Our Favorite Store-Bought Croutons for Caesar Salad

I’d be the first to tell you that nothing beats homemade croutons. But even though they’re quick and easy to make, there are times when they’re still not fast enough. That’s when store-bought croutons come to the rescue. There are a whole slew of bagged options out there — we tasted our way through them to find the best.

If you like your Caesar croutons to add extra cheesiness to the salad, then these are for you. These are cheese-forward, while still being light and airy. However, with a pale golden color and in perfectly cut large squares, these croutons definitely feel and taste factory-made.

These little guys would easily get lost in a pile of romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing — they are tiny. The uniformed squares look like they should be extra herby, thanks to all the dried herbs coating them, and they are. They also happen to be quite crunchy for such little croutons, but they’re just too small to hold up in a Caesar salad.

There’s nothing particularly bad about these croutons, but nothing really stands out either. Their flavor is light on the garlic and just a little cheesy. They taste blander than the rest of the bunch, but are nice and light.

With a mix of coarsely cut white and rye croutons, these croutons feel rustic and more homemade than the first two. They’re all about the garlic and have a nice crunch, and their medium size is just about right.

These are actually identical to the Chatham Village croutons — check the label and you’ll see that they’re made by the same company. While the ingredient list is exactly the same, the key difference is the size: Cardini’s are cut just a bit larger than Chatham Village and that’s why they win. They’re equally as rustic, garlicky, and crunchy, but they’re also large enough that you can snack on them right from the bag.