Croutons can be a delicious addition to a salad or soup. They have been used for centuries to add delicious crunch and texture to some of our favorite foods. Caesar salad just wouldn’t be the same without those yummy croutons! Many of us eating gluten-free wonder whether we can still enjoy croutons. Are croutons gluten-free?
Most croutons are not gluten-free. They are made from sliced or cubed bread, typically containing wheat and gluten. There are a few exceptions, however, as some companies are now making gluten-free croutons, such as Olivia’s Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons. The best alternatives to croutons are Simple Mills Rosemary & Sea Salt Crackers and Hu Grain-Free Everything Flavor Crackers.
In this article, we will look at why croutons are not usually gluten-free, review several popular brands of croutons, and also reveal several delicious gluten-free options to croutons. Keep reading to learn all about the yummy crouton and to find new equally delicious crouton alternatives.
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What is a crouton?
The word crouton comes from the French word spelled the same way. In France, it meant a small croute or crust. It is usually made by slicing bread and brushing it with oil or butter and then baking or frying it. Some are also seasoned or made with cheese added to them. They are often made with stale bread and once they are baked or fried, they stay “fresh” for several days if properly stored.
Common ingredients for croutons are bread, garlic, butter or oil, cheese, and herbs. Making croutons is a great way to use up stale bread before it goes bad. In addition to salad and soups, croutons can be used to add crunch to pasta dishes, stews, and a garnish for many dishes.
Croutons are also used to thicken and help bind dishes like meatloaf and casseroles. You can also crush the croutons between sheets of wax paper and sprinkle the crumbs on lasagna, pastries, and other dishes.
Are croutons healthy?
Traditionally prepared and commercially produced croutons are not considered healthy. Like all products made with wheat flour, they are not gluten-free.
As we’ve seen, croutons are typically made from bread, oil (or butter) and spices, and sometimes cheese. However, the nutrition content of croutons will vary significantly based on the amount and type of oil, bread and cheese, and other items used to make them.
Because they are tossed in butter or oil before baking or frying, they can be high in fat and calories. If cheese is added to the recipe, the fat and calorie count will be even higher. Of course, traditional croutons are made from traditional bread and are high in carbohydrates as well.
Foods high in fat and calories can be unhealthy. However, it does depend on the type of fat and calories. The higher carbohydrate count can be problematic for those following a keto diet.
Commercially produced croutons are often made with unhealthy fats and other ingredients. However, it is possible to make a healthier version of traditional croutons. Also, there are some excellent alternatives to croutons.
Below we will review some popular brands of traditional croutons, including their ingredients and nutritional facts. We then review some new gluten-free crouton brands, as well as the best alternatives we’ve found to croutons.
Croutons Nutritional Information (Not Gluten-Free)
New York Bakery Texas Toast Seasoned Croutons
These popular croutons are cut larger than most and are hearth-baked to be crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Ingredients:
- Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- Canola and/or sunflower oil
- Seasoning (sugar, whey, salt, Romano cheese [milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes], tomato, garlic, natural flavor, including autolyzed yeast extract, vinegar, spices, parsley)
- Salt
- Water
- Yeast
- Natural butter flavor 9a milk ingredient)
- Malted barley four
- Citric acid and/or tocopherols added to maintain freshness
Nutrition Facts (Per 2 Tablespoons):
- 35 Calories
- 2 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 85 mg Sodium
- 4 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 0 g Total Sugars
- 1 g Protein
Reese Seasoned Croutons
Reese croutons are made from fresh oven-baked bread. Reese claims to be “America’s most trusted name in gourmet specialty ingredients for almost a century”.
Ingredients:
- Enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- Canola and/or sunflower oil (with rosemary extract and ascorbic acid [to preserve freshness])
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Salt
- Whey
- Yeast extract
- Romano cheese solids from cow’s milk (part-skim milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes)
- Dehydrated parsley
- Spices
- Vinegar
- Ascorbic acid
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Citric acid
- Disodium inosinate
- Disodium guanylate
- Spice extractive
- Extractive of turmeric (color)
- Extractive of annatto (color)
- Enzymes
Nutrition Facts (Per 2 Tablespoons):
- 30 Calories
- 1 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 95 mg Sodium
- 5 g Total Carbohydrate
- 1 g Protein
Fresh Gourmet Premium Croutons, Garden Herb
Fresh Gourmet Croutons are always made from fresh-baked bread and come in this Garden Herb flavor, as well as Classic Caesar, Country Ranch, Cheese & Garlic, and more.
Ingredients:
- Enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- Canola and/or sunflower oil
- Sugar
- Salt
- Yeast
- Whey
- Onion powder
- Yeast extract
- Garlic powder
- Maltodextrin
- Torula yeast
- Dehydrated parsley
- Carrot powder (color)
- Spices
- Tomato powder
- Vinegar
- Dillweed
- Citric acid
- Turmeric (color)
- Natural flavors (with milk, mustard)
- Rosemary extract
- Ascorbic acid (to preserve freshness)
- Enzymes
Nutrition Facts (Per 2 Tablespoons):
- 30 Calories
- 1 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 80 mg Sodium
- 5 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 mg Dietary Fiber
- 0 g Total Sugars
- 0 g Added Sugars
- 1 g Protein
Rothbury Farms Seasoned Croutons
These popular croutons won a Chef’s Best “Best Taste Award” in 2017. These croutons have rave reviews.
Ingredients:
- Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine, mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- Canola oil
- Salt
- Sugar
- Rice flour
- Garlic powder
- Yeast
- Romano cheese powder (part-skim milk, culture, salt, enzymes)
- Dehydrated parsley
- Onion powder
- Yeast extract
- Natural flavor
- Spices
- Rosemary extractives (antioxidant)
Nutrition Facts (Per 2 Tablespoons):
- 30 Calories
- 1 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 105 mg Sodium
- 5 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 0 g Sugars
- 1 g Protein
Gluten-Free Croutons
Olivia’s Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons
These gluten-free croutons are made from 3 whole-grain flours and fresh garlic in a dedicated gluten-free kitchen.
Ingredients:
- Gluten-free bread (millet, sorghum, brown rice, and white rice flours, egg white, arrowroot, potato and tapioca starches, cider vinegar, canola oil, sea salt, honey, yeast, xanthan gum)
- Canola oil
- Fresh garlic
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Black pepper
- Parsley
Nutrition Facts (Per 4-5 croutons/7 grams):
- 30 Calories
- 5 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 40 mg Sodium
- 4 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 0 g Total Sugars
- 0g Added Sugars
- 0 g Protein
Aleia’s Parmesan Croutons
Aleia’s makes these gluten-free, soy-free, corn-free, delicious croutons made with the secret ingredient that is in all Aleia’s food – “craveability”.
Ingredients:
- Brown rice flour
- White rice flour
- Potato starch
- Tapioca flour
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Non-GMO canola oil
- Potato flour
- Parmesan cheese (pasteurized cow’s milk, cheese, cultures, salt, and enzymes)
- Egg whites
- Yeast
- Mustard (distilled vinegar, water, #1-grade mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, spice, natural flavors, and garlic powder)
- Eggs
- Guar gum
- Sea salt
- Honey
Nutrition Facts (Per ¼ ounce):
- 30 Calories
- 1 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 30 mg Sodium
- 5 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- Less than 1 g Sugars
- 0 g Added Sugars
- 0 g Protein
Delicious Alternatives to Croutons
Croutons are not the only option for crunch and texture in salads, soups, and other dishes. There are many excellent alternatives to croutons on the market. Below we review some of our favorite, gluten-free alternatives to croutons.
Doctor in the Kitchen Flackers – Organic Flax Seed Crackers, Sea Salt
These crunchy and delicious crackers are ketogenic, organic, gluten-free, paleo, and non-GMO. Flackers come in several other flavors as well, including Rosemary and Tomato Basil. These crackers can be used in place of croutons to add crunch and texture and delicious flavor.
Ingredients:
- Organic flax seeds
- Organic apple cider vinegar
- Sea salt
Nutrition Facts (Per 10 crackers):
- 160 Crackers
- 12 g Total Fat
- 1 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 260 mg Sodium
- 10 g Total Carbohydrate
- 9 g Dietary Fiber
- 0 g Total Sugars
- 0 g Added Sugars
- 6 g Protein
Bare Toasted Coconut Chips
These yummy, gluten-free baked coconut chips add wonderful flavor and crunch to salads and other dishes and make a perfect alternative to croutons. Coconut is full of healthy fats and is naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Coconuts
- Can sugar
- Sea salt
Nutrition Facts (Per ½ cup):
- 170 Calories
- 12 g Total Fat
- 11 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 140 mg Sodium
- 14 g Total Carbohydrate
- 5 g Dietary Fiber
- 9 g Total Sugars
- 8 g Added Sugars
- 2 g Protein
Hu Grain-Free Crackers, Everything Flavor
Hu makes these delicious gluten-free crackers that are a perfect alternative to croutons. The everything flavor is loaded with spices and seasonings that will make you forget all about your favorite croutons!
Ingredients:
- Grain-free flour blend (almond, cassava, organic coconut)
- Organic sesame seed
- Black chia seed
- Organic onion
- Sea salt
- Flaxseed
- Organic coconut aminos (fermented organic coconut nectar, Himalayan salt)
- Organic poppy seed
- Organic garlic
- Organic apple cider vinegar
- Organic rosemary extract (organic rosemary, organic coconut oil)
Nutrition Fact (Per 31 crackers):
- 120 Calories
- 7 g Total Fat
- 1 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 300 mg Sodium
- 12 g Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g Dietary Fiber
- 1 g Total Sugars
- 0 g Added Sugars
- 4 g Protein
Simple Mills Almond Flour Rosemary & Sea Salt Crackers
Simple Mills makes many delicious products and these crackers are no exception. They are naturally gluten-free, Non-GMO verified, vegan, Paleo Friendly, Kosher, Grain Free Soy Free and made in the USA.
Ingredients:
- Nut and seed flour blend (almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds)
- Tapioca
- Cassava
- Organic sunflower oil
- Organic rosemary
- Organic onion
- Organic garlic
- Sea salt
- Organic pepper
- Rosemary extract (for freshness)
Nutrition Facts (Per 17 crackers):
- 150 Calories
- 8 g Total Fat
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 180 mg Sodium
- 17 g Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g Dietary Fiber
- Less than 1 g Sugars
- 3 g Protein
Final Thoughts
Croutons have been around for centuries and are a great way to add texture and flavor to salads, soups, and other dishes. However, most traditionally made croutons are not gluten-free and are not very healthy.
You can control the type and amount of fat and calories in traditional croutons when you make them at home. However, most commercial crouton brands are high in fat and calories and have non-healthy ingredients.
Today there are some healthier, gluten-free croutons available, such as those we reviewed above. There are also some excellent alternatives to croutons that we discussed. You should give some of these gluten-free alternatives to traditional croutons a try. You may decide they are even better than traditional croutons!
Related Questions
Are croutons vegan?
It depends. Traditional croutons are not vegan because the bread usually contains animal products. However, you can certainly find vegan croutons as well as delicious vegan alternatives to croutons.
Are croutons keto-friendly?
Again, it depends. Traditional croutons are not keto-friendly as they contain too many carbohydrates. However, there are some gluten-free croutons that are low enough in carbohydrates to enjoy on a keto diet.
Are croutons kosher?
Once again, it depends. Some brands are kosher and others are not. As always, it’s important to read the label. If they are kosher, they should be clearly marked on the product package.