If you’ve ever dined at Carrabba’s Italian Grill, you know that their olive oil bread dip, also known as Italian Butter or Spicy Sicilian Butter, is an irresistible start to any meal. The combination of high-quality olive oil, fragrant herbs, and a kick of garlic creates the perfect accompaniment to fresh, crusty bread. Now, with this easy copycat recipe, you can enjoy the same delightful flavors at home whenever the craving strikes.
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What makes the Carrabba’s Italian butter so good?
It’s tough to beat simplicity, especially when it tastes really, really, good. Good bread and perfectly seasoned olive oil to dip it in is just about as simply delicious as you can get. It is a beautiful way to start a meal or a great snack much healthier than a bag of potato chips.
One restaurant, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, gets a lot of menu items right. Still, for many guests, the chain’s coyly named Italian Butter or Spicy Sicilian Butter, otherwise known as olive oil bread dip, keeps them coming back again and again. This easy recipe lets you make Carrabba’s dipping oil at home.
Why you should try this recipe
- Using a mix of dried herbs ensures consistent flavor and easy preparation
- Freshly minced garlic adds a punch of flavor and aroma
- High-quality extra-virgin olive oil provides a smooth, rich base for the dip
- Red pepper flakes give the dip a subtle spicy kick, reminiscent of Carrabba’s version
Ingredients for Carrabba’s Olive Oil Bread Dip
Here’s a list of what you need to make Carrabba’s spicy Sicilian butter:
- Dried oregano – Adds a slightly bitter, earthy, and aromatic flavor
- Dried basil – Provides a sweet, slightly peppery taste with notes of mint and anise
- Dried rosemary – Contributes a piney, peppery, and slightly lemony flavor
- Kosher salt – Enhances the overall flavor of the dip and balances the herbs
- Ground black pepper – Adds a subtle spicy heat and depth of flavor
- Red pepper flakes – Gives the dip a spicy kick, signature to Carrabba’s Spicy Sicilian Butter
- Minced garlic – Provides a sharp, pungent flavor that complements the herbs and oil
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Acts as a smooth, rich base for the herb and garlic mixture
How to Make Carrabba’s Bread Dip
- Mix together the dry spices.
- Add crushed garlic to the dry spices and place the mixture on a small saucer.
- Pour olive oil over the spice mixture.
- Dip with your favorite sourdough or French bread.
I like to make this Sicilian butter when making Italian food. This is a nice change from garlic bread. You may want to give this a try as well.
Carrabba’s Italian Butter would be great simply drizzled over pasta.
Tips for Making and Serving Carrabba’s Olive Oil Bread Dip Recipe
- Mix the seasonings in bulk. Measuring each herb or spice every time you make this dip takes a lot of time. Add a teaspoon of the bulk seasoning mixture and some freshly minced garlic to the olive oil just before serving.
- This olive oil bread dip is versatile. Try it over sliced fresh tomatoes or as a simple pasta sauce.
Watch how to make your favorite recipes on YouTube.
Love Carrabba’s food? Try these copycat recipes!
Favorite Italian Recipes
- Zuppa Toscana Olive Garden Soups
- Pasta e Fagioli Olive Garden
- Lasagna Mia Olive Garden
- Homemade Italian Sausage
- Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Seafood Alfredo Recipe
- Chicken Romano Recipe
- Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread
- Fried Mozzarella
- Italian Lemon Cream Cake
Be sure to check out more of my easy Italian recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes here on CopyKat.com!
Homemade Carrabba’s Olive Oil Bread Dip (Spicy Sicilian Butter)
Ingredients
- 1/8 teaspoon oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon basil
- 1/8 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Mix together the dry spices. Add minced garlic to the dry spices. Place on a small saucer. Pour olive oil over mixture. Dip with your favorite hot French or sourdough bread.
I love the Original Carrabba’s restaurants! Delicious olive oil with herbs.
Love it! Sadly the PNW doesn’t have a Carraba’s so I copy Kat the heck out of it or suffer through going to Olive Garden.
Stephanie do you know a copy cat recipe for Delmonco Steak house lasagna
I am sorry I don’t have this recipe.
Seriously the best olive oil dip.
So do we crush the garlic (as in the directions) or mince it (as in the list of ingredients? Or do we first crush, then mince?
Please mince the garlic.
So is it possible to get the recipe for Karaba Sicilian better? They serve it on steak and pork chops. It’s orange. Delicious!
Please tell me how to make the spicy sicilian butter?
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1Mix the garlic, oregano, basil, thyme and black pepper in a bowl.
2Beat in the softened butter until well combined.
3Put the mixture on a piece of wax paper and roll it into a tube.
4Refrigerate for at least three hours to allow the flavours to blend.
5Allow the butter to come to room temperature before serving, so that it will spread easier.
Yeah, well by definition, this AIN’T butter … “Use it as butter, by dipping bread in it”? If you dip into it, it’s a dip … or in this case, a flavored oil. But it’s NOT a butter.
Is there suppose to be butter in this recipe ? This sounds more like a bread dip…..am I missing something ?
There is no butter in this recipe. I believe they want you to use this like butter, you know by dipping this in bread, it is kind of like putting butter on bread and then eating it.
well there IS butter in the carabbas recipe ….so you might want to add it since your recipe is nearly identical to TWENTY copycat recipes and guess what the only difference is ??????? THEY ALL HAVE BUTTER .
the butter NOW comes in pre-made,but before we made it by hand….it HAS butter !!!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing this. I have never seen them add butter to the oil and herbs served at the table. It sounds like I should go back and try it a few more times.
You are confusing the oil you dip the bread in with the spicy sicilian butter which definitely has butter in it. They put it on top on their steaks. You need to go there and order it. This recipe is simply titled wrong. This is my wife’s favorite condiment.