Croutons for soup or salad
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Croutons are small, toasted or fried cubes of bread, typically made from stale baguettes, sourdough, or white bread, seasoned with butter, oil, and herbs like parsley or garlic. They originated in France as a way to use up leftover bread and are now a classic topping for soups like French onion and salads like Caesar.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
Croutons are primarily a source of carbohydrates from the bread, with added fats from oil or butter, and they provide a small amount of protein. A typical 1/2-cup serving contains around 100-150 calories, along with some iron and B vitamins from the enriched flour.
💡 What's interesting
Croutons are a culinary example of 'waste not, want not,' transforming day-old bread into a crunchy, flavorful garnish. Nutritionally, they add texture and calories to dishes but are often used in small amounts, making their overall impact on a meal's nutrition relatively modest.