Quick Black Pepper Baked Croutons Recipe Gives Salads Attitude by Donna John

Nothing adds crunch, texture and flavor to a salad like homemade croutons. Luckily, croutons are one of the easiest things to make! I tend to keep my fresh-baked croutons pretty simple to let the salad ingredients and salad dressing shine. This crouton recipe is simple, and uses one of my favorite spices: black pepper.

The love for black pepper runs in my family. I remember watching my grandma sprinkle pepper on his morning eggs until they were pretty much black. I find myself doing the same, and noticed recently my daughter enjoys lots of pepper on foods, too. Nothing wrong with that because black pepper has health benefits and is a budget-friendly ingredient.

These baked croutons are black pepper forward, and add a warm, spicy touch to your garden salads. To make these croutons you simply need bread, olive oil and black pepper. The croutons bake up in no time in the oven and smell amazing.

Toss these crunchy croutons into your salad or float them in a creamy soup like tomato soup or creamy Mediterranean vegetable soup, which is high in protein (check out the health benefits of protein). I even find myself dipping them into ranch dressing or homemade basil pesto as a snack. (You know you want to try it!)

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 5 to 8 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

• bread
• olive oil
• black pepper

Recipe Notes

• I used some bread I brought home from a steakhouse (always get it to go!), but any bread you like will work. I've used everything from white sandwich bread to sourdough to brioche to rolls to rustic country bread.

• Store the croutons in an airtight container in a dry place. They will keep for a long time.

Here's how to make it:

1. Tear or cut the bread into crouton-size pieces and put them into a baking dish or on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with black pepper. Toss to coat.
   
2. Bake in a preheated 375-degree F oven for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until dried and golden. You can toss them halfway though baking time, if desired.
   

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