Buttery, Crunchy but not too crunchy, and great with just about any flavor you put with them. And most likely, you have the main ingredient in your house already…
Hotdog buns. They make the best croutons! I can have a love-hate relationship with croutons in all honesty. I love when they are crispy and crunchy on the outside, but soft and flavorful on the inside. However – I really dislike it when they are so crunchy I nearly break a tooth. It can just ruin the salad or soup, or whatever else it’s on. I’m all about the dry, crunchy parts soaking up the liquid, completely! But, if they’re so crunchy that even after being in the soup they’re still – you know – crunchy? No good for me.
Fun Fact: Hot dog and hotdog are both correct spellings of the word. Who knew?
Make them your own! When I don’t feel like making garlic bread, I’ll add minced garlic and use parmesan cheese to the mix, and top them on my bolognese.
Make them your own! When I don’t feel like making garlic bread, I’ll add minced garlic and use parmesan cheese to the mix, and top them on my bolognese.
For my French Onion Soup, I add Gruyére cheese and make them extra crispy to soak up all that rich liquid goodness. 20 minutes in the oven and they’re crunchy without being rock-hard. And they soak up all the olive oil really well so it’s an extra flavor shot when you bite into them.
The Recipe
1 Bag Hotdog Buns (or estimate 1 hotdog bun/serving that you need)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Cheese (optional- Parmesan, Gruyére, Manchego, )
2 cloves Garlic, minced (optional)
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- Cut the hot dog buns in half lengthwise and then cut into cubes crosswise. If your buns are pre-sliced in the middle you should have some nice cubes, if not, still bite-size rectangles.
- In a bowl, place the cut hot dog buns. Drizzle with olive oil (about 1/4 cup+ if using a whole bag of hot dogs), salt and pepper, and garlic if using. Using your hands mix it all together, gently squeezing the oil into the hot dog bun pieces.
- Lay out the croutons on a sheet tray and sprinkle cheese (if using) on top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the hot dog buns are crispy and dark golden brown. Cook a bit more (about 5 minutes) if using for soup or to soak up heavy sauces, or if you like them really crunchy.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days. To reheat place in 350 F oven for 5 minutes.
Happy Cooking!
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