Parmesan Croutons

Need croutons fast? The microwave gets whole wheat bread triangles dry and crunchy in about 90 seconds, no oven preheating required. A drizzle of melted butter and a shower of grated Parmesan finish them off.

Trimming the crusts before cutting gives you clean, uniform triangle shapes that look polished on a salad or floating in soup. The microwave dries the bread from the inside out, which creates a light, airy crunch that’s different from oven-toasted croutons. They crisp up without browning, so they stay pale but shatter when you bite into them.

Butter goes on after drying, not before. If you butter the bread first, the microwave steams it instead of crisping it. Melting the butter separately and drizzling it over the dried triangles lets it soak into the surface without making them soggy.

Kitchen Tips

• Watch the timing carefully. Microwaves vary and bread goes from dry to burnt in seconds. Start with 1 minute and check.
• Spread the triangles in a single layer with space between them. Stacked pieces steam each other and won’t dry evenly.
• Use freshly grated Parmesan rather than the shelf-stable kind. It sticks to the buttered surface better and has far more flavor.

Variations

• Add a pinch of garlic powder to the melted butter for garlic Parmesan croutons.
• Use sourdough or Italian bread instead of whole wheat for a different flavor profile.
• Sprinkle with dried Italian herbs along with the Parmesan for a seasoned crouton.