Croutons is a culinary term that comes from the French word that is a diminutive for crust, from the Latin root also meaning crust. Croutons refers to small, crisped pieces of bread that were sautéed or baked to remove moisture. Croutons are used as a garnish and sometimes to add seasoning to dishes as well.

There are several dishes that are typically served with croutons. Soup is one of these. Salad is another. Croutons may also form an ingredient of a bread stuffing. Less usual are using croutons to garnish a dish of sautéed mushrooms and roast chicken served on a bed of croutons.

Croutons can be bought already prepared in assorted flavors including garlic, herb, cheddar, plain, ranch, Parmesan, Caesar, and tomato/basil. Croutons can also be prepared at home using French bread, baguette, sour dough bread, brioche, or plain old stale white bread. Usually some kind of fat is used, whether olive oil, butter, or mayonnaise, and seasonings, herbs, and or cheese may be applied. The croutons are then briefly baked until they are golden brown.

Polenta croutons require a different approach. In this case, the polenta is prepared, molded into a rectangle, and refrigerated until firm. It is cut into cubes and carefully fried in vegetable oil at high heat until golden. Polenta croutons can be made ahead and rewarmed before serving.

Some chefs distinguish between croutons, which are cubes, and crostini, which means little toast, and refers specifically to slices of toasted bread or even to croutons when they’re used to garnish soup or salad. Other chefs call both of these shapes of toasted bread by the name "croutons."

Another possible confusion is between croutons and the similar word croustade which comes from through French from a Latin word meaning “to encrust.” Croustades are bowl-shaped crusts of bread, pastry, rice, or potatoes, used as a container for another food and then eaten. They are, like croutons, fried or baked to a golden brown, and they may be used to hold soup, chili, vegetables, etc. The similarity in the names and preparation could potentially lead to confusion.