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Bagna Cauda with Steamed Broccoli

Bagna Cauda with Steamed Broccoli

By Courtney HillFebruary 26, 2025

  • Makes
    6 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes

Bagna cauda, a Piedmontese sauce-like dip, is a heady mixture of butter, olive oil, lightly toasted garlic and umami-rich anchovies. (Bagna cauda translates to warm bath.) We gave ours a layer of herbal flavor with the addition of bay and rosemary and added some brightness with lemon juice. In traditional bagna cauda, the garlic and anchovies separate to the bottom upon standing. To avoid this, we blended the mixture after cooking to yield a silky, emulsified dip. If you're using oil-packed anchovies from a jar, you’ll need about 1 ounce of drained fillets (4 teaspoons minced). Our broccoli is just one option for serving with bagna cauda; offer any number of raw or cooked vegetables, or even pieces of crusty bread. Bagna cauda can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week; reheat before serving.

Tip

Don't season the broccoli with salt; the bagna cauda provides plenty.

Ingredients
  • 8

    tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 12

    garlic cloves, minced

  • 2

    ounce can oil-packed anchovies, drained and minced, 2 tablespoons oil reserved

  • 2

    bay leaves

  • 2

    small sprigs fresh rosemary

  • ¾

    teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 3

    tablespoons lemon juice, divided, plus lemon wedges, to serve

  • 2

    pounds broccoli, florets cut into 3-inch pieces, stems peeled, quartered and sliced 3 inches thick (about 12 cups)

Step 1

In a small saucepan over low, combine the butter, oil, garlic, anchovies, bay leaves, rosemary and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly toasted and the anchovies have disintegrated, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2

Remove and discard the herbs and transfer the mixture to a blender. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and the reserved anchovy oil and blend until well combined and lighter in color, about another 30 seconds.

Step 3

In a large pot fitted with a steamer insert, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the broccoli to the steamer (you may need to cook in 2 batches), then cover and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender and bright green, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Transfer the broccoli to a medium bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and ½ cup of the bagna cauda. Toss, then transfer to a platter. Serve the broccoli with the remaining bagna cauda and lemon wedges.