Crunchy Gluten-Free Croutons (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

These deliciously crunchy gluten-free croutons are super easy to make, and they make a great addition to soups, salads, stuffing, or even as a snack on their own! Totally dairy-free and vegan too! Go make a big batch of homemade croutons today!

Jump to:

• Homemade is Always Best
• What are Croutons?
• Make Your Own Gluten-Free Croutons
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients You’ll Need:
• Recipe Notes/Substitutions:
• How to Make Homemade Gluten-Free Croutons (Step by Step):
• Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
• Recipe FAQs:
• Gluten-Free Bread Recipes to Bake:
• Soup Recipes to Eat Croutons With:
• Homemade Gluten-Free Basic Recipes:
• Crunchy Gluten-Free Croutons (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

Homemade is Always Best

I’m a big fan of anything homemade (that’s probably an understatement!).

My biggest passion is definitely homemade bread, and in the past few years, I’ve made loaf after loaf of bread, from our super popular buckwheat bread, this soft, fluffy gluten-free bread, this tender brown rice bread, and this sorghum bread, just to name a few.

When Juan developed a dairy intolerance and we ruled out dairy from our kitchen, I started dabbling in making our own non-dairy nut milks. Our two big favorites are definitely this homemade almond milk and this creamy cashew milk (both so easy to make, and so delicious!)

I also started making my own homemade flours, from cashew flour, almond meal, buckwheat flour, brown rice flour and cornmeal.

Don’t even get me started on homemade jams and marmalades, of which we absolutely love this mixed berry chia seed jam, this rich apricot jam, this delicious plum jam and this easy kumquat marmalade.

What are Croutons?

Croutons are basically small pieces bread (often cubed and seasoned) that have been toasted or fried.

They are often used as garnish to creamy soups, stews and salads to add texture and taste.

You’ve probably seen them on top of French onion soup or tomato soup, tossed over Caesar salads, or as part of the Thanksgiving stuffing.

Make Your Own Gluten-Free Croutons

If you’ve never made your own croutons before, now’s the time to do so!

Having croutons on hand is so convenient, not only because they’re great as a snack, but also since they make your favorite salad or soup look so much more elegant and fun (plus, they dress up any dish real nice during special occasions)!

While you can definitely buy your own gluten-free croutons, homemade croutons are really so easy to make that it just makes more sense to toast your own!

Why This Recipe Works

• Simple Ingredients: All you need to make these homemade gluten-free croutons are a handful of ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and if not, they are easily accessible at the grocery store (nothing fancy required!).
• Super Easy to Make: Making these crunchy croutons are a matter of cutting the gluten-free bread into cubes, mixing it with oil and herbs and then baking them until golden brown! Homemade croutons are really a cinch to make!
• Perfect Texture and Delicious Taste: Toasted till they are irresistibly crunchy, these croutons are also flavored with olive oil and dried herbs, making them a tasty addition or topping to any soup, salad or stuffing!
• Totally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan: The best part is that these homemade croutons are 100% gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. This means that even those with Celiac disease, or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy them without worries.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for this homemade gluten-free crouton recipe.

(For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Recipe Notes/Substitutions:

• Gluten-Free Bread: I like making my own soft, fluffy gluten-free bread, but you can simply use an entire loaf of the type of bread you have available. To keep this totally vegan, make sure you use a loaf of vegan, gluten-free bread. If you can eat gluten, feel free to use regular bread instead.
• Olive Oil: I recommend using extra virgin olive oil for the best taste. If you don’t have olive oil on hand, feel free to use other vegetable oils such as avocado oil, sunflower oil, or even melted coconut oil if you prefer. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use melted butter too.
• Dried Herbs: I like using a mix of dried parsley, dried oregano, granulated garlic (or garlic powder) and salt for plenty of flavor. Alternatively, if you have fresh herbs on hand, feel free to use fresh instead of dried.

How to Make Homemade Gluten-Free Croutons (Step by Step):

1. Preheat Oven

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).

2. Cut Bread into Chunks

Cut the loaf of bread into even slices, before cutting each slice into evenly-sized cubes (approximately 1-inch sized cubes).

3. Coat Bread Cubes with Oil, Herbs and Salt

Combine the cut bread chunks in a large mixing bowl, and mix well with the olive oil, dried herbs and salt until evenly coated.

4. Transfer Bread Cubs to Large Baking Sheet

Place the coated bread cubes in a single layer on a large rimmed sheet pan, making sure to spread them out as much as possible so they are not crowded together.

(Tip: It’s not exactly necessary, but if you prefer, you can also line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the croutons from sticking to the surface.)

5. Bake Until Golden Brown

Bake the bread cubes for 10 to 12 minutes until they are golden brown, tossing them halfway through to ensure that they cook evenly.

6. Cool Completely Before Storing

Let the gluten-free croutons cool completely on the baking sheet before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

• Make Plain Croutons: If you prefer plain, unflavored croutons, you can simply leave out the herbs from the recipe.
• Other Seasoning Options: If parsley, oregano and garlic isn’t your jam, feel feel to switch up the flavors of this crouton recipe! Alternative seasonings include black pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning blends, and even chili powder or ground paprika if you prefer a little bit of heat.
• Stale Bread is Best: To make this recipe, make sure to use stale bread (or at least day-old bread that has been left to dry overnight) so that it’s easier to cut the bread into cubes without it breaking into so many pieces.
• Make Breadcrumbs with Leftover Croutons: If you have too many croutons leftover, turn them into breadcrumbs but processing them in the blender or food processor!

Recipe FAQs:

Gluten-Free Bread Recipes to Bake:

• Soft, Fluffy Gluten-Free Bread (Dairy-Free)
• Buckwheat Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Brown Rice Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Potato Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Millet Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Sorghum Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Teff Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Quinoa Bread (Gluten, Dairy-Free)

Soup Recipes to Eat Croutons With:

Homemade Gluten-Free Basic Recipes:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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