How to make Bagna Cauda

Why cooks start here

Bagna Cauda is cooked the way Piedmont cooks it — good olive oil used without counting, salt judged by hand, and no fuss about the plate. This is the home version, written down the way an Italian family cook actually puts it on the table.

In the rolling hills of Piedmont, Bagna Cauda emerges as a warm embrace during the colder months, a dish deeply rooted in the region's agricultural traditions. This sauce, prepared with a generous hand, is often shared amongst friends and family at the table, its simplicity a nod to the enduring spirit of Italian home cooking. Bagna Cauda should taste like the sea meeting the earth, with the saltiness of anchovies mingling with the mellow heat of garlic, all enveloped in the richness of olive oil and butter. A whisper of red pepper adds warmth, leaving a comforting heat that invites another bite. This is a sauce to be savored slowly, with each vegetable dipped bringing a new delight.