Easy Garlicky Homemade Sprouted Croutons
Add a pop of flavour, contrasting crunch, and the high-fibre sprouted whole grain goodness to any salad with our Easy Garlicky Homemade Sprouted Croutons!
Ingredients
- 6 slices Silver Hills Bakery organic sprouted Multigrain bread (or your favourite Silver Hills Bakery bread (we used a mix of Soft Wheat and Multigrain in our photos))
- 3 Tbsp olive oil or non-dairy butter , melted
- 2 cloves garlic , grated or crushed (or ¼ tsp garlic powder)
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried parsley or other fresh or dried herbs, spices, or seasonings (see tips))
- To taste salt and pepper , optional (see tips))
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Cut sprouted bread into bite-sized (3/4 – 1-inch (2 – 2.5-cm)) cubes.
- In a medium bowl, combine your choice of olive oil or melted plant-based butter, garlic, and any herbs, spices, or seasonings you want. Add sprouted bread cubes and toss until evenly coated.
- Spread seasoned sprouted bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until golden and crispy throughout, about 12 minutes total. Flip the bread cubes halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving with your salad or storing. Store homemade sprouted croutons in an airtight container or zip top bag for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 weeks (see To Freeze and To Reheat tips below).
Tips
- Garlic and parsley are just a starting point—**give some other sprouted crouton seasonings a try!** Herbs and spices that pair well with our garlicky sprouted crouton base: - Rosemary - Thyme - Oregano - Italian seasoning - Dill - Sage - Lemon pepper (or lemon zest + pepper) - Cumin - Paprika (sweet, smoked, or hot) - Chili powder (regular, chipotle, or ancho chili powder) - Cayenne pepper (start with ¼ tsp, taste, and dial up the spice ¼ tsp at a time as desired) - Nutritional yeast (start with 1 – 2 Tbsp)- **Season sprouted croutons to taste with a pinch or two of salt if using olive oil versus melted plant-based butter.** (Unless specifically labelled unsalted, most non-dairy butters already have a little salt, so you may prefer to skip the optional added salt or add less when using plant-based butter).- **Half or double—sprouted croutons scale up or down with ease!** On salad duty for a potluck, picnic, or dinner party? Double or triple the batch! Making salad for one? Halve the recipe and make what you need in your toaster oven or air fryer! - **For air fryer sprouted croutons:** Start with 400°F for 4 minutes. (Air fryers vary, but this is a good place to begin). Be sure to preheat your air fryer and toss halfway for even browning. Add time in 2-minute increments if not golden and crispy after 4 minutes.
To Freeze
- **Moisture leads to soggy croutons!** Make sure your homemade sprouted bread croutons are baked until they’re no longer soft in the middle before freezing. (Give one a taste test to check they’re crisp throughout and return soft-centred sprouted croutons to the oven for a couple more minutes as needed until fully crisp.)- Transfer room temperature sprouted croutons to an airtight container or zip top freezer bag and freeze up to 6 weeks.
To Reheat
- **To thaw frozen sprouted croutons:** About 30 minutes before serving, remove as many frozen sprouted croutons as you need, and return remaining croutons to the freezer. Transfer frozen croutons to a plate or baking sheet and allow to defrost in a single layer. - **To re-crisp thawed sprouted croutons:** If your sprouted bread croutons have lost some of their crispness, reheat them one of two ways: 1. On medium-low in a frying pan for a couple minutes until crisp—watch closely and toss or flip so they don’t burn! 2. In the oven at 300°F on a baking sheet until crisp (about 5 minutes).