Zero-Waste, Plant-Based Croutons
♻️🥖 Got stale bread? Don’t toss it—turn it into delicious, crispy croutons! Grandma Sita’s easy, zero-waste hack gives leftover bread a second life, adding crunch and flavour to soups, salads, and stews.
INGREDIENTS
2–3 slices stale bread, cut into cubes
2 tbsp olive oil (or saved oil from sundried tomatoes/roasted veggies)
Dried herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary, or any leftover fresh herbs)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional, or use minced fresh garlic)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional, for extra flavor)
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) or heat a pan on medium.
2. Toss the bread cubes with olive oil, herbs and spices in a bowl.
3. Bake for 10–15 minutes, tossing halfway through, or pan-toast for 5–7 minutes until golden and crispy.
4. Cool & Store – Let the croutons cool completely before storing them in an airtight jar for up to 2 weeks.
🍞 Homemade croutons are a delicious zero-waste solution for stale bread, but how do you keep them crispy and fresh? Here’s how to store plant-based croutons properly to enjoy them longer!
1️⃣ Cool Completely – Let croutons cool before storing to prevent sogginess.
2️⃣ Use an Airtight Container – Store in a glass jar, metal tin, or reusable food container to maintain crispness.
3️⃣ Keep Dry & Room Temperature – Store in a cool, dry place (pantry or cupboard) for up to 2 weeks.
4️⃣ Freeze for Long-Term Storage – Place croutons in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Toast lightly to refresh before serving.
👵💚 Grandma Sita’s tips:
*Revive Soft Croutons – If they lose crispness, reheat in a pan or oven at 180°C (350°F) for five minutes.
*Repurpose Extras – Blend stale croutons into breadcrumbs for future plant-based recipes!
*Freeze Bread Scraps – Save leftover bread pieces and make fresh croutons when needed.
📗 The word crouton is derived from the French croûton, itself a diminutive of croûte, meaning crust. Historically, a croûte was a slice of baguette lightly brushed with oil or clarified butter and baked.
🌎 📢 Research shows that for every loaf of bread eaten, half a loaf is thrown away. Some estimates put the global amount of bread waste at 900,000 tons annually or approximately 24 million slices every day… Let’s make croutons and avoid adding more bread to statistics! All of us can take action at home to reduce waste. Every bit counts.