Bagels Going Stale? Cut Them Up And Turn Them Into Tasty Croutons

Bagels can be a wonderful way to start your morning; they're warm, delicious, and can be topped with any number of tasty cream cheese brands. However, like all breads, bagels will go stale — and it isn't uncommon for this to happen before you're able to finish the bag. Luckily, you don't just have to settle for a stale breakfast or throw them out. Old bagels can easily be turned into homemade croutons for your next salad.

Once your bagels have gone stale, simply rip them up into cubes that are about an inch on each side. Since bagels are naturally thicker than other kinds of bread, they're perfect for forming the right crouton size. In addition, stale bread actually works better for croutons, so it's truly the perfect use for a slightly out-of-date bagel. You can then toss them with olive oil and any seasonings you desire — a simple parmesan crouton recipe from our site recommends salt, black pepper, and grated parm. Other recipes, such as one that makes croutons from leftover hamburger buns, use herbs like basil, oregano, and garlic powder. What ingredients you use and in what ratios is entirely up to you.

Once you've seasoned your croutons, cook them in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. This will leave you with warm, delicious croutons that you can use immediately or store for future use.

While homemade croutons are great for salads, they have other uses as well. For instance, croutons can be further crumbled up and used as a crunchy topping for mac and cheese, adding flavor via the seasoning as well as a wonderful bite to the otherwise soft dish. They also make for great stuffing, such as in this Daily Meal recipe for crouton, sausage, and kale stuffing. If you happen to have stale bagels around Thanksgiving, consider using them to whip up your own stuffing rather than buying a box mix.

Reddit has tons of other ideas for extra croutons; some suggest making bread pudding, and seasoned croutons could be especially delicious in a sweet chocolate bread pudding. They can also be used as the bottom layer in tons of delicious casserole recipes, such as tuna casserole or a hearty breakfast casserole.

Another suggestion is to simply eat the croutons as a salty snack, akin to potato chips. One way this writer likes to eat them is in a bowl with cherry tomatoes, drizzled in French dressing; it's almost like a salad without the lettuce and other toppings, and perfectly blends flavors together. Fresh grape or cherry tomatoes from the garden paired with homemade croutons is a refreshing snack perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up.