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Home » Air Fryer » Air Fryer Garlic Croutons

Air Fryer Garlic Croutons

Published: Mar 28, 2022 · Last Updated: Mar 30, 2022 by Aimee - This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Air Fryer Garlic Croutons are easy to make and a crunchy addition to salads or soups! These croutons crisp up perfectly in an air fryer and have just the right amount of garlic flavor. They are a perfect use for leftover, day-old, or slightly stale bread!

Garlic croutons up close.

Is there anything better than homemade croutons? What about croutons that are SO quick and easy to make in the air fryer. Quicker than chopping up all those veggies for your salad or cooking your soup.

And these crunchy croutons have just the right amount of crisp when you bite into them. Honestly, I've been guilty of just snacking on them by themselves. But they are great in so many soups and salads! You can easily add them to salads like this cheeseburger salad or Tuscan salad. I also love them in soups, especially this creamy butternut squash soup.

Why make croutons in the air fryer?

There are so many reasons I love making air fryer croutons:

  • So much quicker than cooking in an oven!
  • They come out perfectly crunchy.
  • You can easily check on them to make sure they reach the perfect level of doneness.
  • Uses less energy than an oven (and doesn't heat up the house in the summer!)
  • And honestly, using an air fryer is just fun.

Ingredients:

  • French loaf - I used half of a French loaf in this recipe. You could also use sourdough, a baguette, ciabatta, or other crusty bread.
  • Olive oil - Olive oil helps crisp up the bread perfectly.
  • Garlic powder - The garlic powder gives the croutons their garlic flavor.
  • Onion powder - The onion powder helps to balance the garlic powder and add an additional savory component.
  • Salt - Salt helps to bring out all the other flavors.
  • Dried parsley - I love using dried parsley to bring a little color to the croutons. However, you could also use dried oregano for a slightly different flavor.
Loaf of French bread.

What type of air fryer to use?

These can be made in any air fryer, but they work especially well in the basket kind because you can just remove the basket and shake, shake, shake as needed. I have a Cosori Air Fryer and I love it.

If you don't have an air fryer and are wondering if it's right for you, check out my post on 5 things to consider before buying an air fryer.

Do you need to use stale bread?

In this recipe? No. You don't need to use stale bread to make the croutons. In fact, I recommend using one to two day-old bread for the best results. You can use slightly stale bread, but never use moldy bread (even if you cut off the moldy parts).

Cooking tips:

  • All air fryers cook differently. Make sure to check frequently near the end to reach that perfect level of doneness.
  • When coating the bread with the olive oil, add an additional 1 teaspoon oil if needed.
  • Shake, shake shake the croutons in your air fryer basket. When I'm making these, I shake every couple of minutes.
  • Note that this recipe uses half a loaf of French bread, or about 5 cups after cutting into cubes. If using a full loaf, cook in two batches.
Garlic croutons on a plate.

How to make:

Preheat your air fryer at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.

While air fryer is preheating, slice your bread into chunks about 1-2 inches in size. Add to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the bread and toss to combine until olive oil is completely distributed amongst the bread pieces. Add an additional 1 teaspoon oil if needed. Bread should still be light and fluffy.

Bread chunks in a bowl.

Add your spices to a bowl and then stir to combine.

Spices in a bowl - garlic powder, salt, onion powder, dried parsley.

Add your spice mix to the bowl and toss to combine until spice mixture is evenly distributed.

Bread chunks in a glass bowl with spices.

Add bread to your preheated air fryer basket.

Bread chunks in the air fryer.

Cook for 4-6 minutes, tossing/shaking every couple of minutes, until bread is browned.

Cooked croutons in air fryer basket.

Serve your croutons however desired! If serving on a salad, let cook for a couple of minutes before adding to a salad.

Garlic croutons on a plate.

Storing the croutons:

These croutons can be stored in an uncovered container for up to 2 weeks. If they are slightly chewy, you can dry out in an oven at a low heat or pop into your air fryer for a minute.

Other air fryer recipes to love:

  • Air Fryer Bananas
  • Air Fryer Squash
  • Air Fryer Greek Chicken Thighs
  • Air Fryer Honey Garlic Salmon
  • Air Fryer Quesadillas
Garlic croutons up close.

Air Fryer Garlic Croutons

Recipe by Aimee
Air Fryer Garlic Croutons are easy to make and a crunchy addition to salads or soups! These croutons crisp up perfectly in an air fryer and have just the right amount of garlic flavor.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 6 mins
Total Time 11 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 100 kcal

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

  • ½ loaf French bread cut into 1 inch cubes (about 5 cups)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
  • Take the French loaf and slice into cubes. Add the cubes to a large bowl.
  • Drizzle the olive oil over the cubes and toss until all the cubes have been slightly moistened with the olive oil.
  • In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, parsley, onion powder and salt. Add the mixture to the bread cubes and toss until well distributed.
  • Add the cubes to the air fryer basket. Cook for 4-6 minutes at 400 degrees F until lightly browned, shaking every couple of minutes.

Notes

  • All air fryers cook differently. Make sure to check frequently near the end to reach that perfect level of doneness.
  • When coating the bread with the olive oil, add an additional 1 teaspoon oil if needed.
  • Shake, shake shake the croutons in your air fryer basket. When I'm making these, I shake every couple of minutes.
  • Note that this recipe uses half a loaf of French bread, or about 5 cups after cutting into cubes. If using a full loaf, cook in two batches.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 187mgPotassium: 35mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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Hi! I'm Aimee, and I'm so glad you stopped by! I love sharing easy recipes that are flavorful and delicious.
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