Lemon & garlic air fryer croutons (or oven baked)

The key to a really satisfying salad is having a variety of textures and flavors, plus at least one element that will keep you full. One tasty way of adding heartiness and oomph to salads is with the addition of croutons.

Sure, you could buy boxed croutons, but why?

Homemade croutons are so much more delicious. They can be elevated with mouthwatering seasonings like fresh lemon and garlic.

Plus, they take almost no work at all, especially with the help of an air fryer. (Don’t worry. I include standard oven directions too!)

Unlike store-bought croutons that are all crunch, homemade croutons have some give. You can break through the crackling exterior and get to a hint of softness underneath.

They’re browned around the edges and crisp enough to add a satisfying texture. But they can still be pierced with a fork on your way to the avocado.

Plus, making croutons at home is a great way of repurposing stale bread that’s past its prime. You can be sure nothing goes to waste.

In this post:

Cubed bread: Mild-flavored bread (like baguette) will let the lemon, garlic, and herbs really shine. But a more heavily flavored bread (like olive fougasse) can bring its own personality. Go with whatever sounds good to you!

Remember: To keep this air fryer recipe vegan, be sure to check the bread ingredient list before buying.

Extra virgin olive oil: This fruity and pungent oil helps with browning and to get the herbs and seasonings to stick to the bread.

Lemon juice: For the best flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bottled just can’t compare.

Garlic: For a milder flavor, use granulated garlic. For a more pronounced hit of garlic, use a finely grated clove. (A grater or garlic press works especially well here!)

Seasonings: Dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper add delicious flavor and interest.

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

In a mixing bowl, combine the following:

• Cubed bread
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Freshly grated garlic (or granulated garlic)
• Salt
• Pepper

Tip: Remember to cut the bread cubes in even sizes, so that they cook at the same rate.

Put the seasoned bread cubes into the air fryer basket, being careful not to overcrowd. (If overcrowded, the croutons won’t brown as well.)

Air fry until browned and crispy on the outside but still tender inside. (See complete instructions in the recipe card below.)

Remember: Air fryers vary by heat output. Keep an eye on the croutons during the last couple minutes of cooking to make sure they don’t get too brown. Depending on your air fryer and bread cube size, they might need to cook a longer or shorter amount of time.

Remove the croutons from the air fryer basket and serve with salad or soup.

To make homemade croutons in the oven, season the bread cubes in a mixing bowl, the same as the air fryer instructions.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then put the seasoned bread cubes on it, making sure they’re evenly laid across it with room in between for best browning.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, stopping once to flip halfway through.

You can make this easy crouton recipe your own by varying the ingredients.

• Vary the type of bread. This recipe can be used with any savory bread that you enjoy like sourdough or ciabatta. Tip: I absolutely love using olive fougasse from Trader Joe’s for this recipe. If you’re an olive fan, definitely try it that way!
• Replace EVOO with vegan melted butter. (Like all butter, non-dairy butter is salty. So if you’re using it instead of oil, you may not need that additional pinch of salt in the recipe.)
• Use fresh garlic instead of granulated. Granulated garlic is very convenient, but the garlic flavor really pops when you use a fresh clove.
• Vary the seasonings. Add a generous pinch of dried parsley, thyme, rosemary, and/or onion powder in addition to the other herbs. Or use a teaspoon of your favorite Italian seasoning blend instead of dried oregano and basil.

Of course, croutons add crunch and heartiness to any salad. Consider adding them to any of these salad recipes:

• Avocado caprese salad
• Kale salad with roasted chickpeas
• Chef salad with vegan ranch dressing
• Spinach salad with strawberries
• Tomato cucumber salad
• Fall salad with apples and candied pecans

I also love homemade croutons in soups, in place of crackers. Use them to top any of these soups:

• Creamy vegan tomato soup
• Vegan split pea soup
• Three bean chili
• Creamy vegan wild rice soup

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for 2 or 3 days.

They can be quickly reheated in the air fryer or oven until warmed and crispy.

📖 Recipe

Lemon & garlic air fryer croutons (or oven baked)

Author: Cadry Nelson

5 from 4 votes

Don't let yesterday's bread go to waste! Repurpose it into croutons. These flavorful, crisp bites add a delicious crunch to lunch. Air fry them or roast in the oven! (Oven directions are in the notes.) 

Makes 2 cups of croutons

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: air fryer, dairy free, side

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 heaping cups cubed baguette or your preferred bread, cut in 1 inch pieces*
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1 clove garlic finely grated or ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ Pinch of pepper

Instructions

• ▢
  Put cubed baguette into a large mixing bowl. Evenly drizzle extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice across the bread. Then sprinkle on dried oregano, dried basil, garlic granules, salt, and pepper.
• ▢
  Use a spoon or your hands to toss the cubed bread, getting everything evenly coated, and making sure the spices are on the bread instead of stuck on the sides of the bowl.
• ▢
  Put the bread into the air fryer basket. Cook at 400 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes, stopping once or twice to shake the basket.

  (Air fryers vary in heat output. And if the bread cubes are on the large side, they may take longer to brown. Keep cooking until the cubes have reached your desired level of crispiness.)
• ▢
  Remove the croutons from the air fryer basket and serve on top of your favorite salad.

Notes

*I like to slice the baguette in even one inch slices, and then cut those slices into quarters. That will basically give you the size that you need.

Oven directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Complete steps one and two. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay the cubed bread evenly across it. Bake for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Remember: For either cooking method, it’s good to keep an eye on the croutons during the last couple minutes to make sure they don’t get too brown. Depending on the size of cubes, they might need to cook a longer or shorter amount of time.

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Nutrition

Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 0.4mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Content, recipe, and photos updated February 28, 2024. Originally posted August 14, 2017 as “vegan croutons in the air fryer or oven.”