Leftover Tomato Paste Gives Croutons An Ultra-Savory Spin

Whether you prefer yours made from sourdough or stale croissants, croutons are an essential element to any salad or soup. Of course, they also make a satisfying snack when you pop them into your mouth straight from the bag. Although these crunchy bread cubes are crispy little delights on their own, they're even better dolled up with added fixings. But rather than packing up and heading to the grocery store to give your croutons a facelift, just reach for leftover tomato paste instead.

Delicious and versatile as tomato paste is, many recipes only call for a dime-sized amount of the concentrated puree, leaving you with more than you bargained for. Instead of burning yourself out on yet another batch of pasta, give that neglected can or tube of tomato paste a new purpose by using it to jazz up croutons. Rich in sugars that are balanced by the presence of umami-rich glutamic acid, tomato paste flaunts a concentrated flavor marked by earthy, savory notes and subtle hints of tangy sweetness, giving the otherwise one-dimensional starchy taste of croutons more depth and complexity.

Making tomato paste-kissed croutons is as simple as tossing them with tomato paste before adding them to your favorite dishes. A dash of oil helps develop a more viscous consistency for even spreading across the croutons while adding a trim of peppery richness. When making croutons from scratch, toss them in tomato paste and oil and roast them to bake in those sumptuous flavors.

A sophisticated and synchronistic pairing, tomato paste and croutons are just as complementary as peanut butter and jelly. Inherently, the twosome doesn't really need zhuzhing up, but there are plenty of other ingredients that can give tomato paste-lathered croutons a little extra flair. When adding oil and tomato paste to your croutons, toss them with dried oregano, dehydrated basil, and crushed red pepper for an Italian-inspired meal topping. For an extra savory taste, introduce garlic and onion powder for a mouthwatering, allium-blasted upgrade.

Whether you keep it simple or dress them up with herbs and spices, there are plenty of toothsome ways to put your new and improved croutons to use. Using them as a more nuanced counterpoint to the richness of the dressing in a Caesar salad is a no-brainer. You can also accentuate their savory fruit flavor by using them to top a creamy tomato basil soup where the tanginess of the croutons harmonizes with the taste of the timeless potage. Shake up your Thanksgiving stuffing (or dressing if you're in the South) recipe by swapping boring old croutons for those bathed in tomato paste to achieve a fresh, vegetal-tinted take on a holiday classic. And when all else fails, enjoy them as a mid-day snack, because who said croutons aren't finger food?