Crispy Crunchy Croutons

Homemade croutons are underrated. They are crispy, crunchy and, when seasoned correctly, pack a powerful punch that brings life to a salad. Moreover, homemade croutons can be done in about 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf of day-old Sourdough bread (diced into cubes)

~1/2 cup to 1 cup of Olive Oil (high quality if possible)

2-3 teaspoons Oregano

2 teaspoons of Paprika

1 teaspoon of Chili Powder

1.5 teaspoons of Basil (freshly diced, if possible)

1.5 teaspoons of Onion Powder

2-3 cloves of crushed garlic

2 teaspoons Garlic powder

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Slice and dice the sourdough bread into cubes. Works best with almost 2 day-old bread.
3. Place the pieces into a large and combine the olive oil and spices. Note: Gently drizzle the olive oil little by little.
4. Optional: You can gently toast your spices on the stove for a couple of minutes.
5. Gently mix each of the cubes until they are evenly coated in spices.
6. Place each on cube on a tray covered with a baking sheet
7. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. The croutons should be crunchy and crispy.
8. Cool on a wire rack
9. Serve with your choice of salad ( I recommend the spinach salad)
10. Recommendations: In addition to spinach salads, I would pair it with a light mustard vinaigrette, red onions, and tomatoes.

Recommendations: In addition to spinach salads, I would pair it with a light mustard vinaigrette, red onions, and tomatoes.