Olive Oil Bread Dip
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An Olive Oil Bread Dip so good you won’t want to share it! You might even end up eating the entire loaf of bread.
Get ready to whip up restaurant-quality dipping oil in just a few minutes. Grab your favorite homemade bread for dipping and a glass of wine and you have an easy appetizer!
If you love Olive Oil Dip For Bread this is for you
Do you remember the first time you dipped bread in olive oil and balsamic vinegar? No? Just me? Ok then.
Well, I’ll tell you about the first time I dipped an oil-absorbing spongey inside, crispy outside piece of bread in a heavenly mixture of robust olive oil and tangy balsamic vinegar.
This Olive Oil Bread Dip Recipe will put the restaurants to shame
When I was a kid, I complained to my Dad about how hungry I was while he was making dinner. You know like “Daaaaddd I’m starving” so Dad puts a plate of olive oil mixed with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a few slices of french baguette in front of me. As soon as I tasted it, I was in heaven.
French baguettes were our thing. Every Wednesday when my Dad would pick me up from school he would bring a fresh baguette from one of our favorite bakeries. I sat in the backseat tearing pieces off and getting crumbs everywhere.
Fast forward like 15 years and I’m still noshing on fresh bread and this simple olive oil dip before every meal. Although, I’ve jazzed it up a bit since then.
I’m such a sucker for carbs in any way shape or form! Lately I’ve been hardcore craving french fries in air fryer.
When I go to a new restaurant, I always find myself judging the quality of my meal before it even comes out all based on how good or bad the bread and olive oil situation is. This recipe will rival the oil dip of even your favorite Italian restaurant!
Ingredients you will need
The ingredients that make this olive oil bread dip so addicting are the crushed garlic and Felippo Berio Extra Robusto Olive Oil, a good quality EVOO that’s never let me down! I love garlic, and I use it in pretty much everything I cook.
Extra virgin olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the best for dipping oils and I especially love the full-bodied flavor of the Robusto Olive Oil from Felippo Berio. You can find several of Felippo Berios’s products on Amazon starting at about $6.
Balsamic vinegar: Pairs nicely with the oil for a bit of sweet tanginess.
Fresh garlic: In some recipes you can get away with jarred garlic (also known as lazy girl garlic), but I really do recommend using fresh garlic cloves for this dip.
Seasonings: A blend of salt and black pepper with Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes packs this oil dip with so much flavor!
This recipe uses an Italian Herb seasoning blend because all the herbs in this blend are perfect for an olive oil dip recipe and it saves you from having to open six jars of spices! If you’ve got fresh rosemary on hand, it really takes this tip to another level!
How to make it
- Mix the seasonings. In a shallow bowl or on a small plate, mix the garlic, Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and pepper.
- Add oil and vinegar. Once spices are well combined, add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix well, then serve it at room temperature with your favorite warm bread.
Crushed vs minced garlic in Oil Dip for Bread
I use crushed garlic in this dipping oil recipe to prevent garlic overkill and stinky breath! The more you chop garlic, the more “bite” you will get when cooking it. Since this recipe isn’t cooked, we don’t want to overdo it on the garlic element.
Can I use jarred minced garlic in this Dipping Oil For Bread?
You might have a jar of minced garlic in the refrigerator already, but the flavor elements of minced garlic are different from fresh crushed garlic.
Minced garlic in a jar also has less flavor than the clove itself. This is because when you let garlic sit in the refrigerator for several days after breaking down the cell walls and allowing two different chemicals to interact (this happens when you chop it), the effect of that interaction is that, in time, they form sugars.
In short, if you are using pre-chopped garlic that has been sitting in the refrigerator and most likely marinating in olive oil its whole life, the flavor begins to mellows out. If you don’t have a garlic clove, it will do, but the flavor will be different.
Recipe tips
- Crushing garlic is easy, you don’t even need to peel it! Just separate one clove, lay it on the cutting board, and smash it with the flat end of your knife. Then you can easily pull off the peel.
- Don’t worry about mixing: Oil and vinegar are hard to combine fully unless you shake them up vigorously. Just give them a good mix and try to incorporate them with the seasonings as much as possible.
- Use the best ingredients: Because this is such a simple dip for bread, for the best flavor you’ll want to make sure your spices are fresh, you have a good quality olive oil that’s smooth and full bodied, and your cloves of garlic are nice and fresh.
- Make your own Italian seasoning: If you don’t have an Italian blend on hand, you’ll need some combination of basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and marjoram. Use dried herbs or fresh herbs depending on what you have and what you prefer.
- Add cheese: For even more savory, salty flavor, add some grated Parmesan cheese!
- Use lemon juice: Balance out all of the savory spices with a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice or even some lemon zest.
If you have leftover bread from a week of sandwiches, you can toast it and use it for dipping! Sometimes I’ll make a loaf of this Sourdough Sandwich Bread just so I can have leftovers for dipping.
How to store olive oil dip
If you are looking to store this dipping oil for future use, substitute the fresh garlic for 1/2 tsp of garlic powder. This will help keep it fresh for longer. Keep it in any airtight container, like a mason jar, in a cool and dark place.
But if you really want that fresh garlic taste, you can also assemble the oil dip with everything minus the garlic, then add it when you’re ready to serve!
This oil dip will also last for about a week in the fridge if you do use the fresh garlic.
How to use Oil Dip for Bread
For this recipe, I used sourdough bread to dip, but you can use whatever warm crusty bread you like! French baguette, fresh focaccia bread, Italian brad, or ciabatta bread would all be delicious as well. Anything with a soft and spongey inside with a nice crusty outside is my favorite!
This is perfect to serve as a quick appetizer, a starting course for a dinner party, or just when you’re craving a taste of that fancy Italian restaurant that you can’t stop thinking about (admit it, we all have one!).
Make a DIY gift basket featuring your homemade dip
DIY gift baskets are so much fun and they make the great gifts!
If you’re looking for a fun gift to send a friend, consider putting a DIY gift basket together with all the ingredients to make their own dipping oil for their favorite bread! You can find all of the ingredients on Amazon, linked below. I even included a cute gift basket to pack it all up in!
You’ll notice I swapped out the fresh garlic for garlic powder so it stays fresh in the mail.
- Felippo Berio Robusto Olive Oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Italian herb seasoning
- Crushed red pepper
- Coarse sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- Garlic powder
- DIY gift-making basket
Use Olive Oil Bread Dip for Salad dressing!
This recipe isn’t limited to dipping bread. You can use it as a light salad dressing or vinaigrette too! I love to use it on simple salads with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, grilled chicken, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
More Recipes To Try
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Olive Oil Bread Dip
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Felippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1-2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp italian herb seasoning
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Add garlic, Italian herb seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to a shallow dish. Then mix in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Enjoy with your favorite toasted or homemade bread.
one of the best
Thank you so much!
The garlic takes it to the next level. Excellent
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed.
Better than any dipping oil I’ve ever had outside a restaurant. Actually, better than the vast majority I’ve had inside one!
Thank you for sharing this jewel, jz.
Thank you so much!
This is such a great combination. I appreciate all the information on garlic. It was such a tasty snack tonight while enjoying a good movie.
This was so elegant yet super easy to make. I could literally just walk to my kitchen and make it any time!
Love the flavors infused to this Olive Bread Dip. This is so yum and the best Dip ever.
I am a sucker for carbs also!! Yum how good does this look and such a simple recipe too. Perfect as a starter, Thanks for sharing!
I love it when they bring this out at a restaurant. I really need to try making it myself.
I could not refrain from commenting. Perfectly written!
Thank you!
Hello y’all , love love a great dip for my home baked bread , but alll pre made Italian herb mixes are ,just like Olive Oil , are not the same !! and not fresh , I know you can make your own , look on Amazon and compare , don’t forget rub those herbs between palms ,of ye hands , then add its helps release the oils within , enjoy !!
Wow! this was so tasty with our sourdough!! We made a doublr batch!!
I always love the oil dip at carrabas and wanted to recreate it at home. YUM! This was so good, definitely hit the spot.
I really enjoyed this dip for my bread this weekend. The hint of heat with the red pepper flakes was perfection! Thank you!
Our favorite restaurant makes this, and it is the only thing my daughter will make on the entire menu. We enjoy dinners, and she just asks for more bread and dipping oil lol. I’m definitely going to make this for her!