Olive Oil Bread Dip [Video!]

Less than 20 minutes to make (and most of that time is just heating olive oil and garlic!). In this easy appetizer, olive oil and balsamic vinegar pair with herbs and garlic for the easiest and most delicious bread dipping oil combo you’ve ever had! Best enjoyed with crusty French bread and a big glass of red wine!

You Will Love This

• It’s simple and easy to throw together. If you need a last minute appetizer that you can make in just minutes – this is it! If you’re like me you’ll probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already which means you have this made in no time! Don’t forget to check out a few of my other easy appetizers including my Baked Spinach Dip (with no mayo!), Herb and Garlic Marinated Feta, and Easy Baked Feta.
• Your friends are going to devour it! If you’re having a ladies night and you want to serve something along side those bottles of Merlot, this easy appetizer needs to be on the table! Chances are good your friends will have had something similar to this at a restaurant, but they will be completely blown away by the fresh flavors of THIS dip! It puts all restaurant olive oil bread dips to shame 🙂
• It looks super fancy (but it’s not). Fake it ’til you make it, right?! This dip makes it LOOK like you probably spent a lot of time in the kitchen or ordered from your favorite Italian restaurant, but in reality you heated a bit of minced garlic with olive oil and then poured it into a serving dish with dried herbs and balsamic vinegar. Accept the compliments graciously when your friends rave about this appetizer – you “worked hard” 😉 and you deserve it! Serve it with homemade crostini for a little extra oomph!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Olive Oil – The main ingredient in this bread dip is olive oil, so make sure you pick something cold-pressed and organic. This is our family’s favorite brand of olive oil.
• Fresh Garlic – Freshly minced garlic is going to taste best in this recipe. Garlic powder has it’s place, but it’s not in this recipe!
• Dried Oregano – You could also use fresh oregano in place of the dried oregano in this recipe. I’d recommend using about half the amount the recipe calls for if you’re using fresh instead of dried.
• Dried Thyme – Again you could use fresh thyme in place of the dried thyme in this recipe. Use half the amount the recipe calls for if you’re using fresh instead of dried.
• Salt and Pepper – Because the ingredient list is short and sweet, salt and pepper are going to go a long way in boosting the flavors of this dish. Don’t skimp on the salt and pepper!
• Balsamic Vinegar – This is our favorite balsamic vinegar because of it’s delicious flavor.
• Parmesan Cheese – I recommend shredding a fresh wedge of Parmesan yourself for optimum flavor. Pre-shredded Parmesan is okay in a pinch though!
• Crispy Crostini – I love to serve with olive oil bread dip with my crispy crostini bread or a big loaf of crusty French baguette, sourdough bread, or ciabatta bread.

Instructions

Add olive oil to a small sauce pan over medium low heat.

Add fresh minced garlic. Heat for about 12 minutes.

Add dried spices, salt, and black pepper.

Stir to combine.

Pour the herbaceous olive oil into a serving dish or shallow bowl.

And add balsamic vinegar.

Finish this dish with freshly shredded Parmesan.

Serve with crispy crostini. Pair this dip alongside my favorite Creamy Vegan Tuscan Pasta for a hearty dinner your family and friends will love!

Choosing Olive Oil

• For an appetizer like this (and my Herb and Garlic Marinated Feta) where the ingredient list is short, make sure you use a good quality olive oil.
• But you don’t need to spend $50 on a bottle. I like to look for an extra virgin olive oil that is cold pressed and organic. This will narrow down the selection giving you the purest and flavorful olive oil.  
• It might take a few tries to find your favorite flavor of olive oil. There is a surprisingly wide range of flavors that olive oil can have depending on where the olives were grown including: peppery, floral, nutty or even spicy! This is my personal fave!

Tips

• Use fresh garlic. Don’t use a jar of minced garlic. Grab some fresh cloves and mince them yourself. Fresh garlic is usually cheaper and honestly,  you have no idea how long those jars of garlic have been sitting on the shelf before you buy them. 
• Use quality olive oil. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get good olive oil. Look for something cold pressed, organic and most importantly in your price range!
• Shred your own Parmesan cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in cellulose so the shreds don’t stick together. Skip the additives and opt for a wedge of Parmesan. There is nothing more delicious than freshly grated cheese!

Variations

Feel free to switch up the ingredients in this recipe based on your taste. Some of our favorite add ins include:

• dried rosemary
• dried basil
• red pepper flakes
• lemon juice
• extra minced fresh garlic cloves

FAQ

Super Easy Appetizers

This post was originally published in September of 2018. It was updated in Feburary 2019 to include process shots and tips for making the perfect olive oil & balsamic bread dip!