Bagna Cauda

Bagna cauda is a warm dipping sauce from Italy’s Piedmont region, traditionally made with garlic, anchovies, and olive oil. The recipe reflects peasant roots, where preserved fish and local produce combined to create a communal dish. Sometimes butter or cream is added, though rustic versions remain closer to the original.

The technique involves slowly cooking garlic until soft, then blending it with anchovies that melt into the oil to form a smooth, savory sauce. Served warm in a communal pot, bagna cauda accompanies raw or lightly cooked vegetables, embodying Piedmont’s tradition of shared, seasonal eating.

Small PlatesItalianGarlic

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Total Time: 30 min

Yield: 4 servings

A dish of bagna cauda with vegetables and bread for dipping.

Ingredients

Dip

  • 10 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup (small jar) anchovies, drained and chopped
  • ¼ cup butter

Vegetables

  • 1 medium sweet onion, whole and unpeeled
  • 1 carrot, cut into spears
  • 1 celery stalk, cut into spears
  • Cucumber, cut into spears or slices
  • 1 baguette, sliced

Instructions

Vegetables

  1. 1.
    Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. 2.
    Clean the dirt off the onion but leave the skin on. Rub olive oil on the outside of the onion and place it on a baking sheet in the oven for 45-50 minutes until it can be easily pierced with a knife.
  3. 3.
    Cut up remaining vegetables into dippable pieces. Warm and slice baguette.

Dip

  1. 4.
    Add the chopped garlic and oil to the cold sauce pan and place over a low heat.
  2. 5.
    Simmer garlic in the oil until the garlic softens, about 10 minutes. Do not let the oil get hot enough to brown the garlic.
  3. 6.
    Add the anchovies and stir until the anchovies are dissolved.
  4. 7.
    Add the butter and stir until melted and combined.
  5. 8.
    Transfer the bagna cauda to a candle warmer and serve with bread and vegetables.