Bring your favorite Italian restaurant home with this delicious and easy bread dipping oil. Filled with herbs, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar this dip is the perfect companion for warm bread.

 

One of my favorite things about going to an Italian restaurant, like Carrabba’s and Romano Macaroni Grill, is the basket of bread and olive oil dip they serve before you even have a chance to look at the menu.

This dip recipe is very similar to what you would find at one of these restaurants. It’s filled with herbs, quality extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a little bit of grated Parmesan cheese. We love making it a whole experience by serving it with cheesy baked mostaccioli.

What makes this dip so good

• So simple! All you need are a few ingredients and 5 minutes.
• A crowd pleaser. This dip is full of flavor and is always a hit with friends and family. I could almost make a meal out of this!
• Can be made ahead of time. You can easily mix up the dry ingredients ahead of time and then combine with oil and vinegar when ready to serve.

What is best oil for dipping bread?

This recipe has just a few ingredients so it’s important to use a quality oil for the best taste. I would recommend choosing an organic, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil because it’s light and pairs well with the herbs.

You can also use a nice olive oil if you have that on hand.

What you need

You probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen to make this irresistible dip.

Extra virgin olive oil – Use your favorite organic, cold pressed EVOO.

Balsamic vinegar – Again, use your favorite or what you have on hand. Feel free to also leave this ingredient out if you prefer no vinegar.

Garlic – Use 2-3 fresh garlic cloves finely minced. I would recommend not using the jarred garlic for this recipe. Fresh is best.

Parmesan cheese – This is another optional ingredient but I do love the extra flavor it adds. I like to use grated cheese but you could also use freshly shredded Parmesan.

Onion powder

Dried oregano

Dried thyme

Dried basil

Salt and pepper

How to make bread dipping oil

There really isn’t much to mixing this oil and balsamic dip together. That’s one reason why I love this super easy appetizer.

1. Stir together dried oregano, thyme, basil, onion powder and minced garlic in a bowl.
2. Pour herb mixture into a serving dish with extra virgin olive oil and stir to distribute the herbs.
3. Add in balsamic vinegar, a little Parmesan cheese and you are ready to eat.

How to serve

This makes a great appetizer served alongside warm, crust bread. We love pairing it with things like:

• Charcuterie board or cheese board
• Baked ravioli
• Pasta with green sauce
• Manicotti
• Garlic pasta

Recipe tips

• Bread: I like using a nice crusty bread for dipping like French or Italian bread. It’s also great with a ciabatta and sourdough. I have even used this dip to spoon over fish for extra flavor.
• Want to add a little heat, mix in 1/2 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes.
• I like serving this in a shallow bowl or dish.

More delicious dip recipes

• Sausage beer cheese dip – A warm appetizer made with crumbled sausage and homemade beer cheese.
• Crack dip – Cream cheese mixed with ranch, bacon and cheese.
• Cranberry jalapeno dip – A delicious combination of cranberries, jalapenos and a little sugar spread over whipped cream cheese.
• Cream cheese salsa dip – The easies 2 ingredient appetizer.
• Olive dip – One of our favorites!