Chilly pizza is a well-liked breakfast in my family: My husband and I typically munch on leftover slices as we brew our morning espresso. I’ve no drawback consuming leftover pizza as-is. Nonetheless, I am at all times searching for enjoyable, inventive methods to enliven leftovers—and after I noticed my buddy June Kim, the top of video at Bon Appétit, flip pizza into croutons for her salad, I made a decision I needed to strive it, too.

Kim, whose favourite approach to take pleasure in her pizza croutons is in a salad with ranch dressing, tells me this trick works with any sort of pizza. “Nevertheless, I do really feel {that a} grandma pie or Detroit-style pizza is greatest for this,” she says, as its thick base is focaccia-like and makes for significantly scrumptious croutons. She does not toss the cut-up pizza in oil, since most pizzas have already got sufficient oil to assist them crisp up within the oven; as a substitute, she toasts pizza items in a 350°F (175°C) oven till they’re good and crisp, about seven minutes.

With Kim’s directions in thoughts, I took two slices of leftover thin-crust margherita pizza, lower them into 1/2-inch items, unfold them on a sheet pan, and popped them into the oven at 350°F (175°C), stirring each jiffy. I did not have any Detroit-style pizza readily available, however my thin-crust pizza items crisped up properly, with a texture much like pita chips. Out of curiosity, I tossed some pizza items in olive oil to see if it will make them even crispier. I additionally tried air-frying a batch to check whether or not the tactic was efficient.

Whereas the oiled pizza croutons had been ever so barely crispier, the common ones had been splendidly crunchy, and there is actually no want for further oil if all you need is a little bit of texture on your salad. The air-fried croutons had been simply as crunchy because the oven-baked ones, and so they had been accomplished in about half the time (three to 4 minutes, versus 5 to seven minutes within the oven).

I used to be thrilled to search out that making pizza croutons is as straightforward—if not simpler—than making common ones. So long as you verify and stir them often to stop burning, they’re remarkably exhausting to mess up.

Tossed into my selfmade Caesar salad, the pizza croutons supplied a satisfying crunch with vibrant hits of salty-sweet tomato sauce. I additionally beloved them on their very own as a snack—consider them as mini pizza crackers.

The right way to Make Pizza Croutons

• Regulate oven rack to center place and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). If utilizing air fryer, preheat air fryer to 350°F. 
• Utilizing a pair of kitchen scissors or a pointy knife, lower your pizza into 1/2-inch items. Place on a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet and bake till crisp and frivolously golden, 5 to seven minutes within the oven or three to 5 minutes within the air fryer.
• Let cool barely, about 3 minutes. Toss into your salad or take pleasure in as a snack.