Garlic Olive Oil Bread Dip is an easy herbaceous dip with tangy balsamic vinegar, freshly minced garlic, parmesan, and a kick of spicy heat that's perfect to dip into with homemade focaccia or ciabatta bread!
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- This herb-infused olive oil dip is a great appetizer for any holiday or party!
- It's great for making ahead of time since it needs to sit for maximum flavor infusion.
- Easily vary the flavor and level of spice in this dip by making simple ingredient adjustments.
If you want a quick appetizer for the holidays or parties, try this Garlic Olive Oil Bread Dip with Herbs. It takes less than 5 minutes to make!
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Extra-virgin olive oil - Use a good quality olive oil for this dip. Avoid oils that are too spicy or grassy. The recipe already has plenty of spices and herbs.
- Garlic - Freshly minced garlic from a garlic clove will always provide the best flavor, but you can use pre-minced garlic instead.
- Red pepper flakes - For a lovely kick of heat. Adjust the quantity to suit your preferred level of spice.
- Dried Oregano - This dried herb offers a bold flavor that is slightly sweet, earthy, and a little bitter.
- Dried Thyme - This adds a delicate herbal balance of sweet, minty, peppery, and earthy notes.
- Dried Rosemary - Another strong herb with bold notes of wood, mint, lemon, and sage.
- Sea Salt - Kosher salt is another excellent option. The salt enhances the flavors in this garlic olive oil dip. You can adjust this to suit your taste preferences.
- Black Pepper - This underrated seasoning has a complex flavor profile, including notes of pine, citrus, and spice. Adjust as you would with the salt once all of the ingredients have been combined.
- Parmesan cheese - I recommend freshly grated parmesan from a block of cheese for best flavor. You can leave this out if you want the dip to be vegetarian or vegan.
- Balsamic vinegar - Only added to the dip just before serving as a way to preserve its rich and complex flavor.
- Garnish - I love to sprinkle fresh Italian parsley, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme over the top of the dip just before I serve it. It looks pretty and it tastes great too!
- Bread for dipping - This dip is best enjoyed with pieces of bread to dip into. Indulge with this Garlic Cheese Bread or a classic Ciabatta Bread.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Place the minced garlic, olive oil, dried herbs, salt, black pepper, and ½ to ¾ teaspoons of red pepper flakes (depending on your preference) in a medium-sized shallow bowl or plate.
- Combine with a whisk or spoon. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours for the flavors to meld. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, as needed.
- Drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top of the dip just before serving.
- Grate the parmesan directly on top of the dip.
- Sprinkle a little fresh chopped basil or Italian parsley on top.
- Serve your garlic olive oil dip with bread for dipping.
🥫 Storage
Store this garlic olive oil dip in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
For extended storage, place the dip in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow the dip to thaw on your countertop and reach room temperature. Give it a good stir before you serve it.
📚 Variations
- Spice Level: Easily adjust the level of heat in this olive oil dip by reducing or increasing the red pepper flakes.
- Dairy-free: Omit the grated parmesan from this recipe if you want this dip vegetarian or vegan-friendly.
- Herbs: I love the combination oregano, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Feel free to experiment with other herbs too, such as basil.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- It's important to use a good-quality olive oil for this dip since it isn't cooked. It really makes a huge difference to the overall flavor.
- Make sure to give yourself enough time to prepare this dip. It needs to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This helps all the flavors blend together beautifully. Even better if you can allow it to sit for 2 hours.
- While dried herbs tend to have a long shelf-life, always check those that have been in your pantry for a while so that the flavors are not muted.
- Make sure to serve this garlic olive oil dip with gluten-free bread if you are catering to gluten allergies.
🤔 FAQs
Crusty Italian bread such as ciabatta or focaccia is ideal. These types of bread hold up well when dipped, providing a satisfying crunch along with a soft interior.
While pre-packaged minced garlic is convenient, fresh garlic is recommended for the best flavor and aroma. Freshly crushed garlic enhances the overall taste of the dip.
You can store the leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. To help the flavors meld, let it come to room temperature before serving.
Absolutely! Basil, rosemary, and thyme are classic choices, but don’t be afraid to try other herbs. Oregano and parsley can add great flavor, too! Use what you love to make the dish your own.
Absolutely! Garlic olive oil bread dip is plant-based and vegan-friendly. It’s a perfect appetizer for everyone, no matter their diet.
📗 Related Recipes
- Spicy Cheese Dipping Sauce - This creamy cheese dip gets a kick of heat from jalapeños and smoked paprika. Perfect alongside pretzels, breadsticks, tortilla chips, or even veggies.
- Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip - Enjoy a dip that's loaded with healthy spinach artichoke hearts, and grated cheese. It's always a hit at parties!
- Smokin' Hot Italian Avocado Salsa - This spicy salsa is a real treat! It combines Italian dressing and smoky Chipotle sauce for an explosion of flavors. Perfect for dipping or as a topping, this salsa will add a kick to any dish. Enjoy the vibrant taste of Italy with a twist! Easily adjust the heat to suit your preferences.
🍽 What to serve with garlic olive oil dip
This garlic olive oil dip is best enjoyed with crusty Italian bread such as ciabatta or focaccia, soft bread sticks, or sliced baquette. The bread will hold up well when dipped to provide that irresistible crunch with a soft interior.
This dip is also delicious to drizzle over roasted veggies, pasta, or as sauce in wraps.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring spoons
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Cheese grater
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
You're going to love this recipe! I still remember the first time I experienced a garlic olive oil bread dip that completely stole the cena (dinner) show. It was in a lovely upscale Italian restaurant. You know, one of those places where the air smells like fresh basil and warm bread. Before we ordered our dinner they brought out a bsket of their homemade focaccia alongside a small dish of what looked like pure gold. It was garlic-infused olive oil with herbs. One boccone (bite), and I was hooked.
Of course, I couldn't resist recreating it at home! It's one of those recipes that feels fancy but couldn't be easier to make. Whether you're hosting a dinner party or just treating yourself to a quiet night in, this garlic olive oil bread dip turns any loaf of bread into something spectacular. So grab your favorite rustic loaf, a good bottle of olive oil, and let the dipping begin. Buon appetito!
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
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📖 Recipe
Garlic Olive Oil Dip: Better Than Your Favorite Italian Restaurant
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic very finely minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon sea salt may use Kosher
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- For garnish:
- Fresh chopped basil or Italian parsley
- For serving:
- Bread for dipping we love focaccia!
Instructions
- Place the minced garlic, 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and ½ to ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on heat preference, in a medium-sized shallow bowl or plate.
- Stir everything with a whisk or spoon.
- Let sit at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours for the flavors to meld. Taste and season with more kosher salt and pepper as needed.
- Before serving, drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top.
- Grate parmesan directly on top of the herbed olive oil.
- Sprinkle a little fresh chopped basil or Italian parsley on top.
- Serve with pieces of bread for dipping, and enjoy! Serves 4.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Let it come to room temperature and stir before using.
Nutrition
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