This Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Bread Dip recipe is a simple AND delicious appetizer for any dinner party. Despite its complex look, creating an olive oil based bread recipe that looks like it was freshly made at an Italian restaurant is incredibly easy. (Did someone say Olive Garden?)
Below we have created a detailed guide on how pair olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and your favorite bread. However, if you just want to skip to the recipe, you can easily to that too:
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- What kind of olive oil do you use for dipping bread?
- What kind of bread pairs well with olive oil and balsamic vinegar?
- Health Benefits of Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar
- Why do olive oil and balsamic vinegar not mix?
- How to Make a Delicious Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Bread Dip {JUMP TO RECIPE}
- Easy Variations
What kind of olive oil do you use for dipping bread?
Extra virgin olive oil is the best olive oil to use for dipping bread. Extra virgin olive oil is known for its excellent flavor, aroma, and health benefits. Due to this, extra virgin olive is known as a top olive oil for cooking with.
What kind of bread pairs well with olive oil and balsamic vinegar?
Balsamic vinegar pairs well with any fresh bread with a decent crust. Sour dough, focaccia, french bread and ciabatta are all great examples of breads.
However, due to its sweet and fruity notes, breads with fruit (ex. cinnamon raisin breads) should avoid since the fruit in the bread will compete with the fruity undertones in the balsamic vinegar.
Health Benefits of Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil
Combining balsamic vinegar and olive oil is a quick and easy way to improve the health qualities of a meal. Balsamic vinegar has been associated with improved digestive function and glycemic response to carbohydrate-rich meals. Similarly, extra virgin olive oil is full of antioxidants, polyphenols, and vitamin E.
Is balsamic vinegar good for your gut?
According to research done by Arizona State University’s Carol Johnston, PhD, RD and Cindy Gaas, BS, blood glucose concentrations were significantly reduced in all participants that consumed vinegar which contains (acetic acid).
Is dipping bread in olive oil healthy?
Yes, in moderation. Dipping your bread in olive oil is healthy since olive oil is a heathy fat. According to Harvard Medical School, olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids (healthy fats).
Increasing olive oil in your diet can help prevent heart disease, high LDL cholesterol, some cancers, dementia, and obesity.
However, the key word is moderation. Too much bread, olive oil, and balsamic can take a toll on your waistline.
Why do olive oil and balsamic vinegar not mix?
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar do not mix well because the two liquids are made up of different types of molecules and each are attracted to their own kind. That is why now matter how hard your may share your olive oil and vinegar based salad dressing, the liquids will eventually separate.
Originating in Italy, balsamic vinegar is made from unfermented grapes that are crushed with its juice, stems, seeds, skin, and pulp. Finished balsamic vinegar is made up of mainly acetic acid and water, molecules that have a polar charge (i.e. one end has a slightly positive charge while the other end has a negative charge. Think magnets for example).
However, the olive oil constructed is complete different since its underlying molecules are non-polar, meaning that they are not positively or neutrally charged. Non-polar molecules love other non-polar molecules and will repel polar molecules (i.e. the balsamic vinegar mentioned above). This is why olive oil and balsamic vinegar will naturally separate over time.
The good news is that when it comes to making dip, we can use the lack of mixing to our advantage. Meaning that in the dip below, you can easily self determine your preferred ratio between oil and vinegar as you are dipping your bread.
How to Make a Delicious Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Bread Dip
Ingredients
- 5 tbsps Olive Oil
- 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
- Black pepper
- Salt
- dash of Italian seasoning (optional)
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl or salad place, add the garlic then the balsamic vinegar
- Add the olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- To serve, accompany the dip with your chosen bread (ex. french baguette, ciabatta, focaccia).
Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Bread Dip
Ingredients
Dip Recipe
- 5 tbsps Olive Oil (Use cold-pressed EVOO if possible)
- 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
- Black pepper (to taste)
- Salt (to taste)
Bread
- 1 loaf Crusty Bread (ex. French Bread or Sourdough)
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl or salad place, add the garlic then the balsamic vinegar
- Add the olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- To serve, accompany the dip with your chosen bread (ex. french baguette, ciabatta, focaccia).
Nutrition
Easy variations
Olive oil and Red Wine Vinegar Bread Dip
To make this olive oil dip with red wine vinegar, all you need to do is follow the same recipe but substitute the balsamic vinegar for red wine vinegar.
Red Pepper, Balsamic Vinegar, and Olive Oil Bread Dip
To add red pepper to this recipe, add about 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes to the middle of the dip after the olive oil has been added.
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