Restaurant-style sauce with olive oil, Italian herbs, and balsamic vinegar perfect for dipping your favorite crusty bread. Mix it up with your favorite herbs and add a spicy kick, if you like, to create your own flavor blend.

When I was still living in the Philippines, there was one Italian restaurant that I frequently visited with my family and friends. It’s called Italianni’s and they now have several branches all over Metro Manila as through the years they have become so popular. Can you guess what made them so well-loved?

You’d probably guess, their pasta dishes or perhaps their pizza or their Chicken Milanese and they’re all certainly great but no….not these.

Perhaps, nearly 20 years ago when they first came to Manila this was a novelty but everyone that ate in their restaurant raved about their amazing Italian bread and the very tasty dipping sauce that went with it.

What’s more, it was an unlimited appetizer so you can imagine we didn’t shy away from ordering a basket or 2 more! It was so good that we didn’t care that we were already so stuffed and may not eat much of the main dishes that we ordered. Oh, the good old days!

So….inspired by these delicious memories I decided to replicate their amazing Italian dipping oil for bread. I still need to work on their Italian bread but this will do for now.

What makes this traditional Italian bread dipping oil is the classic combination of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This Italian bread dipping oil with balsamic vinegar recipe is further enhanced by the addition of (a generous sprinkling!) of freshly grated parmesan!

For me, the combination of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and freshly grated parmesan makes this the best Italian bread dipping oil or sauce! These are the three main ingredients of this delicious Italian bread dipping oil!

The addition of extra garlic and herbs in this easy dip adds another layer of flavor and makes it more personalized and homemade!

You can certainly tweak the taste to your liking by adjusting the measurement to your preference, not adding any spicy kick or playing with a mix of herbs. But certainly do not omit the balsamic vinegar as the combo of good quality EVOO and excellent balsamic vinegar truly makes this dip so deliciously good.

My kids loved this and ate all the bread that I served with this. Also, it is even yummier with the parmesan cheese so I highly recommend serving this dip with it. Hope you enjoy this!

I updated this recipe so it’s quicker and even easier to make. As always, let this measurement and ingredients serve as a guide to help you build your own version. Don’t forget the cheese!!!

FOR FULL RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS and to PRINT, SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW.

Restaurant-style sauce with Italian herbs and balsamic vinegar is perfect for dipping your favorite crusty bread. Mix it up with your favorite herbs and add a spicy kick, if you like, to create your own flavor blend. – Italian Bread Dipping Oil (Sauce)

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR ITALIAN DIPPING OIL?

• Herbs like basil or oregano, dried or fresh
• Garlic cloves – optional but perfect for garlic lovers. If you have time, instead of using fresh garlic, brown them first in oil before adding.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – highest quality you can get because this is the star!
• Balsamic Vinegar – a little goes a long, long way. This is a must for me. You made adjust the amount to your taste.
• Grated parmesan cheese – I never make this sauce without this. Highly recommended.

This is good for 3 small dipping bowls so great for when you are having people over as it can easily be divided. Divide the olive oil into 3 parts in individual, small, and shallow dipping bowls.

HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN DIPPING OIL?

Divide the olive oil into 3 parts in individual, small, and shallow dipping bowls.

Add about 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar into each bowl. Adjust the amount of balsamic vinegar to your taste. 2 tablespoons of vinegar is right up my alley but feel free to adjust the amount to your taste preference. Begin with a tablespoon and add more if desired.

Add the crushed or minced garlic (1 garlic per bowl), if using. If you’re not a fan of garlic, feel free to leave it out. I love garlic so I added it but it’s not required. Place a pinch or 2 of the herbs of your choice. For extra flavor, use freshly chopped herbs. Stir.

Generously sprinkle with grated or shredded parmesan cheese on top. This for me is what makes this dip so yummy so don’t omit unless you don’t like it. Mop up all that yummy sauce with freshly warmed crusty bread!

Mop up all that yummy sauce with freshly warmed crusty bread!

In other words, simply mix all the ingredients together and in 5 MINUTES you have a yummy dipping oil!

FOR FULL RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS and to PRINT, SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW.

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Last updated on February 6th, 2024 at 04:39 pm