Smoky-salty bacon adds a wonderful flavor to this easy crouton recipe and eliminates the need to add salt to the recipe. They’re an incredibly good addition to a salad of simple greens or a rustic country soup.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons light olive oil
- 4 ounces bacon, chopped
- 3 3/4-inch-thick slices stale French bread, cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation:
Sauté the oil and bacon over medium heat in a large skillet until the bacon cooks through but isn’t crisp yet – about 5-6 minutes. Add the bread cubes and thyme; continue cooking, stirring very frequently, until the bacon has crisped and the croutons turn golden brown. Remove the skillet from the heat, gentle toss the croutons with the ground black pepper, and transfer the finished croutons to a clean kitchen towel to drain.
