Spicy Italian Dipping Oil
This spicy Italian dipping oil is garlicky, herby and absolutely addictive. With just a few simple ingredients and 5 minutes of kitchen time, you'll be able to put this wicked delicious concoction together.
Team it up with a nice Bruschetta dip and crusty bread and you've got yourself the ultimate fancy-looking appetizer to serve at your next house party.
Trying out different sauces and dips is my favorite thing to do, and while I love experimenting with flavors and recipes from different regions of the world, I've recently been dabbling quite a bit with Italian flavors.
My cherry tomato confit and olive oil pizza sauce were both big hits, and that kind of inspired me to try an Italian style bread dipping sauce too. And here we are!
Quick Look
- 🔪Prep time: 5 min.
- ⏲️Cook time: 0 min.
- 👪 Servings: 4.
- 📋Main ingredients: Sundried tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs, spices.
- ♨️Cooking method: Smash roasted garlic 🡢 add remaining ingredients 🡢 mix and enjoy.
- ⭐Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣Serving ideas: Feature the dipping oil on a charcuterie board along with some marinated carrots and olive tapenade.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Making this bread dipping oil is incredibly easy. You'll need just a few simple ingredients to put it together. You can also swap and play around with some of them and customize the dip to your liking if you want to.
- Just like my marinated tomatoes, this is an incredibly delicious and fancy-looking (and tasting) appetizer that you can pair with almost anything and everything.
Recipe Ingredients
Sundried tomatoes: Chopped sundried tomatoes lend a nice tangy, savory flavor to the dipping oil. Here's how you can make your own oven-dried sundried tomatoes.
Spices: I used a mix of red pepper flakes and crushed black pepper. You can also use some cayenne, jalapeno flakes or paprika if you want to.
Balsamic vinegar: Just a dash, for that delicious umami flavor.
Roasted garlic: Roasted garlic lends a beautiful smoky and savory flavor. Follow this quick Air Fryer roasted garlic recipe to make it in under 20 minutes, and use it for that extra flavor in all your favorite recipes.
Herbs: I used a mix of oregano, basil and parsley. You can also use rosemary and thyme if you want to.
Olive oil: This one's the base, so use the best quality you can find. Extra virgin olive oil works great too.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- To lend a bit of cheesiness to the dipping oil, you can also add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- To bring some citrusy deliciousness into the mix, add some lemon zest or use lemon infused olive oil or citrus salt to make this Italian bread dipping oil.
How to Make Spicy Italian Dipping Oil
In a mixing bowl, use a fork to smash the roasted garlic.
Next, add the olive oil, fresh herbs and spices.
Season with sea salt and mix.
Taste and adjust as per your preference.
💭Top Tip
This dipping oil is perfect for gifting too! Pour it into a glass bottle and finish up with a glittery bow- it's great as a homemade gift for anyone!
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Chopped jalapenos, capers or olives can also be fun additions to this Italian bread dipping oil. Experiment with a combination of one or two (or more) of these ingredients.
- Use good quality sea salt to season the dipping oil. You can also try using infused salts like homemade herb salt, garlic parsley salt or jalapeno salt to bring out different flavor variations.
- If you're a spice lover, try using homemade Sriracha salt to season the dipping oil. Start with just a little, mix and taste. Add more if needed.
- You can also try using an infused oil like habanero oil or garlic rosemary infused olive oil as the base.
How to Serve Spicy Italian Dipping Oil
Serve this deliciously spicy Italian oil as a dip for some crusty bread and marinated artichokes or drizzle it over your homemade pizzas to take them up a notch. I love spooning some of this over my pasta too!
Since the base of this dipping oil is made using olive oil, you can actually use it as a salad dressing too. It's perfect to get those delicious Italian flavors in your salad with barely any effort- don't forget to sprinkle a bit of Pangrattato over the top too! This oil can also be a great addition to your marinades, and you can use it to baste your grilled meats as well.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but if you want the dipping oil to have that nice pop of color and a bit of freshness, use fresh herbs.
You can, but remember that raw garlic has a pungent flavor. It is best to roast it or cook it in some butter or oil first, and then add it to the dipping oil.
You can store the leftover spicy Italian dipping oil in a glass jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you want it to last longer, add the garlic towards the end, right before you serve, as garlic stored in oil can become toxic after a certain number of days.
More Condiments to Try
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Italian dipping oil or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Spicy Italian Dipping Oil
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sundried tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3-4 garlic roasted
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon oregano chopped
- 1 teaspoon basil chopped
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, use a fork to smash the roasted garlic.
- Next, add the olive oil, fresh herbs and spices.
- Season with sea salt and mix.
- Taste and adjust as per your preference.
Notes
- Chopped jalapenos, capers or olives can also be fun additions to this Italian bread dipping oil. Experiment with a combination of one or two (or more) of these ingredients.
- Use good quality sea salt to season the dipping oil. You can also try using infused salts like homemade herb salt, garlic parsley salt or jalapeno salt to bring out different flavor variations.
- If you're a spice lover, try using homemade Sriracha salt to season the dipping oil. Start with just a little, mix and taste. Add more if needed.
- You can also try using an infused oil like habanero oil or garlic rosemary infused olive oil as the base.
