Bagna Caùda: 2 Recipes to Try at Home this Winter

From hearty meat stews to steaming plates of polenta, the Piedmontese know how to do comfort food. Perhaps one of the most intriguing—and delicious—of their winter warmers is bagna caùda, which literally means “hot dip”.

This beloved classic is eaten in almost every family home—and I persuaded two family members to disclose their secret recipes so you can recreate one of Piedmont’s cosiest winter dishes this season.

Vegetarian and wondering what to eat in Piedmont? This guide covers the region’s meat-free specialties.

What is Bagna Caùda?

For the uninitiated, bagna caùda is a warm sauce made with anchovies, olive oil, and a lot of garlic. It might sound weird, but in Piedmont, it’s practically a religion—there’s even a festival dedicated to it. 

Typically served in a fojòt—a terracotta pot which looks a bit like an oil burner—and accompanied by a platter of vegetables for dipping, the traditional recipe calls for an entire head of garlic per person. 

Since many people find that amount of garlic hard to digest—or don’t want to reek of it for days—alternative recipes have emerged. Read on for two garlic-free versions of bagna caùda you can try at home.

Serving tip: Don’t worry if you don’t have a fojòt—you can serve straight from the pan in the middle of the table, the traditional Piedmontese way. If it cools down, gently reheat it.

Ornella’s Leek Bagna Caùda

Ornella—who’s from Monferrato but lives in Roero—came up with this recipe after tasting leek bagna caùda at a local festival. 

Serves 6-8 

Ingredients:

• 400 g leeks (white part only)
• 175 g salted anchovies, chopped into small pieces
• 600 ml olive oil
• 300 ml milk

Method:

1. Prepare the leeks. Slice the leeks into thin rounds and cook them gently in a pan until they release their water.
2. Drain water and add anchovies. Pour off the excess water, then add the anchovies and olive oil. Cook gently, stirring from time to time.
3. Add the milk. Once the leeks and anchovies start to break down, pour in the milk and continue cooking until both ingredients have completely softened and almost dissolved.
4. Drain olive oil and blend. Drain the oil into a separate bowl, then finely chop the leek mixture using a mezzaluna knife or blend in a food processor.
5. Recombine and warm through. Stir the olive oil back into the mixture and warm it briefly before serving.

Silvana’s Olive Bagna Caùda

Silvana, from Alta Langa, shows the Ligurian influence in her cooking with this olive-based version of bagna caùda.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 100g green olives, pitted
• 3 cloves of garlic, cut in half
• 50g anchovy fillets, chopped
• 175 ml olive oil 
• ½ tbsp passata

Method:

1. Prepare the olives: Wash and dry the olives, then chop them finely with a mezzaluna or sharp knife.
2. Cook gently: Place the chopped olives in a pan, add the olive oil, and cook very slowly over a low heat for about 5–6 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add the passata and anchovies: Stir in the tomato passata and the anchovies. Let the anchovies melt gently into the mixture.
4. Finish with garlic: About two minutes before the end of cooking, add the garlic to infuse flavour. Remove the garlic before serving.
5. Serve: Serve the sauce hot.

Taste Piedmont at Home this Winter

So there you have it—two bagna cauda recipes that won’t leave you smelling like you’ve bathed in garlic. 

Try them both—with a bottle of Dolcetto—and let me know which one is your favourite.

Looking for more foodspiration? Here are my favourite must-try Piedmont dishes.

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