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Add some flavor to your salads with these crispy feta croutons! Cubes of feta are coated with seasoned breadcrumbs and air fried to perfection before being paired with a light and refreshing salad. This is such a fun way to elevate a simple salad!
Ingredients & substitutions
- Feta cheese: This Greek cheese is salty and tangy and adds a delicious flavor. It has a high melting point so it holds its shape when fried. Halloumi would make a good substitute.
- Flour: Used to coat the feta cubes to help the egg stick. Other flour like corn flour or almond flour will work well.
- Egg: Used to stick the breadcrumbs to the cubes of feta.
- Milk: You can use just egg for the crispy coating, but adding milk helps create a better egg wash. Dairy and plant based milks will all work well.
- Italian breadcrumbs: Use seasoned breadcrumbs for some added flavor. You can use plain, or add in some Italian seasoning with them. Panko breadcrumbs can also be used for an extra crispy bite.
- Salad dressing: Red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, Italian seasoning and olive oil.
- Salad vegetables: Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumbers and any other vegetables you want to add.
How to make feta croutons
- Coat the feta cubes in flour.
- Cover them in the egg wash.
- Coat fully in the seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Dip back into the egg mixture a second time.
- Coat again in the breadcrumbs, pressing down to adhere.
- Place in the air fryer basket and cook until golden brown.
Tips for making the recipe
- Don’t skip the double breading of the feta. Double coating the feta cubes is key to making sure they don’t melt in the air fryer.
- Make sure to keep the feta cheese cubes fairly large. 1/2″ to 1″ cubes of feta cheese works well for this recipe. Cutting them smaller makes them harder to bread and more likely to crumble.
- Don’t skip the chilling time. Freezing the breaded feta will help them to keep their shape when you cook them, as the feta will be slower to melt but the coating will get crispy and golden brown.
- Mix up your salad and dressing. These crispy feta croutons are great to pair with lots of salads, so use your favorite combination of salad veggies and dressings if you like.
Frequently asked questions
These feta croutons can be enjoyed warm or cold, though warm is preferable. You can prepare them a day ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge til ready to use. Cooked croutons will keep well for 3 to 4 days and can be reheated quickly in the air fryer at 360F for 2 to 3 minutes.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can deep fry or oven bake the croutons instead. To oven bake, preheat the oven to 400F and place the breaded feta or a lined baking sheet. Bake for around 15 minutes until golden brown.
These crispy feta croutons are obviously a great addition to a salad, but they are so delicious when served as a topping for a tomato soup too. Add them to wraps for a burst of flavor, or even serve them as an appetizer with some marinara dip.
These air fried crispy feta croutons are such an easy and delicious way to amp up your everyday salads. Bursting with flavor and super crunchy, they are such a wonderful addition. Try pressing some tofu to add a crispy tofu bites to this salad!
More summer salads to try:
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Crispy Feta Croutons Salad
Ingredients
For the Croutons
- 1 8 ounce package feta cheese cut into ½” cubes
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
For the Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup olive oil
For the Salad
- 1 head romaine chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ red onion sliced
- 2 Persian cucumbers sliced
Instructions
Make the Croutons
- Place the feta cubes on a paper towel and pat off any excess liquid.
- Add the flour to a small, shallow bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until fully combined. Add the breadcrumbs to a third bowl.
- Dip a feta square in the flour, followed by the egg mixture, and then the breadcrumbs. Dip the feta back into the egg and then back into the breadcrumbs a second time.
- Transfer the feta square on a small plate or baking tray and repeat with the remaining croutons.
- Place the feta squares in the freezer to chill for 20-30 minutes.
- Once the feta croutons are cold to the touch, transfer them to an air fryer basket and cook at 400°F until they are golden brown on the edges, about 7-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
Make Dressing & Assemble the Salad
- In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and Italian seasoning. Slowly stream in the olive oil, whisking constantly until incorporated.
- Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber in a large serving bowl. Drizzle over the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Top with the feta croutons and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Looks delicious and fairly easy to cook for a person like me who dislikes cooking. Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you so much! It really is!
Can we bake it in the oven?
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can deep fry or oven bake the croutons instead. To oven bake, preheat the oven to 400F and place the breaded feta or a lined baking sheet. Bake for around 15 minutes until golden brown.
This recipe will be made tomorrow.
Let me know how it goes!