This easy olive oil bread dip is ridiculously good. It’s a lifesaver for entertaining, comes together in 5 minutes, and everyone loves it!
I can’t get enough of this delicious garlic and herb olive oil dip. It’s so easy to make and is the perfect easy appetizer when friends and family come over.
You’ll make a mixture of fresh garlic, herbs, and spices, then spoon it onto a plate and pour over olive oil. It’s perfect with warm, crusty bread or homemade focaccia! For more easy appetizers, see our fresh tomato bruschetta.
Key Ingredients
Garlic: I love the flavor of fresh garlic, but you can use roasted garlic for a milder, sweet flavor.
Capers: They are salty and super flavorful, which helps season the dip.
Herbs: I like a mix of fresh rosemary and thyme with dried oregano and a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat.
Parmesan: Use a good-quality Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano is my favorite). I grate the cheese with a fine microplane so it melts into the olive oil.
Olive Oil: Your favorite olive oil will do! I prefer a fruity extra-virgin olive oil.
How to Make Olive Oil Bread Dip
To make my favorite bread dip, I chop everything into tiny bits, then use a spoon to smoosh them together into a loose paste. I spoon the paste onto a plate and pour extra-virgin olive oil on top.
One of my favorite things about this is that I can swap ingredients based on what I have in the kitchen or who’s coming. My go-to flavors are salty, like capers and parmesan cheese, herbs like rosemary, and lots of garlic.
I make it spicy with some crushed red chili flakes and if I have it in the fridge, a mashed-up anchovy or a small squeeze of anchovy paste is delicious. You can even add a small splash of high-quality balsamic vinegar if you want a little sweetness to the dip.
Think of it as a total flavor bomb. When mixed with olive oil and bread, it has just the right amount of flavor to make you return for more. On that note, you should make a double batch. This stuff goes fast.
Easy Olive Oil Bread Dip
This garlic and herb mixture is a flavor bomb. When topped with olive oil, it turns into a delicious dip for bread. Keep extra olive oil close by. You can always top up the plate with more.
Makes about 1/2 cup, Serves 4 to 6
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need 2 garlic cloves, or more depending on how garlicky you want it
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
Pinch sea salt, see tips
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional to make it spicy
1/2 cup (118ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
Crusty bread
Directions
1Finely mince the garlic and capers. Add to a bowl along with the oregano, rosemary, thyme, and cheese. Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper.
2Use the back of a spoon to smoosh the herbs into the garlic and capers.
3Make one or two mounds of the garlic-herb mixture on a rimmed plate. Drizzle the olive oil on top. Serve with bread.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
Make-ahead: Prepare the garlic-herb mixture a day or two in advance and store, covered tightly, in the refrigerator. The fresh herbs may lose some color. When ready to serve, add the mixture to a plate and top with olive oil.
Capers: We love the saltiness capers add to the dip, but you can leave them out. The dip still tastes great without them.
Dried herbs vs. fresh: We prefer fresh rosemary and thyme, but you can use dried rosemary and thyme instead of fresh. Crush the dried herbs a little in the palm of your hand before adding them to the mix. You will also want to use a little less (about 1/2 teaspoon). To use fresh oregano instead of dried, use a teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano.
Salt: Use your favorite salt. If you have it, I love truffle salt for this recipe.
Balsamic vinegar: Adding a small splash of balsamic vinegar is delicious!
The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We did not include bread in the calculations.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size:
About 1.5 tablespoons
/
Calories
172
/
Protein
1 g
/
Carbohydrate
1 g
/
Dietary Fiber
0 g
/
Total Sugars
0 g
/
Total Fat
19 g
/
Saturated Fat
3 g
/
Cholesterol
2 mg
/
Sodium
104 mg
AUTHOR:
Adam and Joanne Gallagher
