What Is the Best Olive Oil for Dipping Bread?
The right olive oil can take your bread dip from mediocre to amazing. So what is the best olive oil for dipping bread? In this quick guide, we walk you through which olive oils to choose and how to make your own bread dipping oils at home using ingredients you already have in your spice cabinet.
What Is the Best Olive Oil for Dipping Bread?
When dipping bread in olive oil, you really want the olive oil to have a strong flavor that will complement the bread itself. This means that extra virgin olive oil is the best olive oil for dipping bread. Extra virgin olive oil is the freshest, least processed type of olive oil, which results in that grassy, peppery flavor that is a hallmark of olive oil. More refined, processed types of olive oil will have little to no flavor, which does not make them suitable for dipping bread, as they will not add much taste.
Many people love to mix herbs, spices and other ingredients into extra virgin olive oil in order to create their own dipping sauces. If you have to add some extra flavor, you can also choose a flavored olive oil to add an extra dimension to your meal. For a hint of citrus, try a lemon oil, or do a basil olive oil if you’d prefer a more herbaceous taste. If you want to put on a whole spread for a group or party, it’s nice to serve a mix of flavored and unflavored olive oils so you will have options.
When choosing olive oil for dipping bread, you should also keep in mind the type(s) of bread that you will be serving. A delicate lemon olive oil might not be the best complement to a crusty whole wheat loaf that already has a very distinct flavor on its own. When in doubt, you can always get a high-quality extra virgin olive oil and then add your spices to it in order to make the perfect dipping sauce for your bread.
Making Dipping Sauces for Bread
If you are new to making olive oil sauces, and you do not have any flavored ones on hand, then you might want a little inspiration for ones that you can make at home. In general, using smaller, dried spices is the best way to go in order to ensure that the spices are distributed evenly through the oil. You can also use fresh herbs if you are committed to cutting them up very fine. Here are some of our favorite olive oil recipes for dipping bread:
- Salt and pepper: This classic bread dip shows off the taste of the olive oil, so choose a high-quality one with a strong flavor. Simply pour the olive oil into a dish and mix in a healthy quantity of fancy salt and fresh ground pepper. With a tasty olive oil, you really do not need anything more than that.
- Italian herbs: Another classic olive oil dip. This one calls for oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary and marjoram if you have it. If you already have an Italian herb blend in your spice cabinet, then just use that to make things easy on yourself. If you would prefer more of a French flair, Herbes de Provence blends are also a great choice.
- Parmesan and garlic: Take things up a notch with the addition of parmesan and fresh garlic. Make sure to chop them up very fine so you do not get huge chunks in the olive oil that will not stick to the bread. Add in some salt and pepper and a pinch of balsamic vinegar for a truly delicious bread dip.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Just like with the parmesan and garlic, you need to chop up the sun-dried tomatoes really small for this recipe. Add in some dried thyme, basil and rosemary to round out the flavor.
- Ultimate bread dipping oil: This bread dip calls for a lot of spices, but it is so worth it. Add in garlic (or garlic salt), onion powder, oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt, and then stir it all together in the olive oil.
At Brightland, we ship high-quality olive oil straight to your door for the ultimate convenience and flavor. Start shopping for your perfect olive oil today!
