Skillet Croutons
Stale bread, oil, salt. Twenty minutes in a pan and a salad topping that keeps for a week.
- calories
- 230
- weight
- 1.6 oz
- cal / oz
- 144
- protein
- 5 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 20 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- Canister stove
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Backpacking
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Grab and go
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Bread | 4 cups cubed | stale is better than fresh; any loaf works |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 3 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp | |
| Black pepper | 1/4 tsp | |
| Garlic powder or Italian seasoning | 1 tsp | optional |
Method
- Cut or tear the bread into rough half-inch pieces. Uneven is fine, ragged edges brown faster.
- Put the cubes in a bag or pot, pour the oil over, and toss until every piece has picked up some. Add the salt, pepper, and any seasoning and toss again.
- Set a dry pan or pot over low heat. Add the bread in a single layer, working in batches if it piles up.
- Stir every minute or so for 10 to 15 minutes. Low heat is the whole game: high heat scorches the outside and leaves the middle chewy.
- Pull them off when they are hard through the center and rattle in the pan. Spread on a bandana or plate and let them cool completely before bagging, or trapped steam softens them again.
Croutons on the trail are less about salad and more about turning bread that has gone hard into something that stores well. Drying the bread all the way through is what buys the shelf life. Anything left chewy in the middle holds moisture and will mold in a few days.
The oven version does this with residual heat after the bake. A stove has no residual heat, so the substitute is low flame and patience, plus a cooling spread before the bag is sealed. Oil is not optional. It carries the salt onto the surface and it is where most of the calories live.
Packing
Cube the bread at home and carry it in a bag with the salt and seasoning already tossed through. Oil rides in a dropper bottle. Cooled croutons go back in the same bag and keep about a week.
Variations
- A pinch of red pepper flakes with the salt.
- Crush a handful into a hot soup or ramen instead of leaving them whole.
- No stove: split the cubes over a grill grate in a foil packet, shaking often.
https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/homemade-whole-wheat-croutons