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Croutons

Croutons are small pieces of bread toasted or fried for use as a crisp topping or garnish.

Croutons — illustrative ingredient image

About Croutons

Croutons are small cubes, pieces, or irregular chunks of bread that have been dried or browned by baking, toasting, or frying. They are used as toppings or garnishes for salads, soups, and other savoury dishes, adding a toasted, bready element.

They are usually crisp, with texture ranging from crisp throughout to firm outside with a denser centre. Flavour depends on the bread and any oil, butter, salt, herbs, spices, or other seasonings. Plain, seasoned, homemade, and commercial versions can differ noticeably.

Croutons are sold or prepared as pale-gold to deep-brown pieces, often uniformly cut in commercial products and more irregular when homemade. Further baking or frying makes bread drier and browner; added coatings season the surface, while moisture from a dish softens the pieces.

Ingredient type
compound ingredient

Forms & related ingredients

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Where croutons appears

2 linked foods

Find foods to recognise by country and type. Recipes and products vary; these are recorded ingredient connections.

Showing 1–2 of 2

Salads

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for croutons

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Croutons

English

Croûton nature, préemballé

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Croûton, à l'ail, aux fines herbes ou aux oignons, préemballé

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Croûton, à tartiner, préemballé

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Croûton, au fromage, préemballé

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

CROUTONS SEASONED

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Croutons, plain

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Croutons nutrition & diet

Croutons nutritional value

Croutons, plain

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
407kcal
Protein
11.9g
Carbs
73.5g
Fat
6.6g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use the specified crouton portion and preparation, since toasted, fried, seasoned, and cheese-coated versions differ in ingredients and cooking fat. Record whether pieces are served dry or absorb dressing, soup, or sauce, and distinguish packaged products from bread toasted in-house.

Compare the right form: Match the reference to toasted or fried bread cubes, including edible coatings, seasoning, oil, and whether served dry or absorbed.

Diet considerations

Croutons are usually made from cereal bread, commonly wheat, but recipe and brand determine additional ingredients. Oil, butter, cheese, bacon, seasoning blends, and coatings can change compatibility with vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, or cereal-avoidance patterns. Their carbohydrate contribution depends on portion and the amount used.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Depends on the version
  • Vegetarian
    May be compatible
  • Pescatarian
    May be compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Typically incompatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Depends on the version
Optional or variable recorded ingredients: Butter. The ingredient profile identifies an animal-derived food or derivative. Recipes and products can differ.
Vegetarian · May be compatible
The recorded ingredients may fit this pattern. This is not a complete recipe or manufacturing specification; check additions and preparation.
Pescatarian · May be compatible
The recorded ingredients may fit this pattern. This is not a complete recipe or manufacturing specification; check additions and preparation.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Typically incompatible
Recorded common ingredients: Stale Bread. Recorded common ingredients: Bread. This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar). Recipes and products can differ. Recipes and products can differ.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Croutons, plain ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .