There is nothing better than Homemade Ciabatta Croutons. Whenever I make croutons, they’re usually made from cutting up a special Artisan bread bought from my local bakery. Ciabatta bread is my favorite. Specifically the Tuscan garlic loaf. Whole roasted garlic cloves are baked right into the bread.

If you love good bread, and you’ve made your own homemade croutons then you know what I’m talking about.

These are a few of my recipes where I’ve added Homemade Ciabatta Croutons. My Updated-Zuppa Toscana Soup With Homemade Parmesan Croutons, French Onion Soup With Mini Meatballs, Panzanella Salad, and finally, my Sweet Italian Sausage, Mushroom, And Asparagus Strata.

I think in the future I’ll be making a sweet bread pudding using another variety of  Ciabatta bread. They are just so many recipes that start out with great Homemade Ciabatta Croutons.

Let me show you two techniques I use when making croutons. One is the stovetop method, the other is the oven-bake method.

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minute
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 cups of croutons
Equipment: 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, chef’s knife, mini food processor or Microplane

Ingredients For Stove Top Method:
4 to 6 cups of bread cubes, 1 1/2-inch size cubes (1 loaf of Tuscan Ciabatta garlic loaf, or plain Ciabatta)
2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Ingredients For Oven Bake Method:
4 to 6 cups of bread cubes, 1 1/2-inch size cubes (1 loaf of Tuscan Ciabatta garlic loaf, or plain Ciabatta)
1/4 cup of olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons of Kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Directions For Stove Top Method:
Melt the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes making sure not to overcrowd the bread cubes and that they’re in a single layer in the pan. Season with Kosher salt and black pepper. Toss all the bread cubes around so they absorb the butter and olive oil. Sauté for a couple of minutes without turning. Once a golden brown, on the first side, then toss them again until brown all sides. This takes about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Directions For The Oven Bake Method.
Preheat oven to 400-degrees F.
Start by evenly dividing the bread cubes out onto two rimmed baking sheet pans. Add olive oil, Kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper, toss to evenly coat the bread cubes. Spread the bread cubes evenly into a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes turning them once halfway through the cooking process to make sure they brown evenly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

While the croutons are nice and hot add the fresh chopped herbs and/or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Toss to combine. There you have it, my Homemade Ciabatta Croutons. 

To see a few of my other recipes using my Homemade Ciabatta Croutons, click on the links below.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/12/09/soups-on/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/11/03/my-recipe-for-panzanella-salad-with-a-twist/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/07/29/my-tip-for-the-most-flavorful-chicken/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/12/14/roasted-acorn-squash-with-a-sausage-and-pear-stuffing/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/08/05/my-recipe-for-sausage-mushroom-and-spinach-strata/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/11/updated-tuscan-soup-with-parmesan-croutons/