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Garlic parmesan croutons! Crispy little numbers that are absolutely loaded with cheesy garlic herb flavor and are ready to take your soup or salad to the next level.

a close up of cheesy garlic parmesan croutons in a pile

In case you couldn’t tell by that golden, spice-covered crouton glistening with crispiness, these Parmesan croutons are the real deal. They’re packed with flavor thanks to a few simple tricks that make all the difference—and once you try them, you’ll never look at store-bought croutons the same way again.

It all starts with great bread. I like to head to a good local bakery and grab an unsliced loaf—cheese bread, herb bread, or anything that sounds irresistible. Once home, cut the loaf into cubes (about 1½ inches is perfect, but smaller cubes work too (like my mini soup croutons)and just need less oven time). Toss the bread generously with olive oil, spices, and plenty of Parmesan, making sure every nook and cranny is coated. If any cheese or seasoning settles in the bowl, swipe the bread through it so nothing goes to waste. After a short bake, you’ll be hovering near the stove, risking burnt fingertips to snack on hot, cheesy croutons straight from the pan. They’re that good—and so easy to make, there’s really no reason not to treat yourself.

Two more crouton recipes to add to your list to try next are my bacon croutons and lemon pepper croutons.

The ingredients to make garlic parmesan croutons

Ingredients you’ll need

Cheese bread – Sure, you could use a regular unsliced loaf of bread to make these parmesan croutons, but why would you do that? Starting with cheese bread ensures a deliciously cheesy flavor throughout.

Olive oil – This is what makes the croutons crispy. Without it, they would be little dried out pieces of toast.

Parmesan cheese – After you grate it, crumble it with your fingers into a powder; it’ll stick better this way.

Nutritional yeast – Yes, this is often used as a dairy-free substitute for parmesan cheese. But its flavor is wonderful and really adds to these croutons.

Spices – Here we’re looking at garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Don’t be shocked by the generous portions, it’s the perfect amount for bringing big-time delicious flavor to these croutons.

2 pictures showing parmesan croutons on a bowl of soup and in a salad

Use parmesan croutons on everything

These croutons feel right at home on a salad. They love being tossed in our bacon kale caesar salad or in our asparagus salad. Or level up the greens on your plate with a pile of these croutons on top.

Elevate your soup. While I really do love my mini soup croutons for soup, these parmesan croutons are perfect for when you want to fill your soup bowl with deliciously big crunchy bites. Pictured above are these croutons on top of our simple tomato bacon soup.

Level up your casserole. If you love crispy croutons on top of casserole (like mom’s tuna rice casserole) then use these cheesy croutons and be prepared to be wowed.

Master your bread stuffing. Yes, I have a recipe for the best stuffing ever. And yes, it can be made even better than better by using these garlicky parmesan croutons.

Snacks! Chances are you’ll find yourself going back to the hot out of the oven tray to sneak more and more bites. So why not put these into a bowl, turn on a movie, and snack!