Forget running to the store for fresh basil or prepping complicated sauces. Whether you’re hosting a last-minute dinner party or simply searching for an easy add-on to a weeknight meal, this sun-dried tomato Italian dipping oil for bread is your new secret weapon. This recipe relies entirely on the flavor-packed punch of dried herbs and spices, along with finely chopped tangy sun-dried tomatoes. This dipping oil is elegant enough for guests, yet effortless enough for a Tuesday night. So grab a bottle of your favorite high-quality olive oil, a crusty loaf of bread, and get ready for this addictive dipping oil to become your newest weekly obsession.
Every time B.O.B. Bob and I eat at an Italian restaurant, I tell myself that we are going to have fresh bread and dipping oil more often at home. Especially since we have such great olive oil from Greece, thanks to our friends Linda and Susan. In fact, we even have a special trip planned for later this month, to pick up our olive oil from customs in New York, when it arrives by ship. Yup, that’s right. We’re fancy like that. And when it comes to olive oil, fancy is the way to go. Good olive oil is not an option in our house; it’s a necessity. And this stuff is the best. Straight from Linda’s ex-husband’s olive farm in Greece, this particular oil is rich and packed with flavor. Now, is it worth the rather large sum of money spent on a very large stainless steel dispenser to store it in, and an almost larger sum of money spent on a fancy wrought-iron stand for the dispenser to sit on in a somewhat dark, climate-controlled corner of our dining room? Most would say no; however, both B.O.B. Bob and I say hell yeah. When it comes to olive oil, the good stuff is the only way to go. And, if used to make a dipping oil like this one, well, that’s an even bigger hell yeah.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1/4 Cup Dry-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Very Finely Chopped
Directions:
- Place all of the ingredients in a glass bowl or measuring cup. Whisk well to combine.
- Allow the dipping oil to rest for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with chunks of crusty bread for dipping.
Suggestions:
- Use a high-quality olive oil for this recipe. You don’t have to break the bank, but you do want to use an olive oil that is rich and full of flavor.
- You can easily alter the ingredient measurements in this recipe. If you don’t have or like an ingredient, omit it from the recipe. If you prefer a stronger garlic or onion flavor, add more garlic or onion powder. Or, if you prefer, add a little bit of freshly grated garlic or onion instead.
- Use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes for this recipe, not oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Dry-packed tomatoes typically come in resealable plastic bags, which can often be found in the produce or Italian section of your local market. You can also find them online. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are often packed in cheap olive oil.
- Allowing this dipping oil to rest for 30 minutes ensures the herbs and spices soften and the sun-dried tomatoes plump up.
- You may wish to add salt and pepper to taste. For this recipe, I chose to go light on both.
Improvements:
- Whisk a tablespoon of balsamic, white wine, or red wine vinegar into the dipping oil.
- If you have fresh basil on hand, add a tablespoon or two.
- Stir a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the dipping oil.
- Use this dipping oil to make pasta or potato salad. Whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar into it, then pour the seasoned oil over fork-tender, boiled, diced potatoes or warm, al dente pasta.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1/4 Cup Dry-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Very Finely Chopped
Directions:
- Place all of the ingredients in a glass bowl or measuring cup. Whisk well to combine.
- Allow the dipping oil to rest for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with chunks of crusty bread for dipping.
PIN THIS RECIPE
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Italian Mozzarella & Green Olive Cheese Spread
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Sun-Dried Tomato Dip with Italian Seasoning
In 2024, we cooked and baked our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, we shared a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December. CLICK HERE to find all of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge recipes.
In 2025, we cooked and baked our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, we shared a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December. CLICK HERE to find all of the 2025 Alphabet Challenge recipes.
Orange & Feta Italian Orzo Pasta Salad
This simple orzo pasta salad is the perfect side dish to complement almost any meal. It’s quick and easy to make, is neither too dry nor too oily, and has a bright orange citrusy flavor that pairs so well with its flavorful Italian dressing. A generous amount of feta cheese is the final touch to making this pasta salad incredibly delicious and irresistible.
Sun-Dried Tomato & Kale Italian Pasta Salad
Don’t let the kale in this homemade pasta salad scare you off. Its subtle, earthy flavor blends seamlessly into the salad while adding a pop of vibrant green color and a nutritional boost, which, in this simple salad, transforms the often-overlooked and disliked leafy green into a surprisingly delicious star ingredient. This vibrant and flavorful side dish features perfectly cooked spiral pasta tossed in a zesty Italian herb dressing, along with the addition of nutty parmesan cheese and the intense sweet flavor of sun-dried tomatoes. It’s a guaranteed healthy crowd-pleaser, perfect for potlucks, picnics, or even as a weeknight meal.
In 2026, we’ll be cooking and baking our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, for the 2026 Alphabet Challenge, we’ll be sharing a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December.
“A” – Homemade Apple & Whiskey Barbecue Sauce
“B” – Small-Batch Blue Cheese Dip with Dried Herbs
“C” – Dill Pickle & Mustard Seed Cream Cheese Spread
“D” – Parmesan & Cheddar Pimento Corn Chip Dip
“E” – Whipped Feta Lemon Zest & Basil Deviled Eggs
“F” – Lemony Potato & Fennel Rotisserie Chicken Soup
“G” – Chunky Garlic Stuffed Olive Deviled Eggs
“H” – Creamy Cilantro Herb Caribbean Potato Salad
“I” – Sun Dried Tomato Italian Dipping Oil for Bread
Please make sure to check out the other great “I” recipes below. A huge thanks to A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this 2026 Alphabet Challenge event.
- Homemade Italian Dressing by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Individual Charcuterie Boxes by Blogghetti
- Indo Chinese Idli Fry – Leftover Idlis by Sneha’s Recipe
- Iru Puli Kuzhambu by Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Italian Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers by Food Lust People Love
- Mini Ice Cream Cakes by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Nutella Ice Cream by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Smaller Chocolate Eclair Cake (From Scratch) by A Messy Kitchen
- Sun Dried Tomato Italian Dipping Oil for Bread by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
