Cookbook:Garlic Croutons

Garlic Croutons
Category	Bread recipes
Time	20 minutes
Difficulty

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes | Bread | French cuisine | Salads | Soups

Garlic croutons can be purchased but are much better when made from old bread. They are a crucial ingredient of Caesar Salad.

Variation I

Variation I
Servings	4
Time	20 minutes
Difficulty

Ingredients

• 4 slices day-old French bread, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

Procedure

1. Pour the olive oil into a shallow bowl over the garlic and let it soak. Soaking it longer will yield more garlic flavor.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (~180 °C).
3. Strain the olive oil into a frying pan and fry the bread cubes in it, tossing to coat with oil.
4. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy and dry.

Notes, tips, and variations

• To make non-garlic croutons, simply omit the garlic.
• One may omit the prep work of mincing the garlic by adding the whole cloves of garlic to the oil and then crushing the garlic (either with a mortar or a fork).
• By using very small bread cubes, frying crisp, and omitting the baking, these croutons may be used in place of potatoes.

Variation II

Variation II
Yield	1 cup
Time	20 minutes
Difficulty

Ingredients

• 1 cup ½-inches bread cubes from good-quality French or Italian loaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Procedure

1. Warm an 8-inch skillet over low heat while preparing bread. A minute before you are ready to cook, turn heat up to medium.
2. Toss bread in a bowl with oil, salt, and garlic powder.
3. Cook, stirring often, until crisp and golden brown (about 7 minutes).
4. Use as a garnish for soups and salads.

Variation III

Variation III
Time	20 minutes
Difficulty

Ingredients

• 1 stale loaf Italian bread, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes
• ¼ cup (about 50 ml) olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Procedure

1. Place cubes on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) until thoroughly dried.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add seasonings and combine with oil. Add bread cubes and toss to coat.
3. Cook until crisp. Remove and set aside until needed.