Homemade Oil-Free Croutons

If you are oil-free like I am, you’ll recall the crispy crunchy croutons you gave up long ago. Great news for your soups and salads, and even pasta dishes! This easy recipe is divine as a golden crown on all of the above.

First, the quick back story. Over the past 10 years I’ve had many clients with serious digestive challenges. It’s among the most common reasons people seek my help as a plant-based coach and personal chef. I recently read Fiber Fueled by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and became fascinated with his plant-based solutions that help people recover from dysbiosis and restore optimal gut health. (Have you read this book? Please let me know in comments below!)

Dr. Bulziewicz deep dives into the tremendous value of fiber and plant diversity – no surprise. He also discusses the importance of fermented foods in our daily routine. Miso, tempeh, kimchi, and sourdough bread (yes sourdough bread!) can help rebalance our microbiome and provide significant gut healing, health-promoting benefits.

That’s how I happened to experiment with sourdough bread for this recipe. That said, please use Ezekiel bread, dark rye…anything you prefer, if you’d rather, and get your fermentation (as I usually do too) elsewhere.

Now back to the recipe…

Oil-free croutons! These are simple to make, and again, use any bread you like. Happily, if you end up with any extra croutons, they can be stored for several days in the refrigerator, and even longer in the freezer. To revive those leftover croutons to perfection, just air-fry or bake in the oven for a few minutes. Either way, now you can have deliciously easy, guilt-free croutons ready to enjoy anytime you like.

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HOMEMADE OIL-FREE CROUTONS

Servings: varies
Print

5 cups favorite leftover bread slices (sourdough, Ezekiel, etc.)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have ready a large nonstick roasting pan (Scanpan is still my favorite).

Cut slices of toast into 1-inch cubes, and place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together water, tomato paste, herbs de Provence, onion powder, and salt.

Drizzle seasoned tomato mixture evenly over bread cubes. Using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon (or clean hands), toss gently but thoroughly, until all cubes are moistened and flavored evenly.

Spread croutons onto the roasting pan in a single layer. Bake in the oven for around 40 minutes, until crispy on the outside, tossing occasionally. Once crispy, remove from oven and serve warm or at room temperature.

Leftover baked croutons? Store extras in the refrigerator or freezer. Reheat by air-frying at 400 degrees for approximately 3 minutes, or by baking in the oven for around 6 minutes at 425 degrees. Test along the way to be sure they don’t burn. Once crispy, remove from oven or air-fryer and serve immediately.