Homemade air fryer croutons turn leftover bread into crunchy, garlic-and-herb salad toppers in minutes. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (177°C), cook the seasoned cubes for about 5–7 minutes, and shake the basket halfway through. Their golden edges and crisp centers make them just as good scattered over soup as over a big green salad.
Ingredients
- 4 cups day-old sourdough or country bread, cut into roughly ¾-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Day-old bread is handy because it starts a little drier, but fresh bread works too. Keep the cubes similar in size so the smaller pieces do not burn while larger ones are still soft. Garlic powder distributes more evenly than minced fresh garlic and is less likely to scorch during this quick cook.
How To Make It
- Preheat a basket-style air fryer with its crisper plate in place to 350°F (177°C). Leave the basket empty during preheating; do not put loose parchment inside.
- Put the bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and toss gently until the cubes are lightly and evenly coated.
- Spread the bread in the unlined, perforated basket in a loose layer. The cubes can touch, but avoid packing them tightly; cook in two batches if needed so hot air can circulate.
- Air fry for 5–7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Start checking at 5 minutes and remove the croutons when golden and dry rather than waiting for them to become dark brown. Let them cool on a plate or rack; they crisp further as they cool.
Tips
Air fryers and breads vary, so use the time as a guide and watch the last couple of minutes closely. If the croutons still feel soft in the center after cooling briefly, return them to the basket for another minute, keeping the air fryer at 350°F (177°C). There is no meat-style minimum internal temperature to measure for these plain bread croutons; the goal is dry, crisp bread throughout.
Skip a liner or pan for this recipe: the exposed basket perforations help toast the bread evenly. Cool leftovers completely before sealing them in an airtight container, and use them within a few days for the best crunch. Discard any that develop mold or an off smell.
Sprinkle a handful over your next salad for an easy homemade finish.
