Description
This impressive appetizer dip combines rich sun-dried tomatoes, aromatic garlic, warm herbs, and melted parmesan in fragrant olive oil. Ready in just 15 minutes and perfect for entertaining! Serve with crusty bread and watch it disappear at your next gathering.
Ingredients
The Base:
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- 1 jar (8 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil – Make sure to get the oil-packed kind, not the dry ones!
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- 1 to 2 grated garlic cloves – Fresh is essential here, friends!
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- 1 small shallot, finely diced – Adds that sweet, delicate onion flavor
The Spices:
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- 1 teaspoon dried oregano – Classic Mediterranean herb
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- 1 teaspoon dried thyme – Earthy and aromatic
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- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika – I prefer smoked for that depth!
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- 1 to 2 teaspoons red chili flakes – Adjust based on your heat tolerance
The Finish:
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- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese – The salty, umami magic maker!
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- Fresh basil leaves for garnish – Don’t skip this – it makes it POP!
Instructions
Open your jar of sun-dried tomatoes and drain the oil into your small pot. You should end up with about 1/2 cup of that beautiful, flavorful oil – this is going to be the foundation of everything!
Now, take about 1/3 cup of those sun-dried tomatoes and roughly chop them into smaller pieces. Add these chopped tomatoes right into the pot with the oil.
Add your grated garlic, finely diced shallot, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and chili flakes to the pot. Give it a good stir to combine everything.
Place the pot over LOW heat – and I mean LOW, friends! We’re not trying to fry anything here. We just want to gently warm everything and let all those aromatics release their flavors into the oil. Let it simmer very gently for about 5 minutes.
You’ll know it’s ready when your whole kitchen smells like an Italian restaurant and the garlic has softened and become fragrant. The oil should be warm but not bubbling aggressively. If it’s popping and sizzling, turn down the heat!
Place your grated parmesan cheese in your serving bowl – spread it out across the bottom. Now comes the dramatic part: carefully pour that hot, aromatic oil mixture right over the cheese!
Watch as the parmesan starts to melt slightly from the heat of the oil. It’s so satisfying! The cheese will create this creamy, salty layer that makes people go crazy for this dip.
Top everything generously with fresh basil leaves. Don’t be shy – the more, the better! That fresh, bright basil against all those rich flavors is absolutely perfect.
Serve immediately while it’s still warm with crusty bread, and prepare for the compliments to roll in! This is best enjoyed warm, though it’s also delicious at room temperature.
Notes
Must use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes – dry-packed won’t work for this recipe. Save the remaining tomatoes for salads or pasta dishes.
Keep heat LOW when warming oil to prevent burning garlic. Can be made 2 days ahead – rewarm gently before serving.
For dairy-free version, omit parmesan or use nutritional yeast. Adjust chili flakes based on heat preference.
Oil will solidify when refrigerated – let come to room temp or rewarm gently.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean