then mix them around well. Return them to the oven to bake for another 15-20 minutes, until they are golden and crispy.
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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Lemon Pepper Croutons Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ loaf unsliced sourdough
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and garlic powder , see notes
- 2 slices of lemon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 35 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the bread into small cubes and place them into a bowl. You’ll want 4 cups of bread cubes. ⅓ loaf unsliced sourdough
- Add the oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and (if using) salt and garlic powder to the bread cubes. Use your hands to mix them well then spread them out on the baking tray. Add the slices of lemon to the tray. 4 tablespoons olive oil, 4 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning, ¼ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and garlic powder, 2 slices of lemon
- Bake the croutons for 15 minutes then remove the tray from the oven. Use tongs to squeeze the lemons over the croutons (some of the lemon pulp will come out - this is a good thing!) then mix them around well. Return them to the oven to bake for another 15-20 minutes, until they are golden and crispy.
