Carrabba’s Olive Oil Bread Dip Recipe
Have you ever been to Carrabba’s Italian Restaurant?
I love their wood fire pizzas and bread dipping oil so much so I made my own Copycat Carrabba’s Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Get the special blend of spices to make Carrabba’s Olive Oil Bread Dip at home! I bet you already have everything you need in the pantry for this Italian bread dipping sauce.
Just a basic mix of dried herbs and crusty bread are needed for this classic bread dipping oil. Olive oil bread dip wows every time even though it is literally one of the easiest recipes I make.
Karin says: “Absolutely loved it! Stop looking for a olive oil bread dip. You will not find a better one! Thanks for sharing.”
When entertaining, I like to serve my olive oil dip with a variety of breads and crackers on an Ultimate Cheese Board, however I personally prefer either Italian or rosemary focaccia.
A nice crusty bread, Italian, French or even crostini are also delicious to pair with this garlic herb combo.
Make sure you PIN Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Some folks even like it with chopped vegetables like carrot sticks, celery and bell pepper strips.
This olive oil bread dip isn’t just for breads either. The spice blend will brighten up any pasta dish, especially plain white or Alfredo sauce.
It can be sprinkled on a salad coupled with a few dashes of red wine vinegar or used to season chicken, beef or pork.
Krista says: “Just tried this recipe with grilled steak and shrimp dinner. Tasted exactly like Carrabba’s and this was my first try making this. It was so easy. I highly recommend for anyone wanting to duplicate the dry mix in olive oil like Carrabba’s.”
You can even use it as a marinade or baste is on grilled vegetables. Clearly, these aren’t just bread dipping spices, they are really an all-purpose Italian blend of deliciousness. Homemade Italian seasoning!
If you are searching for traditional Italian seasoning, you can make a homemade version HERE!
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.
Dry mix can be made ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container and the shelf life is good for several weeks. The salt is a natural preservative.
See notes below on using fresh garlic when given as a gift.
If you know it won’t be used for a long time, omit the fresh garlic and add a teaspoon of garlic powder instead. Or you can include a cute note asking to “just add fresh garlic to serve”.
Also beware that there is a difference between garlic powder and granulated garlic. Granulated garlic is larger and has a grainy texture.
Make sure to use garlic powder, which is fine and will dissolve in leaving only flavor and not a funny texture.
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!
PRO TIP: The way you slice your garlic makes a world of difference. More garlic flavor comes with severing more of the fibers. For less intense flavor use whole, roast garlic or garlic slices. For the maximum amount of flavor, minced or use a garlic press.
You really don’t even need to mention that it is a Carrabba’s recipe. Heck, the restaurant isn’t even popular in much of the country.
Label it as Bread Dipping Oil or Olive Oil Bread Dip and everyone will know what you mean.
PRO TIP: If you choose to use fresh herbs, the ratio is 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried chopped herbs.
Carrabba’s clearly uses dried spices, but you can also use a variety of finely minced fresh herbs and spices. Mine includes:
- crushed red pepper flakes
- freshly cracked black pepper
- dried oregano
- dried basil
- dried parsley
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dried rosemary
- coarse sea salt (or Kosher salt)
- fresh crushed garlic
- olive oil, the star of the show!
You can even mix and match fresh with dried and add a few of your own, like thyme or a dash of dried minced onion or garlic for more texture and crunch.
In fact, so many people have contacted me to tell this isn’t the right recipe, but they all claim to work there and have differing stories on how the real olive oil bread dip.
Some people also say it is similar to the Macaroni Grill bread dipping oil, but I’ve never had that one, so I can attest.
I do get asked quite frequently about the best olive oil to use for bread dip and I have a very passionate answer… are you ready?
You might be surprised to know that many imported olive oil touted to be “authentic” are a blend of olive oil and either vegetable oil or canola oil.
It is tough for the US to verify the validity of “pure olive oil” when it is already imported.
For this reason, I generally buy my “good” olive oil domestically, from California, in fact. This one is my favorite.
Good, first press olive oil is what you want for drizzling and bread dips. It will be dark in color and a little tangy when you taste it.
Mary Lee says: “This recipe is very, very,very good! Highly recommended!”
Light virgin olive oil will be a little less pungent because it comes from the second or third press. This makes it better for using in recipes where the flavor of the oil isn’t the main focus or for frying.
In fact, olive oil has a fairly high smoke point, so while it is more expensive, it is perfect for pan frying.
Make sure to get yourself an olive oil bread dipping dish to serve it in!
K. Smith says: “Sooooo good!!!”
Pair this delicious bread dipping oil with one of our favorite Italian recipes:
- Italian Meatloaf
- Artichoke and Lemon Pesto
- Easy Alfredo Sauce
- Best Italian Meatballs
- Tomato Basil Mozzarella Pasta
Tools for making Olive Oil Bread Dip:
Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil– A good olive oil will taste like, well, olives, while a poorly made one will taste like vegetable oil. Gross. While people tend to favor Italian and Greek olive oils, I prefer to buy mine domestically.
There are some great ones out there from all over the world, but the reporting of ingredients isn’t always the same and you could find that your super expensive olive oil was actually cut with vegetable oil.
Garlic Press- Did you know that the more fibers destroyed will increase the potency of your garlic when eaten? So a pressed or grated garlic cloves will give you more flavor than a minced, chopped or sliced garlic.
Depending on how much garlic flavor you want, choose your chopping method! I want to peel the walls and ward off vampires, so I generally go for a nice garlic press in this bread dip recipe.
Micrograter– A small kitchen utensil you find you use a lot more than you expected! You can use this in place of a garlic press and also for many more tasks, like zesting citrus.
Questions you might have about how to make olive oil bread dip:
What is the best bread for dipping? What bread can’t you dip should be the answer! LOL. For this type of bread, aim for something that is hearty enough to tear and sop up the spices and olive oil. These are my favorites:
- Focaccia
- Italian bread (loaf)
- Sourdough bread
- Classic crusty white bread
- Toasted dinner rolls- white or whole wheat
- French bread
- Olive bread
- Naan, pita or flatbread
- Check out all of our bread recipes!
Can you make this ahead of time? Yes, you can make this bread dip in advance. Mix your Italian seasonings and just add olive oil when you are ready to serve.
Is dipping bread in olive oil healthy? I am NOT a certified nutritionist and I don’t claim to cook healthy. Everyone’s definition of healthy is different these days.
See the nutritional info to see if it fits your personal dietary needs or check with your physician.
What I can tell you with some confidence is that olive oil does have some health benefits when consumed in moderation, such as:
- Healthy monounsaturated fats
- Antioxidants
- Anti Inflammatory propertiers
- Potentially linked to lowering the risk of strokes, type 2 diabetes and lower risk of heart disease.
Is it possible to make a large batch? 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.
Can I substitute any of the ingredients? This recipe is SO forgiving, you can literally omit, add or double any of the flavors.
If you read the comments below, there is still a lot of discrepancy, even between those who claim to have worked at Carrabba’s, about exactly what goes into the bread dip.
There is one thing I know for sure, this recipe is delicious and whether it is the exact recipe or not, I don’t care.
Can I use this olive oil seasoning blend on other things? Yes! Blend it with olive oil and red wine vinegar for a meat or seafood marinade, salad dressing or basting seasoning for grilled vegetables.
Blend the dry mix with butter for a fabulous compound butter or put a little in a basic alfredo sauce for elevated flavor.
Can I use a different type of oil for my bread dip? I highly recommend using a high quality olive oil for this one, foodie friends.
While I know it is expensive, dipping bread in canola, sunflower or vegetable oil will not have the same flavor.
Can I add cheese? Cheese it up, by all means! Parmesan cheese or pecorino romano are probably your best bets.
What other flavors can I add? If you like things spicy, add a small dash of powdered red pepper or increase the red pepper flakes and ground black pepper.
What can I dip besides bread? I like to serve mine with a whole crudite platter including:
- Different types of bread
- Sliced cucumbers
- Carrot sticks
- Celery sticks
- Roasted tomatoes
- Marinated artichokes
- Marinated cheese
- Diced cheese
- See my tips on building the ultimate cheese board!
Does bread dipping oil go bad? 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.
Can I use vinegar? Sure! I love adding a touch of aged balsamic vinegar or even some other fancy, flavored vinegar varieties.
For a simpler bread dip, try my Garlic Parmesan Bread Dip or give a look through our easy appetizer recipes!
Also check out our other most popular recipes:
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Copycat Carrabba’s Olive Oil Bread Dip
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 3 cloves fresh crushed garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Combine crushed red pepper, black pepper, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, sea salt and crush garlic. Mix well.
- If serving immediately, place dry spice mixture in a shallow plate. Drizzle desired amount of extra virgin olive oil over, serve. Wait to combine extra virgin olive oil and dry spices until right before serving.
- If you’ve made this recipe at home, come back and let us know how it was!
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.
My wife just came home with the Carrabba’s Cook Book and the Herb and Olive Oil recipe is in the book. Also all the other favorites, we live in Houston so we have the two non chain owned Carrabba’s here.
Lucky you living near the non chain Carrabbas. I lived in the city for several years and people don’t know that there is a major difference between the family owned and the chains that are all over the country. I do love their meatballs! with a side salad, bread & dip & a glass of wine. Dinner is served!
So, Carrabba’s is my wife’s favorite restaurant. We go there AT LEAST once a month and have done so for about the last 5 years. We love the bread dip. Not only am I VERY familiar with the taste, I’m also a pretty decent home chef.
This is REALLY close to the actual thing. I followed the recipe as listed save for a few “edits” I used pressed garlic and I used about 5 cloves. I use only 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder.
Looking over the recipe I thought that 1 – 1/2 tsp Salt would be too much so I cut it down to 1 tsp. In hindsight that is STILL WAY TOO MUCH. I would say that 1/4 tsp of salt would be sufficient, (I used Coarse Sea Salt)
Other than those edits I made this exactly as the recipe stated.
I served this the way that I imagine they serve it in the restaurant. I mixed up all of the spices and then I added this tubed (garlic paste). It’s essentially garlic extruded into a toothpaste tube. And I used about 5 tsp. I mixed this in well with the spices but it formed a pretty dry paste so I added in about a tbsp of olive oil. I mixed it well and it formed a thick paste. Then I put it in a 2 oz mason jar and put it in the fridge.
When you eat this at Carrabba’s they come out with a small (approx 4inch) plate with a little ball of herbs on it. They then add about 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and mix it all up so this is exactly the way I served it.
I’m not kidding that I took a loaf of sourdough bread I made (poorly) this morning and dipped it in this and OMG it is so close to the real thing that I yelled for my wife to come try it and she agreed that it is VERY similar to the original.
Thanks for this recipe.
Also, I would disagree that there isn’t any Rosemary in the original. I’ll hunt through the oil the next time we go to see for sure but it it a flavor that I remember pretty distinctly.
Like you say, either way, I think it is BETTER with rosemary even if it’s turns out to not be in the original.
My family have LOVED Carrabba’s bread dip for almost 2 decades. We would always ask for a container “to go”. We were so glad to find this recipe. I was the first in the family to try it. Basically the flavor is ALMOST spot on. However, I found the crushed red pepper and coarse sea salt taste to be a bit overwhelming. So I made a second batch, leaving out the red pepper and salt altogether, then mixing it with my first batch. Much much better! And my grandkids could enjoy it with the heat of the pepper. Next time I will use HALF the measurement of the crushed red pepper and coarse sea salt. Or maybe substitute ground salt for the coarse.
My special addition: When serving, I add whole Pink Peppercorns, about a 1/4 teaspoon to the dipping dish. I know! I just complained about the red pepper. But Pink Peppercorns are not part of the pepper family. They have a spicy-sweet flavor. Add them whole as they are almost hollow.
BEWARE: Do Not Try This At Home if you have a NUT ALLERGY. Pink Peppercorns are closely related to the cashew family. ENJOY!
Thanks for the feedback, Linda!
GREAT!!! I ADDED TOP SHEF BALSAMIC (BERTOLLI OF MODENA) VINAGAR. I WAS VERY GOOD!!
Thank you, Gary! The addition of vinegar is fabulous!
Super awesome way for me to get good fats into my super strict diet! Sopped the herbs up with a coconut flower tortilla!
Yummy!!!!
This recipe is a home run! Thank you for sharing it. I also used it as a rub for grilled steaks and they were delicious. I cut back the red pepper flakes because it made too spicy for me. Wonderful!
Thanks for the feedback, Frank!!!! Glad you loved it!
I love to add grated parm cheese to mine! Love this recipe with my home made bread.
Absolutely fabulous! Had to make second batch for Family Meatball Sunday dinner. Went thru 4 loaves of crusty Italian bread…more than ever before! Guess what I get to bring to next family dinner?! Thanks!!
Glad you loved it!
Absolutely loved it! Stop looking for a olive oil bread dip. You will not find a better one! Thanks for sharing
Thank you for taking the time to stop and let us know!
Hi,
I worked at Carrabbas for years and this is a little off unless it has changed. The mix is basil, parsley, cosher salt, crushed red pepper, crushed black pepper, granulated garlic, fresh garlic, rosemary, and oregano.
Like I mentioned it’s been years but that recipe just stick in my head. This may or may not have changed since then. 🙂
Thank you, Brittany!
The list of ingredients is correct, however, Not sure about the measurements but Caruthers uses only fresh ingredients not dried spices.
Hi, do you know how to make Carrabas’ Aji Tuna Appetizer? Is my favarite. Love the sauce in it.
Thank you so much!
Nancy Thomas
Hi Nancy- I do not, I haven’t had it. But if I see a Carrabba’s in my travels (around a meal time, LOL) I’ll stop in to try one!
Used to work for them. This is wrong. There is no rosemary or onion powder. And they use pressed garlic.
Hi Rachelle, thanks for the feedback. I do use fresh garlic and there is a disclaimer in the recipe card about all elements of the ingredients.
Havent made it yet,I had it at Carrabb’s,and it was the best I have ever had.Hope when I make mine taste this good
It is pretty good, Debi, hope you like it!
Sooooo good!!!
THAAAANK YOUUUU! <3
Your recipe was the first to pop up in a google search but I think you are leaving out thyme.
Hi K! While I don’t add thyme to mine, you can certainly add it to yours! It is very verstile.
Just tried this recipe with grilled steak and shrimp dinner. Tasted exactly like Carrabba’s and this was my first try making this. It was so easy. I highly recommend for anyone wanting to duplicate the dry mix in olive oil like Carrabba’s.
Thanks.
Made this stuff, and, as a little snack before dinner i ate a buncha bread with this on it, which i would rather not have done, but, this recipe is very, very,very good! Highly recommended!
It always seemed like the fresh garlic and herbs were SAUTÉED. The garlic was light golden brown.
Hi Mrs. Blair, really? I’ve always had dry herbs and fresh garlic. They seem a little wet because it was tossed in fresh garlic juice. I even asked our server last time we were there and she confirmed it was raw. Maybe it was tinged a different color because it was sitting with the other herbs?
Making sure I have this correct.
Garlic powder,onion powder, and course sea salt read 1/2 Tablespoon. Is this correct or should that be a 1/2 of teaspoon. Because there is no 1/2 of Tablespoon that would be 1 1/2 tsp. .I just want to make sure which one is correct before making this awesome dipping sauce. Thank you in advance for your reply
(??) My measuring spoons include a 1/2 Tablespoon. Much quicker than doing 1-1/2 teaspoons.
So it is only half a tablespoon of the ingredients that say 1 1/2. ????I read it as 1 1/2 of each. It is misleading the way it is written.
I Sharon- I’ll go back and refine it- thanks you for the feedback!
This looks so amazing. My husband is going to be so excited when I make this for him. He love fresh bread and the dipping oils. Thanks a million!
Cheese and crackers! This tastes EXACTLY like Carraba’s!
This is really the only reason I go to Carraba’s!!!! Love it!!