Rich olive oil seasoned with fragrant minced garlic and a blend of herbs, this bread dipping oil pairs wonderfully with your favorite crusty bread for the perfect easy appetizer.
This is the kind of delightful appetizer you’d expect in your favorite Italian restaurant, yet it can be made so quickly at home.
This bread dipping oil is simple and fresh, requiring very little effort while also adding an element of sophistication to your meal.
Served with a loaf of warm bread straight from the oven, the blend of garlic and herbs smells wonderful and tastes incredible.
So what should you serve it with? I could go on and on! There are so many delicious bread recipes that could accompany this savory little mix.
You can’t go wrong with a boule of garlic sourdough bread, crusty French bread, sourdough baguettes, or a flavorful and easy sourdough focaccia.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Bold flavors – Utilizing rich olive oil and a delicious garlic and spice blend, this bread oil is luxuriously tasty.
Simple and easy – I love that these ingredients are pantry staples, making this simple recipe easy and accessible as an appetizer or addition to dinner.
Elevated appetizer – There’s something incredibly sophisticated about this olive oil dip. It’s delicious, and the vibrant colors are lovely. Pair it with oft, foldable sourdough pita bread or fluffy sourdough breadsticks, which are truly irresistible with this easy bread dip.
Bread Dipping Oil Ingredients
Olive oil – Choose a boldly-flavored, high-quality, extra virgin olive oil for the best results.
Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves will provide the best flavor. Store-bought minced garlic or garlic powder will not produce the same level of flavor.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Modifications and Variations
- Roasted garlic – If raw, minced garlic is too much for your taste, you can roast garlic cloves in the oven first. This makes them sweeter and reduces the intensity of their flavor. Simply cut off the garlic tops, place the cloves on a tray, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at 375 until soft.
- Sun-dried tomato – Try adding chopped sun-dried tomatoes to your dipping oil for a sweet and tangy flavor. They can be purchased alone, but often come packed in olive oil in a jar, in which case the oil (if a quality EVOO) can be used in the recipe, as well.
- Balsamic vinegar – A good pour of balsamic vinegar adds a sweet and tart element to this dipping oil recipe.
How to Make Bread Dipping Oil
Step 1: Pour the olive oil onto a plate or shallow bowl.
Step 2: Mince the garlic and chop the fresh herbs. Sprinkle over the oil and mix. Serve with your favorite bread.
Tips
- I love to use a garlic press for mincing the garlic. It’s thorough and keeps the long-lasting aroma of garlic off of my hands.
- Add a pinch of salt and black pepper into the mix, if desired.
- Experiment with different herbs and flavors to your liking.
- You can use fresh or dried herbs, but adjust accordingly. Dried herbs can be more intensely flavored, requiring less than the suggested amount of fresh herbs.
- Drizzle over grilled chicken or steak, or add to a pasta dish for flavor.
- Leave out the parmesan cheese for a dairy-free version.
Recipe FAQs
Quality olive oil is considered heart-healthy and antioxidant-rich, providing anti-inflammatory properties and blood pressure benefits. Fresh herbs and garlic are also nutritious ingredients. All in all, dipping oil is high-calorie but considered a healthy fat. Pair it with a long-fermented sourdough bread for the most nutritional benefits.
Choose an extra virgin olive oil for a deeper, more robust flavor. If possible, opt for cold-pressed and organic for the best quality.
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for around one week. Refrigerate for longer storage.
No, dipping oil is essentially flavored olive oil meant to accompany fresh bread.
Yes! The delicious flavor of this blend can be drizzled over pastas, steaks, roasted veggies, salads, and even soups.
More Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Sourdough Stromboli
- Sourdough Garlic Knots
- Easy Sourdough Italian Bread
- Homemade Potato Gnocchi
- Cheesy Sourdough Pull Apart Bread
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Easy Bread Dipping Oil Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Garlic press optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 clove of fresh garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil
- Pinch of fresh thyme
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil onto a plate or shallow bowl.
- Mince the garlic and chop the fresh herbs. Sprinkle over the oil and mix. Serve with your favorite bread.
Notes
- I love to use a garlic press for mincing the garlic. It’s thorough and keeps the long-lasting aroma of garlic off of my hands.
- Add a pinch of salt into the mix, if desired.
- Experiment with different herbs and flavors to your liking.
- You can use fresh or dried herbs, but adjust accordingly. Dried herbs can be more intensely flavored, requiring less than the suggested amount of fresh herbs.
- Drizzle over grilled chicken or steak, or add to a pasta dish for flavor.
- Leave out the parmesan cheese for a dairy-free version.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Lisa, I appreciate all you do and share here. I’m a Master Food Preserver with Oregon State University Extension Service. The information you provided on storage of the bread dipping oil is not a safe practice and is not recommended because the oil creates an anaerobic environment, herbs and garlic are low acid foods, and garlic in particular can harbor Clostridium botulinum and its spores. Low acid + anaerobic conditions favor C. botulinum’s growth, and there have been a number of cases of botulism under these conditions. It is recommended that the garlic and herbs be acidified by soaking them in a specific ratio of citric acid to water prior to adding to the oil. If acidification is not done, the oil can be kept under refrigeration for no more than 4 days. It is unsafe to store garlic and/or herb infused oil at room temperature. Please see publication PNW664 for more information. It is my hope that you can correct the information provided about storage to reflect safe practices. Botulism is debilitating and often deadly.
Love it. I added Herbs de Providence to mine with the balsamic. *kiss* Delish
My people like this as a mid day snack with freshly baked sourdough ( day old is ok too, soaks up more of the good stuff )