Basil Pesto Croutons

Name: Basil Pesto Croutons
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1/2 day-old French baguette or boule, torn or cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/2 cup basil pesto; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

by Deborah on Apr 15, 2023 (updated Oct 12, 2024) 0 comments

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This Basil Pesto Croutons recipe is the perfect way to make use of leftover bread and pesto! Make a large batch of these Italian croutons to enjoy them throughout the week with your favorite soups and salads or simply to snack on! Making croutons in super easy and they come together in a pinch!

An aluminum cookie sheet filled with basil pesto croutons. A glass dish filled with salad and croutons sits next to the cookie sheet.

Most weeks you’ll find my refrigerator stocked with pesto. The first time I drizzled pesto in chicken soup, I was hooked; it makes pretty much everything taste better. So when I discovered this little trick of drizzling pesto over stale bread when making croutons, I became hooked on these Italian Croutons! They’re so good tossed in soups (especially creamy soup) and salads!

This recipe is an easy one to pull together! You simply cut or tear some day-old bread into 1-inch cubes, toss them in pesto, and bake them! Then eat them by the fistfuls or add them to your favorite soups and salads.

Recipe For Basil Pesto Croutons

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this Recipe for Basil Pesto Croutons; it makes the best croutons!

Bread – We use a half of a day old baguette.
Pesto – We use Homemade Basil Pesto for this recipe, but you could use store-bought if you like.
Parmesan cheese – We use Parmesan cheese for this recipe, but you could use Parmesan-Reggiano if you like.

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

How to Make Basil Pesto Croutons

Tossing day-old bread with pesto makes the best croutons! And making these Italian croutons couldn’t be easier, especially if you already have the pesto on hand!

Cut or tear bread. Cut or tear the day-old baguette into 1-inch pieces.
Make Pesto. Add the basil pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you reach a desired consistency. Pour into a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.
Toss bread cubes with peasto. Add the bread cubes to the bowl. Using a silicon spatula, gently toss the cubes to coat evenly. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the croutons are golden brown and crispy, turning them at the 5 minute mark.
Add Parmesan cheese (optional). About 5 minutes into baking the croutons, remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the croutons. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to the oven to continue baking for another 5 minutes or until they’re golden brown and crispy. This makes them extra cheesy good, but again, totally optional.

Recipe Tips

Cut each cube of bread into roughly the same sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Coat each piece of cut bread fairly evenly with pesto.

What Is The Best Bread To Make Croutons With

While you can make Basil Pesto Croutons using almost any type of bread, it’s best to use a French baguette or boule. Using a baguette or boule is ideal because you can easily cut the pieces into 1-inch cubes; nothing worse than small croutons!

Additionally, bread that is a day or two old is best; that’s because it’s easier to cut and it doesn’t become overly soggy when tossed in pesto and olive oil. We use day old bread to make these Herbed Croutons and Parmesan Croutons as well.

Serving Suggestions

These crispy nuggets are completely addictive on their own, but they’re really best tossed in salads or used as a garnish for soups.

Soups: Add them to soups like my Red Lentil Soup, Italian Lentil Soup or French Potage.
Salads: Salads are always better with crunchy croutons tossed in the mix. Try them in my Everyday Mediterranean Salad, Italian Salad, Romaine Salad, Chef Salad and Broccoli Salad.
Breadcrumbs: If you need delicious breadcrumbs to add to a chicken recipe or an Italian dish, these Basil Pesto Croutons also make the perfect and flavorful breadcrumbs! Just toss them by the handfuls into a food processor and pulse until you reach your desired texture.

How To Store Croutons

Basil Pesto Croutons, like any bread or cracker product, must be sealed in an airtight plastic bag, container or even a mason jar, where they’ll keep for up to a week. Just make sure you let them cool before storing them.

Can Croutons Be Frozen

Yes, Basil Pesto Croutons can be kept in the freezer. Simply place the croutons onto a baking sheet and place them in the freezer; once they’re frozen you can then place them in an air-tight freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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Yield: 4 servings