Everyone needs a solid bread dipping oil recipe in their back pocket. One that makes you want to use it for everything. This one uses fresh Italian herbs, grated Parmesan cheese and garlic.
Make it ahead, and serve with crusty bread, toss it with pasta, drizzle a little over roasted vegetables, or use as a dipping oil for artichokes. It turns everything it touches into a star.
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I've recently been making a lot of dips and dipping sauces, and this dipping oil is favorite of mine from a few years ago. I ran across the recipe this week in some forgotten file, and realized I'd never posted it here on the blog (!!).
Huge oversight.
Dips (and dipping oils) have so many uses beyond just bread. They're handy when you want to elevate a quick meal of otherwise bland veggies and / or grains. And of course they're a great addition to your party appetizer platter.
🤷♀️ What is a dipping oil?
I think of dipping oil as having 2 varieties. One is dominated by a good quality extra virgin olive oil, with garlic powder, dried herbs and spices, and Parmesan cheese.
The other uses fresh herbs and garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan cheese blended into a good quality of extra virgin olive oil. This one is thicker, and can also be used as a spread. And this is my favorite kind to find in restaurants.
🧅 Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil - use a good quality olive oil. It doesn't have to the most special olive oil ever created, but it should be one that you really like the taste of.
- Fresh herbs - Italian herbs really sing in this dipping oil, and they go so well together. I like a combination of rosemary, Italian parsley and oregano.
- Spices - crushed red pepper flakes is a must in any dipping oil. The only other spices this recipe calls for are kosher salt and pepper.
- Parmesan cheese - ideally freshly grated for the best flavor.
- Fresh garlic - I use an entire head of garlic, yes you read that correctly. Feel free to use less if you must, but garlic is a star in this dipping oil.
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🔪 Recommended Equipment
Sharp chef's knife
Mini - chopper
2 bowls (for peeling the garlic cloves)
📝 Instructions Overview
Detailed instructions for making this bread dipping oil are in the recipe card below, but here's a quick overview!
Step 1 (10 minutes)
Prep the fresh herbs. Coarsely chop the rosemary, parsley and oregano. Combine with the other spices and grated Parmesan cheese in the bowl of a mini-chopper.
Step 2 (10 minutes)
Peel the garlic. This video on the easiest way to peel garlic is a huge time saver. Or you can purchase peeled garlic in jars at your market that have already been peeled. The jarred ones, however, won't have as strong a flavor.
Coarsely chop the cloves, and add to the bowl of the mini-chopper.
Step 3 (1 minute)
Chop and blend. Buzz the mini-chopper to chop everything up. Then add the olive oil and blend until you have the consistency you want. I add the oil in 3 batches, to make sure I don't end up with something too oil dominant. But that's just me :-).
🙋♀️ Bread Dipping Oil FAQ
What kind of oil is best for dipping bread?
Use an extra virgin olive oil that you like the taste of. This is not a recipe for your most inexpensive olive oil you use for cooking.
How long will dipping oil keep?
Because this is with fresh herbs, instead of dried, this olive oil will keep 4 - 5 days, but not much longer. Dipping oils that use dried herbs and spices can keep for 1 week.
What's the best way to store dipping oils?
When using fresh herbs, such as this recipe, I recommend storing in a jar in the refrigerator. Dipping oils made with dried herbs and spices are fine left on the counter at room temperature.
How can I use a bread dipping oil besides with bread?
- Drizzle it over vegetables such as potatoes, white beans, green beans and cauliflower.
- Use it as a dipping oil for artichoke leaves.
- Toss with pasta or spaghetti squash.
- Stir a little into cooked quinoa, with a squirt of lemon juice.
- This also makes a great hostess gift!
📇 More Easy Appetizer Ideas
If you're looking for another easy appetizer to serve alongside this dip, check out these cheese twists made with store-bought puff pastry. They're a hit any time I make them!
Or make this roasted red pepper aioli. If you use jarred roasted red peppers, it's ready in minutes.
Bread Dipping Oil Recipe
Equipment
- Mini chopper (I use the chopper part of an immersion blender)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, curly or Italian flat leaf
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese ideally freshly grated
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prep the fresh herbs. Coarsely chop the rosemary, parsley and oregano using a sharp chef's knife. It's fine to include slender stems, but pinch oregano leaves from any woody stems before chopping. Rosemary should be stripped from any woody stems.
- Combine. Combine with the other spices and grated Parmesan cheese in the bowl of a mini-chopper.
- Peel the garlic. This video on the easiest way to peel garlic is a huge time saver. Or you can purchase peeled garlic cloves in jars at your market that have already been peeled. The jarred ones, however, won't have as strong a flavor.
- Chop the garlic. Throw away the garlic skins. Coarsely chop the cloves using a chef's knife, and add to the bowl of the mini-chopper.
- Chop and blend. Buzz the mini-chopper to chop everything up. Then add the olive oil and blend until you have the consistency you want. I add the oil in 3 batches, to make sure I don't end up with something too oil dominant.
- Store. Store in the refrigerator for 4 - 5 days.
Gisela
Can't wait to make this with herbs from my garden.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It would be wonderful with your herbs!!
mjskitchen
I have a fresh load of sourdough bread just screaming for this spread. Can't wait!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Yay!!! It's perfect with a hunk of bread!