Browned Butter Rosemary Croutons
Are you all ready for one of the simplest, but tastiest recipes ever?
That’s not hyperbole. I mean every word.
I think Croutons are one of those things that you buy in the grocery store, anf never really thought about making them for yourself. Because, for what? It’s essentially a condiment for salad or soup, and who honestly wants to set aside the time to make their own condiments?
I used to feel that way the exact same way.
Then I made my own croutons, and let me tell you: I take it back. All of it.
Croutons from scratch are worth it, guys. So worth it.
In the first place, they’re cheap to make. All you need to make a crouton is bread, butter, and in this case, an herb sprig. If you go to the bakery section of any grocery store, you can pick out a loaf of bread for $1-5 that will work perfectly for croutons. Aim for a sturdy loaf with big airy pockets on the inside that you can easily cut into cubes and trim the crusts from; I used a sourdough boule.
In the second place, homemade croutons are easy. After cubing the bread, all you have to do is coat the cubes in butter and any other desired seasoning, then let them toast away in the stove until they’re crisp all over.
I could’ve just went plain for my first time making them, but I’m extra, so I decided to brown my butter first, then add a sprig of rosemary to it, just to up the flavor of my croutons past regular old toasted bread cubes.
I was honestly surprised by how much I loved the taste of these. In the first place, because the bread is freshly made, they have a fresh, heartiness to them that you just can’t get in a prepackaged crouton. Then, add that browned butter rosemary flavor to the texture, and what you’ve got is not just a delicious condiment, but a pretty delicious snack that’s tasty enough to stand over the stove and eat one after another, all on its own.
Not that I would know anything about that; just saying.
Browned Butter Rosemary Croutons
Recipe by Jess @CookingisMySport
Ingredients
- 1 (1 lb) loaf of sourdough bread, outer crusts sawed off, and cubed into 1-1/2 inch cubes
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Directions
Preheat stove to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two sheet pans with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, gently swirling pan constantly, until particles begin to turn golden brown and butter smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and continue swirling the pan until the butter is a rich brown, about 15 seconds longer. Place the sprig of rosemary in the hot butter and allow to sit for about 5 minutes, until it’s no longer sizzling/crackling.
Transfer to a medium bowl, whisk in ice cube, transfer to refrigerator, and allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes, whisking occasionally.)
Place bread cubes into a gallon size resealable plastic bag. Drizzle the cooled browned butter over the cubes and toss with a spoon. Once you’ve used all the butter, reseal the bag and shake it around, until there is an even coating of butter on all the bread cubes.
Spread cubes into a single, even layer on each of the sheet pans.
Toast croutons one pan at a time on the middle rack of the oven, for about 15-20 minutes. Flip the croutons once halfway, to ensure they are evenly toasted. They’re finished when they’re crisp, golden brown and firm on the outside to the touch.
Allow to cool completely, and store in a resealble plastic container or bag.
Sharing at Fiesta Friday #416, cohosted this week by Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.
Sounds yummy. I’ve made fresh garlic and butter croutons before. I think I left the crust on. I just poured the melted butter over the bread cubes in a bowl, didn’t chill first. Is there a reason for chilling it first?
Mainly just so the hot butter doesn’t do any damage to the plastic bag you toss the croutons in. If you’re not using the plastic bag, you don’t have to bother with chilling the butter 😉
I also make my own croutons, but haven’t tried with browned butter. I just can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!