Vegan Croutons

Crunchy vegan croutons are made within minutes and perfect for adding to your favorite plant-based soups and salads. Of course, they’re so good, you can even eat them straight!

A bowl of croutons sits in front of a bowl of seasonings, herbs, and bread.

I enjoy croutons like any other person. I especially love them in a big bowl of Vegan Broccoli Soup. So good! Of course, adding crunchy croutons on my Vegan Caesar Salad is a must!

How to Make Vegan Croutons

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

  1. Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into thick slices and then cut the bread into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes. Transfer the cubes to the prepared pan.
  2. Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and toss to coat.
    A hand holds a small bowl of olive oil, drizzling over bread crumbs in a pan.
  3. Combine the seasonings and sprinkle evenly over the cubes. Toss to coat.
    A hand holds a small bowl of seasoning, pouring it over bread cubes in a pan.
  4. Spread seasoned cubes in a single layer on the pan. Bake until crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
  5. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container.

Key Ingredients

Ingredients are laid out on a table. The labels next to them read, garlic powder, salt, olive oil, basil, and bread.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Bread — We’ll cut bread into bread cubes to make the croutons. See more on bread options below.
  • Olive Oil — A neutral oil like vegetable oil or olive oil works best..
  • Seasonings — We’ll use seasonings like garlic powder, salt, and dried Italian seasonings.
Wire racks in a bakery store hold a variety of different types of bread, including baguettes and artisan round loaves.

Best Bread for Croutons

Look for crusty loaves of bread like French bread when you’re making croutons. Another favorite is flavorful sourdough loaves. You can also use hearty whole-grain baguettes, which add flavor and fiber.

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • Bread is cut into cubes, drizzled in oil and seasonings, and toasted to perfection
  • This recipe is a great way to use up stale bread
  • Homemade croutons come together in minutes and taste much better than store-bought!

Frequently-Asked Questions

Are croutons vegan?

Some store-bought croutons may be vegan, but you should always look at the ingredients to make sure. But many croutons are made with dairy products like butter and are therefore not vegan.

Are Olive Garden croutons vegan?

Sadly, the croutons at Olive Garden are not vegan at this time. However, there are other vegan options, such as the salad (with olive oil and vinegar as a dressing) and the breadsticks.

Serving Suggestions

This vegan crouton recipe is so easy to make, and it delivers perfectly crunchy bread cubes you can add to your favorite dishes, such as:

Storage Tips

Transfer croutons to an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can freeze them by transferring to a freezer-safe container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Looking down on a pan with freshly baked croutons.

Vegan Soup Favorites

Here are even more vegan soup recipes you can top with these dairy-free croutons:

A bowl holds vegan croutons. There is a loaf of bread and a bowl of herbs barely visible in the background.

Vegan Croutons

These crunchy vegan croutons are perfect for salads, soups, and munching. They're ready in minutes and have that delicious buttery flavor with all the right seasonings.
5 from 2 votes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 138kcal

Ingredients

Vegan Croutons

  • 1 loaf crusty French bread (whole wheat, white, or gluten-free, cut into 1-inch pieces. Approximately 4 cups)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to make cleanup easy.
  • Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into thick slices and then cut the bread into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes. Transfer the cubes to the prepared pan.
  • Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and toss to coat.
  • Combine the seasonings and sprinkle evenly over the cubes. Toss to coat.
  • Spread seasoned cubes in a single layer on the pan. Bake until crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
  • Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Recommended Equipment

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

2 Responses to Vegan Croutons

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyAngelaKin Reply

    5 stars
    This is very useful, especially for vegan lovers like me

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Thanks so much, AngelaKin!

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