Sourdough Croutons are a delicious way to use up stale sourdough bread. Easy to prepare, they deliver a herby flavor and a satisfying crunchy texture. Sprinkle them over salads, float them in soups, or enjoy them straight from the sheet pan while still warm.
We love sourdough in our household, but it doesn’t stay fresh for long. When a loaf starts to age, turning it into croutons is the perfect fix — quick, economical, and always crowd-pleasing.
If you’re new to baking sourdough, there are plenty of guides on creating and maintaining a starter. Once you have a loaf, these croutons are one of the fastest, tastiest ways to use any day-old bread.
🍞Ingredients
Bread: About half a loaf of sourdough (preferably homemade), cut into uniform cubes. Any bread will work if you don’t have sourdough.
Spices: A simple Italian seasoning blend works beautifully. You can substitute or mix your favorite dried herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, or basil.
Other: Olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, and fine sea salt to taste.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
🔪How to Make
These croutons are fast and straightforward. For best results, bake them shortly before serving so they’re fresh and crunchy.
Step 1: Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly rub with olive oil. Set aside.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Step 3: Dice the bread into cubes about 1.5–2 inches. Try to keep pieces uniform so they bake evenly; smaller cubes will be crisper.
Step 4: Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil — enough for the seasonings to stick but not so much that the bread is soaked.
Step 5: In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
Step 6: Sprinkle the seasoning over the oiled bread and toss until the cubes are evenly coated.
Step 7: Spread the cubes in a single, even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 8: Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the croutons are golden brown and crisp. Rotate the pan halfway through baking to promote even browning.
💡Pro Tip: Remove the croutons when they are just crisp — they’ll firm up more as they cool. Overbaking can make them too hard.
Allow the croutons to cool on the sheet pan, then serve warm or store once completely cool. They pair perfectly with salads and soups.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes. Once fully cooled, store croutons in a freezer-safe bag with as much air removed as possible.
Make sure the cubes are in a single layer and not crowded. Overlapping pieces won’t crisp properly.
If stored before they are completely cool, trapped moisture will make croutons soggy. Let them cool fully on the pan before sealing.
🍪Other Sourdough Recipes
-
Sourdough Discard Recipes
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Sourdough Cookie Recipes
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Sourdough Scones
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Sourdough Focaccia Bread
Did you make this recipe? If you enjoyed it, please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card and share how it turned out in the comments — I love hearing from readers!
📋Recipe
Sourdough Croutons
Equipment
- Bread Knife
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 8 Cups Diced Sourdough Bread (see notes on size)
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly rub with olive oil. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Dice leftover bread into 1.5–2″ cubes, keeping pieces as uniform as possible.
- Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil so seasonings will stick without soaking the bread.
- In a small bowl, mix Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the bread and toss to coat evenly.
- Spread the cubes in a single layer on the prepared sheet.
- Bake 15–20 minutes until golden and crisp, rotating the pan halfway through for even browning.
- Remove when just crisp — they will harden if overbaked.
- Let cool fully on the sheet, then serve or store. They’re excellent in salads and soups.
Notes
Bread: This recipe uses about half a loaf of sourdough. Homemade yields the best flavor and texture, but any bread will work.
Cut bread into roughly 1–1.5″ slices before dicing so the final cubes are uniform and bake evenly.
Spices: Italian seasoning pairs wonderfully with garlic and onion powder, but feel free to use individual dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, or basil.
Nutrition
