Piedmontese Bagna Càuda
(bahn-yah kow-dah)
MEAL PREP
Per serving (sauce only): NET CARBS: 3.8 g Total carbs: 4.1 g | Fiber: 0.3 g | Sugar alcohols: 0 g Fat: 65 g | Protein: 15 g Calories: ~660
Naturally Keto / Piedmontese Traditional. In the agrarian hills of Piedmont, this hot bath of slow-melted garlic, salted anchovies, and heavy pours of olive oil is a masterpiece of peasant ingenuity. In the modern ketogenic kitchen, it represents the ultimate meal-prep asset—a high-fat, high-satiety flavor bomb that transforms raw vegetables into a wildly satisfying dinner. A food processor and high-quality jarred anchovies strip away the tedious hours of peeling and desalinating, condensing the active work to a mere five minutes while the stove does the heavy lifting. Make a large batch on Sunday, and you possess a robust, deeply umami emulsion that will effortlessly survive the entire workweek.
Ingredients
- garlic cloves16 large
- extra virgin olive oil1 cup
- premium anchovy fillets packed in olive oil200 g
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- endive2 cup
- bell pepper1 med
- cauliflower florets2 cup
Method
- 01
Process the garlic into a fine mince.
Drop the halved garlic cloves into a mini food processor and pulse until finely minced, saving yourself the tedious knife work.
- 02
Sweat the garlic in a quarter cup of olive oil.
Transfer the minced garlic to a heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in a quarter cup of the olive oil, and place over the lowest possible heat for 5 minutes to soften the aromatics without browning them.
- 03
Build the emulsion with anchovies and the remaining oil.
Add the drained anchovy fillets and pour in the remaining three-quarters of a cup of olive oil, keeping the heat on dead-low.
- 04
Leave the pot to simmer gently for twenty-five to thirty minutes.
Step away and let the stove work; use a wooden spoon to occasionally stir and mash the anchovies against the side of the pot until they melt into a thick, homogeneous paste.
- 05
Mount the butter into the warm sauce.
Remove the pot from the heat, drop in the butter, and whisk vigorously until it melts, giving the emulsion a velvety, rounded finish.
- 06
Serve immediately with fresh vegetables or store for the week.
Serve in a warm bowl surrounded by your keto dippers; for meal prep, let the sauce cool for 30 minutes on the counter before dividing into airtight glass jars and refrigerating.
Notes
The hidden ingredient check on anchovies.
Always read the label on jarred anchovies to ensure they are packed in pure olive oil and salt. Avoid cheaper brands packed in inflammatory seed oils like soybean or sunflower oil, which have no place in a clean keto protocol.
Meal prep storage and reheating mechanics.
Bagna Càuda stores perfectly in the fridge for up to five days. Because olive oil and butter solidify when chilled, microwave on 50 percent power for 30-second intervals or warm gently in a pan. If it separates, vigorously whisk in a teaspoon of warm water or fresh olive oil to bring it right back together.
The post-meal tradition.
If you are eating this fresh and have a spoonful of hot sauce left in the bottom of your bowl, do as the Piedmontese do: crack a raw egg directly into the leftover oil and aggressively scramble it for the perfect high-protein finish.
From Keto 10 Minute Meals.