A loaded olive oil dip is the easiest appetiser idea for entertaining. Just mix a pile of gorgeous ingredients (think sundried tomatoes, parmesan, garlic and herbs) with olive oil and serve with soft, warm bread for the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
Picture this: you’re tired, you’ve just got home and you have guests due to arrive any minute. That’s where this dip is PERFECT. It’s something you can pull together in literally 5 minutes and uses cupboard staples.
It’s really got a bit of everything. It’s deeply savoury, sweet, salty, spicy, full of herbs and just unbelievably addictive. It’s hard to believe something so simple can be SO gorgeous. I guarantee your guests will be crowding around the bowl, going in for more and more.
Plus, you can get creative and switch things up based on what you have to hand. Don’t like olives? Use more sundried tomatoes. Want to keep it vegan? Switch out the parmesan.
Any leftovers are wonderful piled on top of grilled chicken or fish, tossed through pasta or pasta salad, or as a salad dressing. You’re going to love this.
Ingredients
None of the ingredients for the dip are hard to find, and I’m sharing easy alternatives and swaps you could make below.
- Olive oil. I like using a good quality extra virgin olive oil – the dip is all about the base of the oil, so you ideally want a good one if possible.
- Balsamic vinegar. This brings a little sweet, caramel element to the dip which it needs because the rest of the ingredients are quite strong and salty.
- Sundried tomatoes. I like using semi-dried tomatoes because they tend to be softer than sundried – but if you can’t find them, regular sundried tomatoes are great. Try to find a brand that’s marinated in olive oil for superior flavour.
- Olives. My favourite olives are Kalamata, so that’s what I’m using here. Just use whatever olives you like best, or swap them out for more sundried tomatoes if you’re not an olive fan.
- Parmesan. Everything is better with a little parmesan in my opinion! Try to use a block and grate it finely yourself for the best texture. You could skip this if you want to make the dip vegan.
- Herbs. I’m using fresh rosemary and thyme leaves, but you could use basil, flat-leaf parsley, oregano, marjoram or coriander. You could also swap the fresh herbs for dried ones.
- Garlic. I’m using 3 cloves here, but you can cut that down if you’re worried about it being too garlicky.
- Seasoning. Chilli flakes, flaky salt and lemon zest come together to lift the dip and cut through the richness. You can leave out the chilli flakes if you’re worried about it being spicy.
How to make it
It really is as easy as getting all your ingredients into a large, shallow bowl and mixing to combine. Give it a little taste, and add a bit more salt if you think it needs it. I like to mix the oil in the dish I’m going to serve it in just to save on dishes, but you can also mix it in a bowl and then transfer it to whatever you’d like to serve it in.
Serve with lots of lovely fresh bread – I HIGHLY recommend my easy no-knead chilli cheese focaccia – or a chunky, crusty sourdough.
Got a question?
I love using a really good quality extra virgin olive oil, but any olive oil will do.
The oil will last for at least a week, stored in the fridge in an airtight container. You can use it in different ways – it’s lovely spooned on top of grilled meat, dolloped on top of poached, fried or scrambled eggs, tossed through a crunchy salad or slaw or used as a quick pasta sauce or dressing for pasta salad.
The beauty of this recipe is that you really can make it your own, based on what you have to hand and what you like. You could use more sundried tomatoes, or use jarred artichokes or red peppers.
Watch me make it
If you like this recipe, here are some other great ideas for entertaining
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a comment below to let me know how you get on.
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Loaded Olive Oil Bread Dip
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A loaded olive oil dip is the easiest appetiser idea for entertaining. Just mix a pile of gorgeous ingredients (think sundried tomatoes, parmesan, garlic and herbs) with olive oil and serve with soft, warm bread for the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Kalamata olives, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 teaspoons chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Fresh bread to serve
Instructions
- Mix the dip. Add all the ingredients to a wide, shallow bowl and mix with a spoon to combine into a cohesive, chunky oil. Give it a taste and adjust the salt as needed. PRO TIP: You can either mix the oil in a bowl, then transfer it to a serving platter or wide, shallow bowl or just mix it in the bowl you’re serving it in. I tend to go for the bowl I’m serving it in to save washing up!
- Garnish and serve. Serve with lots of lovely warm fresh bread and enjoy.
Notes
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: I highly recommend soft, fresh focaccia to serve with this oil – my super easy no-knead focaccia is perfect. Otherwise, a good chunky sourdough or baguette is lovely. Any leftovers are wonderful dolloped onto grilled chicken, steak or fish and it also makes a fabulous dressing. Toss through a crunchy salad, spoon on top of poached or scrambled eggs, mix through pasta to make a quick sauce or use as the dressing in a pasta salad.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The oil will keep well for at least a week in the fridge, stored in an airtight container.
INGREDIENT NOTES: You can make this recipe your own, based on what you have to hand. Switch out the olives and sundried tomatoes for jarred artichokes or red peppers, mix up your spices (za’atar or dukkah is wonderful) or play around with the herbs (dried work well too).
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: dips
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Keywords: olive oil dip, bread dipping oil
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