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A hand sweeping bread through pesto dipping oil in a scalloped white plate.
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Speedy Basil Pesto Bread Dipping Oil

There aren't a lot of appetizers easier than this GORGEOUS, vibrant herby basil pesto bread dipping oil. This crowd-pleasing party snack is PERFECT for last-minute entertaining. It's as easy as mixing pesto, olive oil and a handful of other ingredients. Serve with fresh, fluffy no-knead focaccia. 
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: bread dipping oil, olive oil bread dip
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Kate Phillips

Ingredients

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons herby basil pesto
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tablespoon toasted cashew nuts chopped finely (or use pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts or pumpkin seeds)
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • A handful of fresh basil leaves chopped
  • ½ teaspoon flaky salt

Instructions

  • Mix the dipping oil. 
    Pour ½ cup of olive oil into a mixing bowl (or to keep things super easy, use the same bowl or lipped plate you're going to serve the oil in).
    Add 2 tablespoons of basil pesto, crushed garlic, the juice and zest of your lemon, 1 tablespoon of chopped toasted cashews, ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese, a big handful of chopped basil leaves, and the flaky salt. Mix to combine.
  • Serve. 
    Taste then season with a little more salt if you like (this will depend on the saltiness of your pesto and parmesan), then serve up with a pile of fresh bread. I love it with sourdough, cheesy chili oil focaccia, or this no-knead rosemary parmesan bread.

Notes

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The oil will keep well for 5 days, stored in the fridge in an airtight container. To help the bright green colour from fading, I like to press a piece of clingfilm directly on top of the oil (before putting the lid on). The dulling of the colour is because of the oil's exposure to the air, so doing this prevents this from happening. 
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: While this is FAB as a bread dipping oil, it's very versatile. Use it in the same way you would regular pesto - toss through pasta or pasta salad, make this lovely pesto potato salad, drizzle it over grilled honey harissa chicken, creamy oil-free hummus, whipped creamy feta or pizza, or spoon on top of tomatoes on toast.
VARIATIONS: Try this gorgeous festive twist on bread dipping oil, Greek-inspired oil or loaded Mediterranean oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons