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How to Make Easy Air Fryer Croutons with Leftover Bread (Sourdough or Any Bread!)

Have leftover sourdough that didn’t quite turn out—or just didn’t get eaten in time? Don’t throw it away! Today, I’m going to show you how to make the crispiest, most flavorful air fryer croutons using leftover bread. It’s the perfect way to redeem those loaves and add something extra special to your next salad.

Making homemade air fryer croutons is one of the easiest ways to use up leftover stale or day-old bread that's not getting eaten. Whether you have sourdough, french bread, sandwich bread, or homemade bread, just cut your bread into cubes, toss with oil, and season with a little garlic salt to make crispy croutons packed with flavor.

This air fryer recipe is perfect when you're craving a crunchy topping for soup or salad, and it works with nearly any kind of bread!

Why Make Homemade Croutons?

Let’s be honest—store-bought croutons are convenient, but they just don’t compare to homemade. When you make croutons at home:

• You control the ingredients.
• You reduce food waste.
• You get to use up that sourdough you worked so hard on!
• And honestly… they just taste better. Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of flavor.

Plus, it only takes five minutes in the air fryer. Yes, really!

Ingredients for Easy Air Fryer Croutons

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Leftover bread (sourdough, homemade, or even store-bought)
• Olive oil spray
• Garlic salt (or garlic powder) 
• Italian seasoning
• Nutritional yeast (for a cheesy, savory flavor boost)

You can use as much or as little bread as you have on hand—this recipe is super flexible!

Step-by-Step: How to Make Croutons in the Air Fryer

1. Cube the Bread

Use a serrated knife to slice your bread into small cubes. They don’t have to be perfect, just roughly bite-sized. If some pieces are super crusty or dry, you can discard those—or munch on them as you go!

2. Season the Croutons

Place your bread cubes on your air fryer tray or in the basket (depending on the model you have). Spray them lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle on:

• Garlic salt
• Italian seasoning
• Nutritional yeast (optional, but adds so much flavor)

Toss gently to coat.

3. Air Fry to Perfection

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (if your model requires it). Then air fry your seasoned bread cubes for about 5 minutes, checking around the 4-minute mark to make sure they’re not getting too brown. They should be golden, toasty, and slightly crunchy with a little give.

Bonus: What to Do With Extra Bread

If you still have more bread to use up, here are two more easy ideas:

Make Bread Crumbs

Pop your leftover bread into a food processor and pulse into crumbs. Freeze in a zip-top bag and use later in any recipe that calls for breadcrumbs.

Freeze It for Later

Sourdough freezes beautifully! Just wrap the loaf or slices well and freeze until you’re ready to use them.

Salad Serving Ideas for Air Fryer Croutons

My favorite way to enjoy these croutons is over a fresh Caesar salad.  

Or you can use my homemade ranch dressing!

You’ll Never Go Back to Store-Bought

Seriously, I haven’t bought croutons in years—because homemade air fryer croutons are just too easy and too delicious. Give this a try the next time you have extra bread on hand. I’d love to know what you think!

This easy recipe proves you can make your own homemade croutons in minutes and skip the store-bought croutons for good.

No matter what different types of bread you have on hand, this is a great way to give your bread pieces new life and turn bread to make something crave-worthy!

Have you made your own croutons before? What are your favorite seasonings to use? Let me know in the comments!

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