By: Jill Mills Posted: Feb 3, 2026

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These crispy Air Fryer Croutons are made from day-old bread and seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and herbs for the perfect salad or soup topping. They come together quickly and stay crunchy without needing to turn on the oven.

Overhead view of a bowl of air fryer croutons

Tired of buying bags of croutons that go stale before you eat them? Want to make your own, but baking them in the oven just feels like too much effort? Try these air fryer croutons instead!

Cubes of bread are tossed in olive oil, garlic powder, and dried parsley then quickly air fried until they’re crispy and crunchy. It takes about 20 minutes, tops, and the end result is croutons so tasty you’ll want to eat them by the handful. We love these on soups and salads – especially Olive Garden salad.

Why We Love These Air Fryer Croutons

Ready in minutes. It takes just a few minutes to prep these croutons and less than 10 minutes to air fry them. So easy!
Great way to use stale bread. Air fryer croutons are best made with day-old bread. This is the perfect recipe for using those last few slices from the loaf sitting on the counter.
Crisp & crunchy. The air fryer ensures that all sides of the croutons end up perfectly crisp and crunchy, with that texture that almost melts in your mouth once you bite into it.
Easy to customize. I shared my favorite seasoning combination in the recipe card, but the sky is truly the limit here. Feel free to use any of your favorite seasoning blends.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make air fryer croutons

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s an overview of everything needed to make these homemade croutons. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Day-old bread – French, Italian, and sourdough bread are all great options for croutons.
Olive oil – Helps the seasoning stick and the croutons get crispy. Melted butter or avocado oil also works.
Seasonings – I used garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper.

How To Make Croutons in the Air Fryer

It’s amazing how simple and easy these are to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Cubes of bread in a bowl with oil and spices

Prep. Preheat the air fryer to 375F.
Season the bread. Toss the bread cubes with olive oil and spices until evenly coated.
Air fry. Air fry the bread cubes in a single layer for 6-8 minutes, until golden and crisp. Shake halfway through.
Enjoy. Allow to cool then use or store in an airtight container.

Overhead view of croutons in the air fryer

Recipe Tips & Variations

Here are a few things to keep in mind when making croutons in the air fryer, as well as some ways to customize this recipe.

Use stale bread. Day-old or slightly stale bread is ideal for making croutons because it’s a bit harder and drier than fresh bread. Fresh bread won’t get as crispy as easily.
Air fry in batches. Depending on the size of the air fryer, you’ll like want to cook the croutons in batches. They should be in a single layer with a little space between the pieces to ensure the air circulates and they all get crisp.
Customize the seasonings. Feel free to use any seasonings here. Italian seasoning and ranch seasoning are great options. Or, for a sweet option, try cinnamon sugar. (Sweet croutons can be a fun addition to fruit salad.)
Add some Parmesan. For an extra boost of flavor, add some finely grated Parmesan cheese to the seasoning mixture.

A bowl of air fryer croutons in front of a loaf of white bread

Ways To Use Them

Croutons make a great addition to any salad. Some of my favorites are my copycat Olive Garden salad, chicken caesar salad, and cobb salad.

They’re great on soup, like French onion soup, can be dipped into hummus, or added to charcuterie boards.

Proper Storage

Air fryer croutons should be stored in an airtight container in the pantry. They’ll stay fresh for up to a week, as long as they are tightly sealed.

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