Name: Chef John's Homemade Croutons
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Olive oil - ½ cup; Garlic, finely minced - 4 cloves; French bread baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes - 1 (8 ounce) loaf; Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided - ¾ cup; Italian seasoning - ½ teaspoon; Paprika - ½ teaspoon; Freshly ground black pepper - ½ teaspoon; Salt - ½ teaspoon; Cayenne pepper - 1 pinch

Ingredients for - Chef John's Homemade Croutons

1. Olive oil ½ cup

2. Garlic, finely minced 4 cloves

3. French bread baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 (8 ounce) loaf

4. Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided ¾ cup

5. Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon

6. Paprika ½ teaspoon

7. Freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon

8. Salt ½ teaspoon

9. Cayenne pepper 1 pinch

How to cook deliciously - Chef John's Homemade Croutons

1 . Stage

Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.

2 . Stage

Stir olive oil and garlic together in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature until flavors are infused, about 3 hours.

3 . Stage

Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour garlic oil through a strainer onto the bread; toss to coat bread with oil. Add 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper; toss to coat. Spread bread cubes out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

4 . Stage

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn croutons and bake 15 minutes more. Push croutons together with a spatula so that they are in a compact rectangle on the baking sheet and no longer spread out; sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the top. Bake until cheese is melted and the bread is crispy and crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes more.