Bagna cauda is one of the great gifts of Piedmontese cuisine: a warm sauce of anchovies, garlic, and olive oil into which raw and cooked vegetables are dipped. The anchovies melt completely, leaving only their deep umami, with no trace of strong fishy flavor. A shared table ritual, simple and absolutely addictive.
Bagna cauda ("hot bath" in Piedmontese) is the Italian fondue: a hot pot of oil, garlic, and melted anchovies into which each diner dips raw and cooked vegetables. It's a social, conversational, winter dish: the pot is kept warm in the center of the table over a candle, and everyone dips their carrot, celery, pepper, and fennel sticks while talking and drinking red wine from Piedmont. It's communal cooking in its purest and oldest form.
Ingredients
- 8 Cantabrian anchovy fillets (we use "00" Premium Cantabrian Anchovy Fillets)
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g butter
- 100 ml milk (to soften the garlic)
- Assorted vegetables: carrot, celery, bell pepper, fennel, cucumber, endives
- Crusty bread for dipping
Step-by-step preparation
- Soften the garlic: 10 minutes. Peel the garlic and cook it in milk for 10 minutes over low heat. This softens them, removing the aggressive pungency and leaving only the sweetness of the garlic. Drain and mash with a fork.
- In a small earthenware pot (or saucepan), heat the oil over very low heat. Add the mashed garlic and anchovies. Stir with a wooden spoon, pressing the anchovies against the bottom, until everything is completely dissolved in the oil, forming a homogeneous cream. This takes 3-4 minutes.
- Incorporate the cold butter and stir until integrated. The butter adds creaminess and helps prevent the sauce from separating.
- Serve the pot over a candle or warmer in the center of the table, surrounded by the vegetables cut into sticks and bread. Each diner dips their vegetables into the hot sauce.
Our house tip
Bagna cauda must always be hot. If it cools, the butter solidifies and the sauce loses its fluid and unctuous texture. If you don't have a candle warmer, place the pot in a double boiler over a bowl of hot water. And fennel — if you can find it — is the vegetable that works best: its anisy sweetness contrasts spectacularly with the saltiness of the anchovies.
Buy it at Bacalalo"00" Premium Cantabrian Anchovy Fillets€24.90 · 24-48h refrigerated delivery →Frequently Asked Questions
Does bagna cauda taste very anchovy-like?
No. By melting slowly in the oil, the anchovies lose their salty edge and leave a smooth, deep umami base that enhances the vegetables.
What anchovies should I use for bagna cauda?
Good quality anchovies in oil, preferably from the Cantabrian Sea. Since they melt completely, it's worth starting with a good product.
What vegetables do you dip with?
Raw bell peppers, celery, carrots, endives, or cardoons; and cooked cauliflower, potatoes, or roasted peppers. The variety of textures is part of the charm.
