These perfectly crunchy seasoned Italian Air Fryer Croutons are easy to make in under 15 minutes. They make delicious additions to salads, stuffing, soups, and so much more.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Croutons Recipe
• 🛒 Ingredients for Homemade Croutons
• 🔪 How to Make Croutons in the Air Fryer
• 💡 Tips for Making Croutons in the Air Fryer
• ☑️ Storage Instructions
• 🍴 Creative Ways to Use Croutons
• 🔄 Substitutions and Additions
• What Other Types of Bread Can I Use for Croutons?
• Are Croutons Healthy?
• How Can I Salvage Stale Croutons?
• Can I Make These Croutons in the Oven?
• 🍽️ Healthy Crackers and Chips Recipes

❤️ Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Croutons Recipe

• Savory Italian flavors
• Perfectly crunchy texture
• Parmesan cheese makes them absolutely delicious
• Easy to make in under 15 minutes
• Use over salads or in a stuffing

Making a batch of these air fryer crotons could not be any easier, and they're so much better than store-bought. This recipe starts with fresh cubes of bread tossed in an olive oil, butter, and herb mixture.

Once they're all evenly coated, they're sprinkled with Parmesan cheese before being air fried to crispy perfection. These homemade croutons will take any salad or soup to the next level with their irresistible crunch and flavor.

You'll love making croutons from scratch because you can season them any way you prefer, like with this zesty homemade Dry Ranch Mix. Make sure to check out the other really tasty variations that I included below.

🛒 Ingredients for Homemade Croutons

• French or Italian bread
• Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Garlic
• Dried parsley
• Dried basil
• Garlic salt
• Herbs de Provence
• Ground black pepper

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Air fryer
• Mixing bowl

🔪 How to Make Croutons in the Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes.

Add the butter, olive oil, garlic, dried herbs, salt, and pepper to a microwave safe bowl.

Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds and whisk to combine.

Slice the bread into semi-thick slices, then cut each slice into cubes.

Add the bread cubes to a large mixing bowl.

Pour the butter mixture over the bread and toss to combine. 

Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the top and continue tossing, making sure all sides of the bread cubes are well coated.

Pour the cubes into your air fryer basket, making sure they are in a single layer.

Air fry at 350°F for 4 minutes, shake the basket, and cook another 2-3 minutes or until they are golden and crispy.

💡 Tips for Making Croutons in the Air Fryer

• Use quality bread, but don't worry about it being super fresh. Day old bread works great for making croutons.
• Make sure to use both butter and olive olive. The combination adds incredible flavor and helps them crisp up.
• To ensure they cook evenly, try to cut the cubes into as close to the same size pieces as you can.

☑️ Storage Instructions

Croutons will keep in an airtight container for a couple days at room temperature. Make sure the croutons are completely cool before storing them.

You can also throw them in the freezer in a freezer bag for about a month, though they are best when freshly made.

🍴 Creative Ways to Use Croutons

• Soup topping: Float homemade croutons on top of soups such as tomato soup, butternut squash soup, or this Broccoli Cheddar Soup for added texture.

• Casseroles: Sprinkle homemade croutons over creamy casseroles like this Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole or this Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole for a crunchy topping.

• Charcuterie boards: Include some of these homemade croutons on charcuterie boards. They can provide a crispy contrast to the assortment of cheeses, meats, fruits, and nuts.

• For dipping: You can make these homemade croutons a little larger and serve alongside dips like this homemade Roasted Garlic Hummus, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Whipped Feta Dip, or Buffalo Chicken Dip.

• Stuffing: Use homemade croutons as the base for homemade stuffing or dressing during holiday meals.   

• Snacking: You can enjoy homemade croutons as a standalone savory snack straight out of the container.

• Breadcrumbs: If you have leftover croutons add them to a food processor to make seasoned breadcrumbs. They’ll work great in homemade meatballs and meatloaves.

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

• Lemon zest: Sprinkle the zest from one lemon over the crispy air-fried croutons for a bright, citrus flavor.

• Spicy croutons: Sprinkle them with a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a spicy kick.

• Rosemary and thyme: Replace dried basil and parsley with finely chopped fresh rosemary thyme for a different twist.

• Smoked paprika: Add a subtle smoky flavor with smoked paprika.

• Italian seasoning blend: Use an Italian seasoning blend instead of individual herbs for convenience.

• Mexican croutons: Create a mixture of onion powder, cumin, garlic salt, and chili powder. Use this mixture instead of the herbs in the recipe:  

• Nutritional yeast: Swap the parmesan with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a cheesy, vegan option.

What Other Types of Bread Can I Use for Croutons?

Other than French or Italian, here are some other great bread options to use:

• Sourdough bread
• Ciabatta
• Baguette
• Whole wheat bread
• Multigrain bread
• Rye bread
• Pumpernickel bread
• Challah
• Focaccia
• Brioche

Are Croutons Healthy?

Okay, so maybe these croutons fall into the category of "occasional indulgences." While they may not necessarily be healthy, one serving only has about 86 calories.

Another great thing about these croutons is that they're made using olive oil and butter instead of inflammatory and unhealthy canola oil.

How Can I Salvage Stale Croutons?

Stale croutons can be revived by briefly reheating them in the air fryer (or oven) until they are crispy again.

Can I Make These Croutons in the Oven?

If you don't have an air fryer you can easily make them in the oven. Place them in an even layer of a line baked sheet. Bake on 375°F for about 12-15, flipping them half way through.

🍽️ Healthy Crackers and Chips Recipes

• Easy Cheese Crisps
• Healthy 4-Seed Crackers
• Keto Graham Crackers
• Keto Ranch Crackers
• Everything Bagel Crackers
• Homemade Pita Chips