This post is self-explanatory if you’ve ever dined at the popular Carrabba’s Italian chain restaurant.
The server arrives at your table and they always, quite ceremoniously, set down the plate with the herbs already on it, and take the carafe of fruity olive oil and pour it over top, spreading the mass of herbs around and creating the tiny lake for you to dip the steaming hot, half-loaf of soft bread…okay, stop me, I’m starting to drool.
This herb mix is definitely one of my favorite parts of any Carrabba’s experience and I have been wondering for so long what ingredients are in it. Well, practically anything you want to know can already be found on the internet, so the first recipe I found, from CDKitchen.com, was a super close replica.
I adapted it ever-so-slightly so that it had less of a spicy kick, but feel free to keep it the way they have it, because that way it’s just equal parts of everything.
I made a quick video tutorial. Check it out and subscribe:
Carrabba’s Bread Oil Dip Recipe
adapted from CDKitchen
INGREDIENTS
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
extra virgin olive oil, as needed
lots of fresh bread
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, into a mortar and pestle. Grind until you get the desired size of herbs. Place a small amount of the herb mixture onto a small plate. Pour olive oil over the herbs to cover and dip the bread in the oil and herb mixture!
You are adorable. Love this one and can’t wait to try this recipe.
I love that this is so easy, and that I can use it in soooooooooooooo many ways! I say two thumbs up to the dipping oil! xo
Im looking forward to mixing this up but just wanted to confirm that ‘minced’ garlic is fresh and by ‘granulated’ garlic you mean the dried, crunchy little bits? Thanks :~)
That is exactly right, Nancy! You can see a good visual in the video too! :D
A-greed Ally!! :D
Aww, Isabel….thanks for the encouragement. :D
I love that restaurant and hubby and I devour the bread and dipping oil. Thanks for sharing the how to! I can’t wait to try it. Now, find out how to make the spicy and lentil soup and I will be over the moon. Seriously, thank you for your fun videos and recipes.
We don’t own a mortar and pestle… and my computer speakers are dead so I LOVED the video!! Can I just moosh the heck out of the spices or should I try a grinder type device?
Thanks!
Sally — no don’t buy anything fancy! Mortar and pestle is great, but it would be JUST fine to just chop all the ingredients together really finely…mince them! It’ll give the same DELICIOUS effect! :d
xo
I love this! The recipe I have is a bit different. I think it’s from a cook book put out by Carrabba’s. This one is much easier so I will give this one a try! Thanks for posting.
Yum!!!! I can’t wait to try this! What olive oil do you recommend?
Something high quality, Deborah! You really want to taste the flavor of the oil with it.
I just ate at carrabas for the first time tonight. I came home and Googled copycat recipe etc. I asked my waiter what’s in it and her confirmed your ingredients exactly,. After he told me, he smiled and said YOU have to guess the proportion. I’ll give you one hint, he said, there is more parsley, Italian flat leaf, than anything else. Fresh. Can’t WAIT to try this. I could have forgone the meal. Went through 2 baskets of bread, brought the third one home and she packed the oil for me. Thank you!
Carrabas uses SPANISH olive oil. It’s sweeter. As much as I love good Italian, it’s best for cooking because it can have a bitter aftertaste. I did mention the waiter said I’d have to guess the proportions, indicating they might not be equal. He said one, hint, there is more parsley, Italian flat leaf, fresh, than anything else. So your dried proportion would be correct, as you need 3 times the fresh to equal dried. Examining it, I saw the crushed red pepper, it seemed less,more like your proportion .They also use tellicherri black pepper, not regular. Better taste.
Ken you are the BEST!! Thank you so much my friend!! :D :D
I will be trying this, I have been looking for something simple and this seems very simple. Do you have a recipe for salads, a dressing made with olive oil that’s very simple and good tasting?
Hi Maria! Awesome! I hope you loved it. I actually don’t use oil for salad dressings anymore, but my favorite used to be olive oil + bragg’s liquid aminos (salty) + honey + fresh squeezed orange juice + minced fresh garlic. :D