Parsley Croutons

Homemade croutons fried in butter taste nothing like the stale, cardboard cubes from a bag. These are golden, crispy on the outside, slightly tender in the center, and fragrant with fresh parsley and salted butter.

Cubing the bread by hand gives you irregular shapes with rough edges that catch the butter and crisp up unevenly. That’s a good thing. The variation in texture, some pieces crunchier than others, makes these interesting on a salad or soup.

The parsley goes in at the end, after the croutons are browned. Adding it earlier would burn the herb and turn it bitter. A quick toss coats each piece in green flecks that add color and freshness.

Chef Tips

• Stir frequently while frying. Bread absorbs butter unevenly, and the pieces closest to the heat brown fast while others stay pale.
• Use day-old bread. Fresh, soft bread absorbs too much butter and turns greasy instead of crispy.
• Drain on paper towels immediately to remove excess butter and keep them crunchy.

Variations

• Add a clove of minced garlic to the butter before the bread for garlic-parsley croutons.
• Swap parsley for fresh rosemary or thyme for a different herb flavor.
• Use these on Caesar salad, tomato soup, or scattered over a baked pasta for a crunchy topping.