Bagna càuda
Non-vegetarian
Piedmont's warm communal dip: a great deal of garlic melted slowly with anchovies into olive oil, kept warm at the table for dunking raw and cooked autumn vegetables.
Bagna càuda is an Italian dip from Italy, ready in about 1 hour and made with garlic, anchovies and olive oil. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 319
Method
Step 1
If using milk (opens in a new tab), put the sliced garlic (opens in a new tab) in a small heavy pan, cover with the milk and simmer very gently until soft, then drain and discard the milk.
- 15 min
- low heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
Step 2
Return the garlic (opens in a new tab) to the pan (or start here with raw sliced garlic) and add about a third of the olive oil (opens in a new tab). Cook over the lowest heat, stirring, until the garlic is very soft and starting to melt — it must not colour.
- 15 min
- low heat
A heat diffuser under the pan helps keep the temperature low.
Step 3
Add the anchovies (opens in a new tab) and the rest of the oil and stir until the anchovies dissolve into a creamy, slightly separated sauce. Keep it barely bubbling for 10 minutes; stir in the butter (opens in a new tab) if using.
- 10 min
- low heat
- Wooden spoon (opens in a new tab)
Step 4
Serve in a warmed terracotta pot over a candle or tea light (a fondue set works) with the vegetables and bread for dipping.
How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels
About this dish
- Origin
- Piedmont, Italy · Well documentedMore food from Italy
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Dips & spreads · Sauces
- Cooking method
- Simmered
- Taste
- garlicky, salty, umami, rich
- Diet
- Pescatarian · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carbWithout the optional extras: Whole-food focused, Paleo-style, No gluten ingredients, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Pescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb - Good for
- Festive & celebration
- Techniques
- Simmering
Allergens
- Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk, butter
- Contains: Fishfrom anchovies
- Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom crusty bread / baguette
- Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom crusty bread / baguette
- May contain: Sesamefrom crusty bread / baguette
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
319 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 55 g · recipe makes 6
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 7%
- Carbohydrate 4%
- Fat 89%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 319 kcal | 580 kcal |
| Protein | 5.5 g | 10 g |
| Carbohydrate | 3.5 g | 6.4 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 3.3 g | 6 g |
| Sugars | 0.1 g | 0.2 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0.2 g | 0.4 g |
| Fat | 32 g | 58.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 4.6 g | 8.3 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 14 mg | 26 mg |
| Sodium | 614 mg | 1116 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 1.5 g | 2.8 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 134 mg
- Calcium
- 58 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 14 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 2 µg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 2 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- Optional ingredients are not included: milk, butter, red bell pepper, cabbage, potato, crusty bread / baguette.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Traditional dippers include cardoons, Jerusalem artichokes, raw peppers, cabbage, fennel, roasted onions and beetroot.
- Scramble an egg into the last of the sauce at the end of the meal — a Piedmontese habit.
Common mistakes
- High heat browns the garlic and makes it harsh and bitter.
Serve with
- With a platter of raw and boiled autumn vegetables and a young red wine
Food safety
- Raw garlic or herbs kept under oil can support botulism if left at room temperature. Refrigerate and use within the stated time; never store at room temperature.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers in a covered jar and use within 4 days.
Reheating
- Warm very gently, stirring; it can be stirred through pasta.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.
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