Sourdough Croutons French Onion (Printable)

Golden sourdough croutons bring a crunchy texture and rich flavor ideal for topping French onion soup.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 cups sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, preferably day-old

→ Flavorings

02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter, melted
03 - 1 garlic clove, minced
04 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
06 - 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or herbes de Provence, optional
07 - 1/2 cup grated Gruyère or Emmental cheese, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine olive oil or melted butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs if using.
03 - Add the sourdough cubes to the bowl and toss well until evenly coated with the seasoning mixture.
04 - Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden and crisp.
06 - If desired, sprinkle grated cheese over the hot croutons and return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes until melted and bubbly.
07 - Let croutons cool slightly before using as a topper for French onion soup.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're genuinely crispy on the outside and still have a whisper of chew inside, which is harder to nail than it sounds.
  • Day-old sourdough does the heavy lifting here, adding a subtle sourness that makes everything taste more intentional.
  • You can make these ahead and watch them stay perfect in a container for days, unlike most garnishes that surrender to sogginess.
02 -
  • Stirring halfway through is the difference between evenly golden croutons and some dark, some pale—don't skip it even though it feels like an extra step.
  • Room-temperature bread will never crisp the way day-old bread does, so plan ahead or accept that you're making something softer and less textually interesting.
03 -
  • Rub your bread cubes with a halved garlic clove before you do anything else if you want garlic flavor that feels almost whispered rather than shouted.
  • Keep your oven at exactly 375°F—higher temperatures brown the outside before the inside crisps, lower temperatures take forever and yield a stale rather than crispy result.
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