Toasted Croissant Croutons

originally published on December 16, 2018 | photos and post structure updated on October 30, 2023

A quick and easy recipe to make crispy, flaky, toasted croissant croutons to toss with any salad. This is a small batch recipe that makes just over a cup of croutons, and comes together in about 15 minutes.

Toasted croissant croutons are a quick and simple recipe that I totally adore.  I’ve been wanting to put a twist on crunchy croutons for quite some time now, and making croutons out of croissants has always been in the back of my mind. I finally picked out a perfect croissant, cut it into cubes, and tossed it with some simple seasonings (and parmesan cheese) to add some flavor.

These croutons are particularly awesome with this Grilled Chicken Kale Salad with Asiago Dressing, or sprinkled on top of some romaine lettuce that has been tossed with this Miso Caesar Dressing, Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing, or Steakhouse (Traditional) Caesar Dressing. This is a small batch recipe that uses one croissant and makes just over one cup of croissant croutons, depending on how big your croissant is. 🙂 Feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed!

Croissants are buttery in nature, so they have plenty of flavor and fat content already. However, I wanted to give them some extra oomph, so I tossed them with a bit of olive oil to add even more depth of flavor and a touch of crispiness.

Seasoning the croissant cubes with salt, pepper, dried oregano, and Parmesan is all they really need. As I mentioned before, they’re particularly good with Caesar salads or any salad with a garlicky, creamy dressing. Those types of salads have so much incredible flavor on their own, they don’t necessarily need a crouton competing with it for the limelight. But they DO need a crouton that will perfectly compliment their flavor, and add some crispy texture! 🙂

Ingredient Notes

Croissants

Look for a typical croissant (like shown in the photo below). You can use mini croissants or oblong croissants if that’s all you can find, but you’ll have to adjust the quantity used to make about 1 1/2 cups of cubed croissants. Avoid flavored croissants, and just use standard, plain croissants. I usually buy a three or four pack from the store, use two of them for these Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwiches, then use the remaining croissant(s) for this crouton recipe.

Dried Oregano

Dried oregano can be substituted with dried basil, Italian seasoning, or any combination of the three. Use up to one teaspoon if you’re using more than one herb. You can also add a sprinkle of garlic powder if you’re feeling it!

Parmesan

I love to buy a small chunk of Parmesan Reggiano from stores such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, then use a microplane to finely grate the parmesan over these croutons.

Step-By-Step Recipe Guide

​See below for step-by-step photos and directions. These directions are a little more specific, and walk you through the entire process of making these Toasted Croissant Croutons.

Croissants are obviously very flaky, and will crumble easily once tossed with the salad.  This is an added bonus in my opinion, because the crunch factor is distributed throughout the salad, rather than a mouthful of crunch every few bites.

I’ve actually crumbled these over simple pastas before, too! It adds a pop of crunch (but not too much), and a little buttery / herb flavor. I don’t have a specific recipe for that, but I just toss cooked noodles with a little olive oil, parmesan, crushed red pepper, and pasta water until the pasta is kind of creamy. After dividing the pasta between two warm bowls, I crush a few of these croissant croutons over the top and serve.

How to Store Toasted Croissant Croutons

Store croissant croutons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Recipes to Use with Croissant Croutons

• Roasted Garlic Kale Caesar Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs (for Two)
• Roasted Asparagus Caesar Salad (use these croutons instead of breadcrumbs)
• Heirloom Tomato Salad with Whipped Feta and Balsamic (use these croutons instead of breadcrumbs)
• Miso Caesar Dressing (toss with romaine lettuce)
• Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing (toss with romaine lettuce)
• Steakhouse Style Homemade Caesar Dressing (toss with romaine lettuce)

If you make these Croissant Croutons and love them, leave a comment and star rating below! You can also snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. Feel free to email me with any questions you have, too. Cheers!

xx Sara