Last updated on January 31st, 2024 at 07:51 pm
These garlic sourdough croutons are a great way to add extra flavour and texture to any meal. The crunchy bread combined with the confit garlic oil and thyme makes a crouton that goes well with salads, soups or even just eaten as a snack.
Why Sourdough Croutons are so Good
While it can be very easy for our family to use up loaves of sourdough bread the day they are baked, from time to time we end up with more than we can eat. Luckily, there are many things you can do with stale bread. Sourdough croutons are easily one of my favourites. I often eat so many before they even make it onto the dinner table.
These sourdough croutons can be used to top the classic Caesar salad, served on top of steamed or roasted vegetables, to garnish a soup or blitzed into a bread crumb to top your favourite pasta. This salty garlicky snack could even replace potato chips and eaten as is.
How to Prepare your Sourdough for Sourdough Croutons
Using sourdough bread that is a few days old is ideal for this recipe. The stale bread will absorb the oil fully, resulting in a crisp sourdough crouton both inside and out. When we have a loaf that is a few days old, we often cut it into cubes and let it sit out for the extra day or two. While my beginner sourdough recipe isn’t a high hydration, I often find it still moist inside even after three days. By cutting it and allowing it to dry you will end up with a better crouton.
Confit Garlic Oil
While these sourdough croutons can be made with plain olive oil, I like to use an infused oil. Confit garlic is a great staple to have in the fridge and the oil can be used for many different things like these croutons. I like to pick heads of organic garlic with be cloves like these beautiful bulbs from Vicki’s Veggies.
‘Confit’ is a French cooking term used for preserving food when cooked in fat. The most common that comes to mind is duck confit. The duck is first salted then cooked very slowly in its own fat. The resulting duck leg is tender, moist and full of flavour.
To confit your garlic, peel the cloves and place them in some olive oil. You can use other oils but I prefer to use a quality olive oil. Bring the olive oil to a light simmer and cook for about 90 minutes. The oil should be just simmering with little bubbles coming to the surface and the garlic shouldn’t take on much colour. To get a deep flavour we want to cook this low and slow.
Once the cloves are softened and the oil is infused, transfer the confit garlic and the oil to a jar and reserve. Store the confit garlic and oil in the fridge for 3-4 weeks. For cooking purposes, sometimes I keep a small jar on the counter but prefer to keep most of it in the fridge.
What you’ll Need:
- Bread knife
- Turning or pairing knife
- Small sauce pot
- Mixing bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Silpat or parchment paper
Ingredients:
For the Confit Garlic:
- 350ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 heads of garlic
For the Sourdough Croutons:
- 1 loaf of stale bread cut into 2.5cm/1inch cubes
- 150ml Confit garlic oil
- Dried thyme leaves rubbed off the stems
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions:
For the Confit Garlic:
- Peel the garlic with a small turning or pairing knife.
- Place the garlic in a small saucepot and add the oil and place on the stove over low heat.
- Cook the garlic very low and slow for about 60 minutes. The garlic cloves should be tender when poked with the tip of a knife.
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool fully before transferring to a glass jar.
- Store the confit garlic in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.
For the Sourdough Croutons:
- Preheat the oven to 176°C/350°F.
- Toss the bread cubes, olive oil, dried thyme leaves, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Spread the sourdough croutons evenly on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment. Bake the croutons for 25 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
- Store the sourdough croutons in an airtight jar for up to one week.
Note: The baking time may vary depending on how stale your croutons are and how much oil they absorb. Be sure to check them during cooking.
If you liked this recipe for sourdough croutons, check out our other uses for stale bread like this gazpacho recipe or our sourdough stuffing recipe.
Sourdough Crouton Recipe Card:
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How to Make Garlic Sourdough Croutons.
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Description
These garlic sourdough croutons are a great way to add extra flavour and texture to many meals. The stale bread combined with the confit garlic oil and thyme makes a crouton that goes well with salads, soups or even just eaten as a snack.
Ingredients
For the Confit Garlic:
- 350ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 heads of garlic
For the Sourdough Croutons:
- 1 loaf of stale bread cut into 2.5cm/1inch cubes
- 150ml Confit garlic oil
- Dried thyme leaves rubbed off the stems
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
For the Confit Garlic:
- Peel the garlic with a small turning or pairing knife.
- Place the garlic in a small saucepot and add the oil and place on the stove over low heat.
- Cook the garlic very low and slow for about 60 minutes. The garlic cloves should be tender when poked with the tip of a knife.
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool fully before transferring to a glass jar.
- Store the confit garlic in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.
For the Sourdough Croutons:
- Preheat the oven to 176°C/350°F.
- Toss the bread cubes, olive oil, dried thyme leaves, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Spread the sourdough croutons evenly on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment. Bake the croutons for 25 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
- Store the sourdough croutons in an airtight jar for up to one week.
Notes
- The baking time may vary depending on how stale your croutons are and how much oil they absorb. Be sure to check them during cooking.
- Use different herbs in the oil for different flavour profiles.
- Add dried chillies to the oil for a spicy oil.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Sourdough
- Method: Confit
- Cuisine: French
