The Delicious Taste of Fresh Bread and Dipping Oil
Before we get into the Olive Garden bread dipping oil recipe, let me talk a little about what led me to this recipe. Olive Garden was quite a drive away from where I lived in Pennsylvania growing up. When we would have a special occasion to celebrate, our main options were: Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and TGI Fridays. There was no rhyme or reason, except I was a lobster lover and I would choose Red Lobster on my birthday any time I had the chance.
Out of all the times I ate at Olive Garden growing up; my family never had dipping oil. When I look back on it, I feel like I missed out on one heck of a combination. It’s not their faults: We are European mutt heritage with no Italian. It wasn’t until I became a server in New York City when I was 22 did my love and appreciation for Italian dipping sauce come alive.
My Love For Trattoria Del Arte in NYC
I won’t get into too much story, however working at this fancy Italian restaurant in New York City when I was 22 years old changed my life. I was living in hostels trying to pursue a modeling / acting career and had 0 experience with waiting tables; But I knew it was crucial to give me the flexibility to pursue my path.
My first job in New York City was a burger joint called The Tomato; and I remember being given a test to complete: Name three types of wine, Which side does a fork belong, etc.. I had no idea the wine question and the hostess gave me the answers. I’ve also never held a server tray before, so when I first got the job, I would sneak a tray home with me and practice every night, in addition to reading a book called ‘Server for Dummies’ and I also had to learn how to open up wine bottles with a cork screw.
Fortunately I was determined and I picked it up quickly, which lead me to waiting on a guy that was head of HR for a chain of high end restaurants. He wanted to hire me and immediately had me work for the fancy Trattoria Del Arte restaurant the next week.
Being Thrown Into the Wolves
If you’ve ever been a server, you can relate to your early day stories, like me. I was the youngest person that worked at this high profile restaurant, filled with celebrities of all walks of life. I was resented by the older servers because ‘Here comes this new guy with no experience and he’s supposed to share tips with us? No thanks’, they would say. But I learned some valuable tips and lessons from them as time went by, including the art of bread dipping oil.
Any server who is really serious about their job, will never give you bread before you order your food. By doing this, it fills up your body and hunger so you will drink less, and eat less. They always wait for you to order and then give you bread and the dipping oil.
The dipping oil that I would eat on a daily basis when I was working there consisted of the following simple combination:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Sea salt
- Fresh shredded parmesan cheese on top
The simplest of ingredients and suitable for all types of bread. You can add aged balsamic vinegar in if you like that extra bite, but I always chose not to.
The Olive Garden Bread Dipping Oil Recipe Unpacked
After being a master of dipping oil, I never found a place that could go beyond my dipping oil routine at Trattoria Del Arte. That is, until I got wind of Olive Garden having a method that goes beyond what I’m used to. I was intrigued and definitely interested in finding this out.
The ingredients below is for the Italian food enthusiast that really escalates their taste buds with flavors of herbs. The key to this recipe will come down to three major elements in terms of spending the extra money for higher quality vs. cheap:
- Dried herbs
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Parmesan cheese
If you can get a block of cheese and shave it in the oil, it will change your world. If you use a single origin olive oil, you won’t regret it. As for the dried herbs, I recommend looking at the organic sections, or you can get most of these in bulk at Costco or Sam’s Club.
Olive Garden Bread Dipping Oil Recipe
Want to make Olive Garden’s tasty bread dipping oil at home? This copycat recipe is full of yummy flavors like garlic, herbs, and olive oil, just like the restaurant’s version. You mix dried herbs like oregano, basil, parsley, and others with olive oil. Best of all, you can tweak it with fresh garlic or Parmesan cheese! This easy recipe makes a lot, so you can enjoy it with different meals, and it can be stored for later use.
- Small Bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk or Fork
- Grater
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (use fresh, not the refrigerated kind in a jar)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil (rich and flavorful)
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preparation
Grab a small bowl for mixing your ingredients.
Measure out and prepare the following dried herbs: 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, basil, and parsley each; 2 teaspoons each of onion powder and freshly cracked black pepper; 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme and dried rosemary; and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Cooking / Creating
In your small bowl, combine all the measured dried herbs together thoroughly.
If you're using fresh garlic, mince enough to make 1 tablespoon and set aside for later use.
Find a rich, tasty extra virgin olive oil to use for this recipe.
Serving / Presentation
When you're ready to serve, take 1 tablespoon of the dried herb mixture and mix it with about 1/2 cup of olive oil in a serving dish.
If you chose to use fresh garlic, now is the time to add it. Mix in the 1 tablespoon of minced garlic with the olive oil and herb mixture.
If you’d like to enhance the flavor, consider stirring in freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste.
Place the dish on the table with a loaf of crusty bread for dipping, such as Italian or French bread.
Any leftover dry herb mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in your pantry for up to 6 months if fresh garlic wasn’t added. Remember to add fresh garlic only when you’re ready to serve to maintain freshness.