Your Salad Is Missing These Homemade Garlic and Herb Croutons
Serious Eats / Two BitesI always know a recipe I'm developing is a success if I see my husband lingering at the kitchen counter sneaking bites when he thinks I’m not looking. (This is especially true if I have already made several different versions of the same dish—the winner is always the one my husband returns to over and over.) In this case, it’s garlic and herb croutons, which I think of as smaller, crispier versions of garlic bread. Croutons are a great way to use up stale bread you may have, and they’re easy to prepare. They bring a savory crunch to salads and soups, and are also delicious on their own as a snack—my husband keeps them in a bowl on his desk and eats them like popcorn.To add maximum garlic and woodsy herb flavor to the croutons, I use the same method Kenji employs for his best-ever roasted potatoes: I heat the fresh garlic, rosemary, and thyme in olive oil until the garlic just begins to brown, then I strain the solids out and use the infused oil to coat the croutons. You get all the flavor of the aromatics without any risk of them burning during the toasting process, which can give the croutons an unpleasant bitterness. When the croutons are done, I reincorporate the garlic and herbs, tossing to ensure the croutons are evenly coated with the fragrant aromatics. As in my recipe for plain croutons, I recommend using a crusty loaf of bread like sourdough, ciabatta, or baguette, which become satisfyingly crisp when turned into croutons. While sandwich bread and brioche are great for other applications, in my tests I found that their subtle sweetness didn't work very well with the savory flavors I wanted in my croutons. But feel free to use whatever you have on hand—with sweeter loaves like brioche or milk bread, you might just have to adjust for seasoning. No matter what kind of bread you use, the croutons will still be delicious, and you may very well find yourself eating them by the handful.Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Add bread to a large bowl. In a small saucepan, combine olive oil with garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Cook over medium heat, stirring and shaking pan constantly, until garlic just begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Immediately strain oil through a fine-mesh strainer over large bowl with bread; reserve and set aside garlic and herb mixture.Serious Eats / Amanda SuarezToss bread with oil, salt, and pepper to evenly coat. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until croutons are golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes.Serious Eats / Amanda SuarezRemove from oven and cool completely at room temperature before serving or storing, about 20 minutes.Serious Eats / Amanda SuarezSpecial EquipmentSmall saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, rimmed baking sheetMake-Ahead and StorageThe croutons can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings