As a chef and professional recipe developer, I’ve tinkered with this blend a lot to get that restaurant-style flavor just right: plenty of garlic, good olive oil, Italian herbs, a little heat, and the right kind of salt so it’s seasoned, but not salty.
I’ll also show you how to safely make the dry mix ahead, turn it into quick hostess gifts, and which breads are best for tearing and dunking for this quick appetizer ready in just 10 minutes.
What You’ll Need
Carrabba’s olive oil bread dip uses dried spices, but you can also use a variety of finely minced fresh herbs and spices. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Olive oil – This is the star of the show, so you want to make sure to use a high quality olive oil here. I generally buy my quality olive oil domestically, from California, in fact. This one is my favorite.
- crushed red pepper flakes
- freshly cracked black pepper
- dried oregano
- dried basil
- dried parsley
- onion powder
- dried rosemary
- coarse sea salt (or Kosher salt)
- fresh crushed garlic
- garlic powder
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – The coarse kosher salt in this recipe helps to bring out the taste and flavors of the other ingredients while not being overly salty.
- Seasonings – You can mix and match fresh with dried herbs and add a few of your own, like thyme or a dash of dried minced onion or garlic for more texture and crunch. A dash of balsamic vinegar or a few grates of fresh parmesan cheese are also great.
- Sauces – Try mixing up the olive oil! Flavored oils, like garlic oil or herb infused oils are also fun and add another layer of flavor sophistication.
- Senses – Crusty bread meets a rich blend of olive oil, garlic, and herbs—warm, savory, and irresistibly fragrant. Each dip is a burst of flavor: earthy, peppery, and perfectly smooth.
Perfect Pairings for Bread Dipping Oil
What is the best bread for dipping? What bread can’t you dip should be the answer! For this type of dip, aim for something that is hearty enough to tear and sop up the spices and olive oil. Above all, make sure it is something you like, your favorite bread! These are my favorites:
- Focaccia
- Italian bread (loaf)
- Sourdough bread
- Classic crusty white bread
- Toasted quick rolls– white or whole wheat
- French bread
- Olive bread
- Naan, pita or flatbread
- Check out all of our bread recipes!
What can I serve with bread dipping oil beside bread?
Bread dipping oil is great with:
- Raw or roasted veggies
- Drizzled over grilled chicken or steak
- Tossed with warm pasta, gnocchi, or roasted potatoes
- As a finishing drizzle on soups, salads, or roasted vegetables
Think of it as a super-flavorful garlic-herb finishing oil, not just a bread dip.
Homemade Gifts
Restaurant style olive oil bread dip is also one of my favorite DIY gift ideas, much like my other infused olive oils. Buy cute little glass containers or mason jars at the local craft store and decorate them with fun and colorful string or silk flowers.
I like to use festive twine to attach a gourmet bottle of olive oil and voila, you have the perfect hostess gift straight from your kitchen! Label it as Bread Dipping Oil or Olive Oil Bread Dip and everyone will know what you mean.
Shelf Life & Storage
Make Ahead: Yes – with a tweak. For the safest make-ahead option, mix just the dry herbs, spices, and salt and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. When you’re ready to serve, spoon some into a shallow dish and add fresh garlic and olive oil. This gives you big flavor without worrying about storing fresh garlic in oil.
Storage & Leftovers: For food safety, any bread dipping oil that contains fresh garlic should be treated like garlic-in-oil:
- Store in the refrigerator at or below 40°F.
- Use within 4 days, then discard leftovers.
If you only mix the dry herb blend, it will keep for several months at room temperature in an airtight container. Just add fresh garlic and olive oil right before you serve.
Freezer: Do not freeze just the herb mixture. You can freeze it in small batches using an ice cube tray. Place 1 teaspoon of the herb mix in each, fill with olive oil and then freeze. Pop them out into an airtight freezer bag and then allow to thaw at room temperature when needed. Four cubes will equal one serving for 4 people.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this bread dip in advance. Mix your Italian seasonings and just add olive oil when you are ready to serve. Do not add the oil until you are ready. Store the mix in an airtight container.
I make a VERY large batch when I make this recipe. Salt will preserve the fresh garlic. Keep it in a dry, cool place, like the pantry, in an airtight container for 2 weeks. Check it to make sure the moisture in the fresh garlic doesn’t make mold. Again, salt should prevent this as it is a natural preservative.
It sure can. Olive oil can go rancid and the actual spice blend, when fresh garlic is used, can go bad if not stored properly. If you just make a dry spice blend, the spices themselves can lose flavor and potency, however they won’t be at the same risk for food contamination.
Pair with Our Italian Recipes
For a simpler bread dip, try my sausage dip, crack dip recipe, Garlic Parmesan Bread Dip or Stinking Rose Garlic Relish or give a look through our easy appetizer recipes! And then pair them with these dinners:
Copycat Carrabba’s Bread Dipping Oil Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 3 cloves fresh garlic , freshly crushed or minced
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary , 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt and 3 cloves fresh garlic, grated. Mix well.
- If serving immediately, measure out about 1 tablespoons of the spice mixture into a shallow plate or bowl. Add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. Save the rest in an airtight container for another day!
- If you've made this recipe at home, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Years ago we asked our waiter at Carraba’s what was in the spice mix and he listed off all of the ingedients in this recipe plus one – lemon zest. This is a spot-on recipe, but if you’re ever looking for a little extra tang, try it with about a tsp of lemon zest pureed in.
Oh! That would be lovely! Thanks for the input.
I just love this recipe. Whenever I have company I make a batch, and everyone gets their own little plate for mixing. Big hit!!! And there is usually enough to save so I can use during the week. ?
Easy to make and it tastes like the real one at Carrabba’s.
I made double the batch for later. Keeps a while in the refrigerator.
Everybody in our household enjoyed it very much.My wife used it on veggies before grilling them.
Very good recipe.thanks a lot.
My family loved this! They all said it tasted better than Carrabbas.
Yay! That is what I like to hear!
Delicious!!!
Thanks!
I love your recipe and could eat this all day long. So great with any kind of bread too, sour dough, french stick, cheese sticks etc.
Years age my sister and I were in Carrabba’s in Pensacola, Florida. We asked the waiter what was in the dip. He didn’t give us measurements but he did say fresh basil, Rosemary, Italian parsley and garlic. Also dried oregano salt, black pepper, crushed peppers and granulated garlic. As you already started, measurements are not written in stone and are very forgiving.
I remember this from a few years back when I had it at Macaroni Grill. But didn’t they use balsamic vinegar, or was that a different recipe? Do you all have a recipe with balsamic vinegar? I love that stuff! But I’m just writing to tell you I love this dip too! It’s fantastic for soooo many other recipes also. I’m keeping this made up in large batches we that it’s ready when we need it (like almost every day). LOL Thanks for posting this. I found you on Pinterest.
I’ve never had Macaroni Grill’s version, but you can totally add a few drops of balsamic vinegar to this one and it will be super tasty!
I made this a couple of days ago and it was a big hit. Everyone thought it tasted just like the restaurants.