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Cranberry & Sundried Tomato Date Night Bread Dipping Oil

Name: Cranberry & Sundried Tomato Date Night Bread Dipping Oil
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped finely; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated; 1/4 cup olives, chopped finely; 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped finely; 2 tablespoons dried apricots, chopped finely; 1 tablespoon flaked almonds; 1 teaspoon chilli flakes; A handful of thyme leaves; A handful of oregano leaves; 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Feb 12, 2024 | 0 comments

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You can’t go wrong with a lovely, colourful, packed with flavour bread dipping oil. This pretty-in-pink version is PERFECT for date nights – it looks gorgeous, takes less than 10 minutes and uses easy-to-find ingredients. Just mix everything with olive oil and serve with a pile of your favourite bread.

Date night bread dipping oil on a pink plate with a silver spoon.

THIS is what to make when you don’t know what to make for a date night. You probably have the ingredients you need already (and there are easy swaps you can make if you don’t), no cooking is required AND it looks gorgeous. Grab a fresh loaf of bread and a bottle of rosé and you’re good to go.

It really is as simple as mixing a pile of lovely (very pink and blush-toned) ingredients with olive oil, then serving. It looks super impressive and I guarantee whoever you serve it up to will love it. It’s perfect for a date night of any kind – whether that’s with a partner, best friend, girl’s night or just as a fun solo date night for yourself.

These ingredients are very similar to the ones I use in my recipe for a heart-shaped cheese ball, so if you’re a cheese fan, I’d recommend having a look at that recipe too.

Ingredients

Dried fruit. I’m using dried cranberries and apricots because I love the sweet, tartness they bring. You can play around, based on what you like and what you have – raisins, sultanas, dried figs, strawberries or mango would also be great.
Sundried tomatoes. One of my most used ingredients, and it works beautifully here. I like using semi-dried tomatoes if I can find them because they’re softer than regular sundried tomatoes, but either will be fine.
Olives. My preference is ALWAYS Kalamata olives, but you can use any type you like or even marinated olives. Make sure they’re pitted to keep prep easy.
Herbs. I’ve gone for fresh thyme and oregano leaves, but you could also use flat-leaf parsley, basil, cilantro, sage or rosemary (you’ll want to chop the rosemary finely).
Parmesan. Most things are made better with cheese and this oil is no exception. Use manchego, pecorino or even feta or blue cheese instead if you like.
Almonds. These provide a little crunch and extra texture to the oil. Swap them for pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts or keep it nut-free by using pumpkin (pepita) or sunflower seeds.

How to make it

All you need to do is chop your ingredients, then mix everything with olive oil.

Taste, season with a little more salt if you like, then serve with lots of lovely bread.

Got a question?

Can I make it ahead of time?

Yes! The oil keeps well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, though the colour of the herbs will dull over time so just keep that in mind if you are prepping it in advance.

What could I use instead of olives?

Use more sundried tomatoes, or you could use jarred artichokes.

What’s the best type of bread to serve it with?

I always recommend soft, fluffy focaccia as the number one choice (it’s just so great at soaking up the lovely flavours), but sourdough is equally great, as is this fab no-knead super seed bread, or rosemary parmesan bread.