How to Make Bread Dipping Oil

As if any of us need a reason to eat more carbs, Bread Dipping Oil is here to give you one. When done correctly, a good dipping oil turns a bite of crusty bread into a moment of pure bliss. Crusty, soft and chewy meets rich, silky olive oil dotted with bursts of garlicky herbs and tiny pockets of tangy balsamic. Sign. Us. Up. You don’t have to wait until you’re at an Italian restaurant to enjoy this little indulgence. Learn how to make bread dipping oil at home and then also learn how not to eat an entire baguette in one sitting. The two really go hand in hand.

1. Choose your olive oil.

A classic extra virgin olive oil can be seasoned in a multitude of ways, but we also lean heavily on our Fresh Garlic Olive Oil as a dipper because GARLIC. Experiment with delicate, medium and robust EVOO and don’t shy away from flavored olive oils like Jalapeno or Meyer Lemon when you’re feeling adventurous.

2. Choose your seasonings.

Our favorite classic bread dipping oil recipe is seasoned simply with garlic and herbs, but you can certainly experiment with flavor combinations. Try our Tuscan Dipping Herbs or Ritrovo Focaccia Seasonings or Chef Josef Garlic Herb Blend all three sold in our stores.

3. To balsamic or not to balsamic…

We love balsamic vinegar. Especially our Aged Balsamic Vinegar. We pretty much think it makes everything objectively better. But, there are times where we want the pure olive oil flavor. And there are times where we crave those sweet, tangy bursts that balsamic brings. You decide what kind of mood you’re in. Our top choice for dipping oil is Aged Balsamic Vinegar, but we’ve also been known to experiment with Blackberry Balsamic paired with Fresh Basil Olive Oil and Mission Fig Balsamic drizzled into Blood Orange Olive Oil. You do you.

4. Season, season, season.

Once you’ve added all of your herbs, spices and extras to your oil, check for seasoning. Finish it off with freshly ground pepper and a good sea salt to taste.

5. Enjoy with a baguette or a rustic Italian loaf.

We also sell an entire large loaf of Gambino’s bread in our stores that you can pick up and store at home in your freezer.  Try not to eat the entire thing by yourself. Or do. We won’t tell.