Make this Easy Bread Dipping Oil in five minutes to go with your favorite Italian Bread Recipes! You'll love the flavors of olive oil, rosemary, garlic and basil!

Homemade Italian Bread and olive oil are a match made in heaven! It's so easy to make bread dipping oil at home.
You can make as much or as little as you want and customize the ingredients to your liking. Just be warned ― once you start eating this, it's hard to stop!
Recipe ingredients
Olive Oil - This is the main ingredient, so choose an olive oil that you love! While restaurants often use extra-virgin olive oil in their bread dips, it can have a strong, bitter flavor. It's fine to use a mild-tasting, regular olive oil.
Rosemary - Use fresh or dried. Rosemary brings a wonderful, savory, pine-like flavor. You just need the leaves, not the stems. I'm calling for one sprig of rosemary, but you can add as much as you like!
Red Pepper Flakes - These bring a little heat and provide a beautiful splash of red color to our golden olive oil dip. If you use all of the dipping oil on the first day, it won't be overly hot. By the next day, the oil will be hotter.
Garlic Powder - I always use garlic powder in my olive oil bread dip and tomato bruschetta. I find raw garlic to have an overpowering taste, plus it's hard to digest. But, feel free to use a chopped clove of fresh garlic here if you prefer.
Basil - Fresh basil leaves bring the X-factor to this Italian bread dipping oil! I keep a plant of basil on my window sill, even in the winter, so I can add gorgeous, savory flavor to foods. But, you can use dried basil if needed.
How to make it
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
You just need to add the olive oil and seasonings to a dipping bowl. Rinse the fresh herbs and pat them dry completely, and add the rosemary needles and torn basil leaves to the oil. Whisk to combine and enjoy!
Add-ins
- If you use extra-virgin olive oil, you can add some sweetness by drizzling in a little balsamic vinegar.
- If you want a bit of a salty flavor kick, sprinkle in some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
What to serve with it
You have to try dipping rosemary garlic focaccia, artisan Italian bread or semolina bread in this oil! Any crusty bread will do!
You can use white ceramic little bowls (affiliate link) or ones with an olive design (affiliate link) to hold the oil.
Serve this as a delicious Italian appetizer. You also could use the olive oil dip as a salad dressing, if you add lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.
How to store dipping oil with fresh herbs
If you use fresh herbs like rosemary and basil in the dip, store the seasoned olive oil in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap or in a sealed container. It's best to use it within the next day.
Storing dipping oil with dried herbs
If you use garlic powder and dried herbs instead of fresh ones, you can store this Italian olive oil dip (without cheese) at room temperature for a few weeks. Keep it in a sealed container.
More recipes to try
Enjoy!
If you try this Bread Dipping Oil recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!
Easy Bread Dipping Oil
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil (extra-virgin or regular)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or use a teaspoon of dried)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder (or use a medium clove of fresh garlic)
- 1/16 teaspoon salt (a pinch)
- 4 medium basil leaves
- black pepper (optional; to taste)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a dipping bowl, such as a soup dish.
- Rinse the fresh rosemary and pat it dry thoroughly. Pull off the needles and add them to the oil.
- Add the red pepper flakes, garlic powder and salt. Add pepper if using. Rinse off the basil leaves and pat them dry thoroughly. Tear them up and add them to the bowl.
- Whisk the dipping oil ingredients briefly to combine. Serve with slices or chunks of crusty Italian bread.
- Cover any leftover dipping oil with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator, since the fresh herbs can spoil. Use it within the next day.
Notes
- If you want to have an oil that will keep longer, use dried rosemary and dried basil instead of fresh, and you can store the dipping oil at room temperature in a sealed container for a few weeks.
- Optional add-ins include balsamic vinegar and/or grated Parmesan cheese.
- Nutrition information does not include bread.
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C)
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