37 dipping oil recipes

Not sure why it's called monkey bread, but I'm very sure that nobody can resist this delicious dessert-like bread. It's buttery and fluffy inside, and crispy outside. When you add chocolate chips in, hmmm...

Chocolate-dipped strawberries with semi-sweet chocolate melted in a double boiler and a touch of oil for a glossy, professional-looking finish. Just 3 ingredients.

Melitzanosalata, a Greek roasted eggplant dip with garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Smoky, tangy, and rustic, served cold with bread or grilled meats.

Melomacarona, traditional Greek honey cookies made with oil instead of butter, dipped in warm honey syrup and topped with chopped walnuts. Egg-free and butter-free.

Moroccan fava bean puree (bessara): dried favas simmered with garlic and cumin, blended with olive oil, served with Arab bread and a cumin-cayenne spice dip.

Fried batilgian is egg-dipped eggplant fried in olive and vegetable oil until crisp outside and creamy inside. Just five ingredients for a classic Middle Eastern side.

Vegetarian stuffed grape leaves (dolmades) with rice, pine nuts, raisins, tomato, and cinnamon. Slow-simmered in olive oil and lemon, served chilled with yogurt-mint dipping sauce.

Sweet-tangy mustard vinaigrette with dry mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and a touch of sugar whisked into olive oil. A simple, sharp dipping sauce for whole cooked artichokes.

Quick herbed white bean dip with cannellini beans, garlic, lemon, olive oil, cumin, and oregano. The 10-minute Mediterranean appetizer that's lighter than hummus and just as versatile.

Greek taramasalata-style pate of smoked cod roe whipped with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and a fold of cream into a silky pale-pink dip, served cool with warm pita.

Polvo frito is a classic Portuguese dish of tender precooked octopus dipped in a parsley-flecked egg batter and shallow-fried in olive oil until golden. Simple, briny, and crisp at the edges.

Chicken fried steak made from pounded round steak, egg-dipped and flour-dredged, pan-fried in oil and butter with cream gravy made from the pan drippings. True Texas comfort food.

Mexican salsa dip stirs together fresh tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, scallions, olive oil, and vinegar for a chunky no-cook party salsa with tortilla chips. Best after a brief rest.

Steamed ground turkey dumplings (shu mai) with ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and scallions in wonton wrappers. Served with a tangy fish sauce, vinegar, and chili dipping sauce. Makes 40 bite-sized gems.

Cold white-cut pork is a Cantonese classic: boneless pork leg gently poached with ginger, scallions, and rice wine, then ice-shocked and chilled. Sliced paper-thin for dipping in soy or chili oil.

Homemade potstickers from scratch: hand-rolled dough wrappers filled with pork, napa cabbage, ginger and water chestnut, pan-fried crisp then steamed tender. Served with a soy, chili oil and vinegar dipping sauce.