Thought croutons on keto were off limits? Not anymore! These gluten-free, low carb keto croutons taste like the original, or dare I say better?! They are crispy, crunchy, golden brown and seasoned with olive oil, Italian seasoning, and garlic. They are delicious on salads, but also for snacking! There are plenty of ways to use these keto-friendly croutons, but my favorite is over salad greens with a few veggies and either keto Caesar dressing, keto ranch dressing, or creamy balsamic dressing.
Low Carb Croutons Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for low carb salad croutons, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Get Keto Bread Mix For This Recipe Here
For the keto bread:
Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix – For the best croutons, you need the BEST keto bread mix! This one has the flavor and texture of real bread, plus it’s gluten-free, which is so rare to find in keto bread mixes.Butter – Use grass-fed butter for best flavor, but any unsalted butter will do. Eggs – Use large eggs for best results. Unsweetened almond milk – Almond milk works well, but any kind of keto milk will work.
For the keto diet croutons:
Olive oil – For classic Italian flavor. Seasonings – Italian seasoning and garlic powderSea salt & black pepper
How To Make Keto Croutons
This section shows how to make a keto substitute for croutons with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Make the white keto bread:
Prep. Preheat the oven and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Gather the ingredients you’ll need: Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix, butter, eggs, and milk of your choice (see notes on the milk options 2 steps down.)
Cream butter. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter – do so until it’s pale and super fluffy. This helps create air pockets in the bread later on.Add eggs and milk. Make sure they are room temp, so that they don’t solidify the butter.
Add Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix. Beat this in gradually using your mixer.Transfer. Spoon the batter into a parchment lined loaf pan (this size is ideal) and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake. Place in the oven and let it bake until the bread rises and is golden on top. Let bread cool completely.
Make the low carb croutons:
Cut bread. Slice cooled bread into cubes that are about 3/4 inch.
Season. In a large bowl, drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper. Toss together.
Bake. Spread bread cubes out on a prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crispy. Let cool before serving — they will crisp up as they cool. (If you prefer you can also make air fryer croutons instead using the same ingredients.)
Are croutons keto?
No, most croutons are not keto as they are made with flour and wheat. This recipe uses a keto bread instead of a wheat-based bread, making them a great option for keto dieters.
Can I use a different bread?
Yes, you can. My keto bread mix is the easiest and seriously delicious, but you can also swap it out for any of my keto bread recipes. Here are a few favorites:
Keto White Bread – This one may take longer to get crispy if you make croutons out of it.Almond Flour Bread – The closest replacement for the bread mix, but a bit more dense compared to the airy bread mix.Fathead Bagels – Will crisp up on the outside, but can be a bit more chewy inside.90-Second Bread – Similar to the almond flour bread above, but great for a small batch.
Storage Instructions
To store: Store the low carb alternative to croutons in an air-tight container for 5-7 days.To meal prep: Simply make the croutons in advance.
How to Use Easy Keto Croutons
Green Salad – Top salad greens and any other veggies with croutons and creamy balsamic dressing or keto ranch dressing. Caesar Salad – Try them on Cajun shrimp Caesar salad or chicken Caesar salad.Chef Salad – Add them to this classic Chef salad for nice crunch. Keto “Panzanella” Salad – Toss the low carb crouton substitute with Israeli salad for a quick tomato and bread salad.
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
