Pizza Croutons Are the Lazy But Brilliant Upgrade to Your Salad Needs

Cold pizza is a popular breakfast in my house: my husband and I often snack on leftover slices while we make our morning coffee. I have no problem eating leftover pizza as is. Still, I’m always looking for fun and creative ways to liven up leftovers, and when I saw my friend June Kim, head of video at Enjoy your foodturning pizza into croutons for his salad, I decided I had to try it too.

Kim, whose favorite way to enjoy her pizza croutons is in a salad with ranch dressing, tells me this tip works with any type of pizza. “However, I think a grandma’s pie or Detroit-style pizza are best for this,” she says, because their thick base resembles focaccia and makes particularly delicious croutons. She doesn’t throw the cut pizza in the oil, because most pizzas already have enough oil to help them crisp up in the oven; instead, she toasts the pizza pieces in a 350°F (175°C) oven until nicely crispy, about seven minutes.

Keeping Kim’s instructions in mind, I took two slices of thin-crust margherita pizza, cut them into 1/2-inch pieces, spread them out on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven at 350°F (175°C), stirring every few minutes. I didn’t have any Detroit-style pizza on hand, but my thin-crust pizza pieces were nicely crispy, with a texture similar to pita chips. Out of curiosity, I tossed a few pieces of pizza in some olive oil to see if that would make them even crispier. I also tried air frying a batch to test if the method was effective.

While the oiled pizza croutons were slightly crispier, the regular croutons were wonderfully crunchy, and there’s really no need for extra oil if all you want is a little texture to your salad. The air-fried croutons were just as crispy as the oven-baked ones, and they cooked in half the time (three to four minutes, compared to five to seven minutes in the oven).

I was delighted to find that making pizza croutons is as simple, if not easier, than making regular ones. As long as you check them and stir them occasionally to avoid burning, they are remarkably difficult to mess up.

Added to my homemade Caesar salad, the pizza croutons provided a satisfying crunch with bright pops of sweet-salty tomato sauce. I also loved them on their own as a snack – think of them as mini pizza crackers.

How to make pizza croutons

• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). If using an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
• Using a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut your pizza into 1/2-inch pieces. Place on a 9×13-inch rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisp and lightly browned, five to seven minutes in the oven or three to five minutes in the air fryer.
• Let cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add it to your salad or enjoy it as a snack.