Name: Olive Oil Bread Dip
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 2 teaspoons shredded Parmesan (optional); fresh baguette (sliced (or other thick, crusty bread))

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Olive Oil Bread Dip is amazing however you serve it, whether as an appetizer or side with your favorite Italian dishes. Who can resist? Not me! Warm up your favorite crusty bread to dip it in and soak up the flavors. Everyone will love this delicious olive oil dip for bread. Tastes great with pasta, chicken or fish. Scroll down and see just how easy this dip is to make anytime using mostly pantry ingredients.

Olive Oil Bread Dip Ingredients

To make this simple olive oil dip recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

olive oil
balsamic vinegar
fresh garlic
Italian seasoning
red pepper flakes
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
shredded Parmesan (optional)
fresh baguette (or other thick, crusty bread)

I recommend using a good olive oil for this recipe since it is the main ingredient. Extra virgin olive oil is best but it is also important is to choose a brand that you already like. I used Bertolli olive oil when I made this recipe.

How to Make Olive Oil Dip for Bread

There are really two ways to make olive oil dip. You can make individual servings, one at a time, pouring olive oil onto a plate and then adding any seasonings , balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese, etc. onto each small plate or shallow bowl. This method works well if you plan to serve guests at a dinner party for example, where each guest will have their own serving. If you plan to serve it up as an appetizer option for community dipping, or you plan to just enjoy it for a date night and want to share, then you can put all ingredients into a single dish like I did.

I like to place all my ingredients into a mason jar except for Parmesan Cheese and give a good shake. Then let the flavors meld at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Anything you don’t use can be stored in the fridge for several days in the mason jar. Pour into a shallow dish and top with Parmesan cheese (if desired) before serving with some warm bread for dipping.

Seasoning for Olive Oil Bread Dip

I like to use fresh minced garlic and used two cloves for this recipe. If you like a stronger garlic flavor you can add additional cloves. Keep in mind that many of the ingredients stay on the bottom of the oil so a little extra doesn’t hurt. If you don’t have fresh garlic you can use, refrigerated minced garlic, dried minced garlic or even garlic powder in a pinch. Here is how to make those substitutions for reference.

1 clove of garlic is approximately:

- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried minced garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder

For this recipe I am using an Italian seasoning blend but if you don’t have that on hand you can make your own with this homemade Italian seasoning recipe. It uses a combination of dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage. Don’t have all those ingredients? You can also do equal parts of basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano.

What to Serve with Italian Olive Oil Dip

You can really use whatever warm, crusty bread you want with this olive oil dip. The key is to have something that can withstand getting dipped in the oil without getting soggy or weighed down. The flavors really come out if you let your bread sit in the oil longer when you dip. I purchased two fresh baguettes and warmed it up in the oven for several minutes. Other options include ciabatta or sourdough but the recipe is flexible. Pick a crusty bread you know you like!

This simple olive oil bread dip works great as an appetizer or as a side dish, especially with any Italian meal. Serve it with your favorite pasta like this creamy bacon and peas pasta or a chicken dish like chicken cacciatore. I also love this bread with a good steak. This New York strip in air fryer recipe is a great option for a quick meal.

While the Parmesan cheese is optional for this recipe, I think it really adds so much flavor! So if you like shredded Parmesan, definitely include it. The red pepper adds a nice little kick without being overpowering. My husband and I can’t keep our hands out of this Italian olive oil bread dip. Yum!

Looking for more appetizers to serve with crusty bread? Try this olive dip which doubles as a spread or this warm spinach dip which features bacon and is a family favorite!

5 from 1 vote