Anchovy

Roasted Bagna Cauda Broccoli

January 15, 2010
5
6 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This dish reminds me of bagna cauda, with a twist. This rendering adds a few classic Caesar salad flavors, and toasted almonds, for fun. - mariaraynal —mariaraynal

Test Kitchen Notes

For a dish that's packed with assertive flavors -- garlic and anchovy -- it also contains a whole lot of subtlety. Roasting the broccoli caramelzes the tips, giving it both a little crispness and nuttiness. The nut flavor is echoed in the toasted almonds and a squeeze of Meyer lemon perks up the whole. This is a dish that's easy enough for a weeknight meal and impressive enough for a dinner party. - A&M —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 anchovy fillets
  • a splash of white wine
  • a big squeeze of lemon, preferably Meyer
  • Parmesan cheese, for dusting
  • 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425. Arrange broccoli florets on a Silpat or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes and remove.
  2. In a small skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and anchovy and saute for about three minutes. Add wine and lemon and allow to reduce for a minute or two. Season with black pepper if desired.
  3. Meantime, in another small skillet over medium heat, toast almonds until they are lightly browned, taking care not to burn them.
  4. Drizzle sauce and sprinkle almonds and parmesan cheese over broccoli, then serve. Or, dip the broccoli in the sauce at the table. Enjoy!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • NotTooSweet
    NotTooSweet
  • Sasutan
    Sasutan
  • lschrive
    lschrive
  • aussiefoodie
    aussiefoodie
  • cookinginvictoria
    cookinginvictoria
I'm a self-trained home cook and freelance food writer who enjoys cooking and eating seasonally and locally whenever possible. When I travel, visiting the farmers' markets, local groceries and specialty food shops is as important as the shopping, museums and restaurants. I love to immerse myself in cookbooks, then go into the kitchen and experiment; and writing about food and the chefs who cook it is my latest pursuit. By day, I'm an executive speechwriter and event planner.

88 Reviews

mauralindsay May 13, 2023
Could I substitute anchovy paste for the anchovies? If so, in what measurement? Thanks.
 
mariaraynal May 13, 2023
Yes, definitely, 1 teaspoon equals two anchovies.
 
itscal December 16, 2020
An instant favorite.

I served the broccoli with rice, and will double the sauce next time so there is more than enough for the rice.
 
Linda February 28, 2016
This is one of the most delicious roasted broccoli recipes I've ever made. I left out the anchovies and toasted almonds. It was fabulous without these two ingredients.
 
Patricia C. December 13, 2015
I want to make this for Christmas dinner but my daughter is allergic to seafood. Do you think that the dish would be diminished by the lack of anchovies?
 
NotTooSweet September 5, 2014
Seriously delicious sauce! I love roasted broccoli and that sauce took it to a whole new level. The crunch of the almonds and dusting of cheese was also genius. Looking forward to using the sauce on lots of other roasted veggies. Thanks!
 
bistrobistro May 10, 2014
Delish!! I loved the sauce. Will make it again and again.

 
hayley.marcus May 5, 2013
After you make the sauce, what do you do with the anchovy filets - chop them up, remove them, or something else?
 
mariaraynal May 6, 2013
The anchovy fillets should melt into the sauce. You can also chops them up before adding them to the pan if you prefer.
 
Sasutan January 16, 2013
Yum. this is very good! its definitely a keeper!
 
Eric W. February 21, 2012
Awesome. Subbed colatura for the anchovies, left out salt - cheese, colatura are enough.
 
Westminstress February 2, 2012
This was delicious! I subbed pinenuts for almonds and had no white wine, so used extra Meyer lemon for acidity. Served over polenta, and everybody loved it! Thanks for the great recipe.
 
lschrive January 18, 2012
This is delicious! My 21 month old daughter ate most of it before her Dad and I could get some! Thank you for this! Will try the dressing on other vegetables too!
 
bottomupfood March 2, 2011
This was incredible. I love the dressing on lots of other vegetables, too! Really good paired with a vegetable and a bit of polenta on the side.
 
mariaraynal May 28, 2011
You could even layer the broccoli atop the polenta and pour on some extra dressing... Bet that would be delicious too. Thanks for the idea!
 
aussiefoodie February 27, 2011
I was looking for a new way to cook broccoli, to perk up a weekend dinner at home. This was delicious! Roasting the broccoli gave it a whole new take, and the flavors of garlic, anchovies and lemon really gave the dish so much pizzaz! Thank you - so much better than boring steamed veg!
 
mariaraynal May 28, 2011
Thanks! One of the days I'm going to try the dressing over steamed veggies to shake things up.
 
editrix January 31, 2011
I thought I was a fan of roasted broccoli (and pretty much any other roasted veggie, especially those of the cruciferous sort) before . . . but your recipe has made me an evangelist! My mods: I used half and half proportions of butter and olive oil; I toasted a mixture of half almonds, half pine nuts since that was what I had on hand; and I grated some lemon zest into the bagna cauda for a little extra ooh-la-la. The anchovy umami blends with the nutty broccoli and toasted nuts in the most ingenious way, and I love the spark of citrus and wine to balance it out. Thank you for a recipe I'll go back to again and again (and again)!
 
mariaraynal February 1, 2011
Great edits to the recipe, and I love your user name! Thanks for making the recipe and posting about it!
 
cookinginvictoria January 20, 2011
I made this tonight, and it was devoured by my family. The flavors are so vibrant -- I loved the combination of anchovies, garlic and lemon in the sauce. No almonds in the house, so I substituted pine nuts. Such a yummy recipe -- I will definitely make this again. So nice to have another broccoli recipe in my arsenal. My five year old daughter loves eating broccoli so I am always looking for new ways to prepare it.
 
mariaraynal January 21, 2011
I'll bet the pine nuts were fantastic. I love to hear when kids enjoy eating broccoli and this recipe. Thank you for commenting!
 
NuM N. January 14, 2011
This was INSANELY delicious! I could eat this all day everyday - what a pleasant surprise. Thanks for the recipe
 
mariaraynal January 21, 2011
Thank you so much for your comment -- loved reading it!
 
stinkycheese December 30, 2010
This was delicious. I used cauliflower, and could imagine adapting this to many other roasted veggies. Thanks. It's the perfect way to "hide" anchovies, which my husband says he doesn't like. ;-)
 
mariaraynal January 21, 2011
I've found that so many people think they don't like anchovies until they taste them in a sauce or dressing like this. Cauliflower is a great idea. Thrilled that you enjoyed it!
 
ees November 29, 2010
I made this tonight and it was amazing! I left out the anchovies and it still turned out perfectly. Thank you for the recipe!
 
mariaraynal December 28, 2010
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
 
ChefJune September 1, 2010
Looks delicious. I think I'd also like this treatment for Broccoli Rabe.
 
mariaraynal December 28, 2010
What a great idea. Let me know if you ended up making it with rabe.
 
Minimally I. June 10, 2010
This was phenomenal. I made it last night without the almonds (we were out), added a BIG pinch of red pepper flakes and served it over pasta. I'm so glad I made enough for leftovers tonight. Great recipe!
 
mariaraynal June 25, 2010
I'm so glad you liked it, and I'm going to try it over pasta too. Smart thinking!
 
Tribeca M. February 13, 2010
Just made it again. yummmy! My husband , kerry proposed to me on Valentines day 9 years ago, so I'm making a pre-Vday special dinner.
 
mariaraynal February 16, 2010
How sweet -- love it! Thanks.
 
SallyM February 9, 2010
This is the tastiest broccoli ever! Thank you for a great broccoli recipe!
 
mariaraynal December 28, 2010
Really happy you liked it, thanks for commenting!
 
jifferb February 2, 2010
just made this - LOVED it! will make it again and again, thank you!
 
mariaraynal February 16, 2010
Great to hear that you enjoyed it!
 
melissav January 31, 2010
We had this for dinner last and it was delicious!
 
mariaraynal February 16, 2010
I'm so happy to hear it, thanks for sharing. : )
 
Savorykitchen January 30, 2010
Making this tonight for dinner - can't wait!
 
Savorykitchen January 31, 2010
This was side for us last night with some grilled lamb - the anchovies were a really delicious counterpoint to the lamb. I mad ea few changes based on what I had at hand and the rest of menu: I used white anchovy fillets instead of canned or salt-packed, and I used crunchy breadcrumbs instead of nuts b/c I had them close to hand in the kitchen and I left out the cheese b/c the rest of the meal was already sort of rich.

Really delicious, thanks for sharing.
 
mariaraynal February 16, 2010
Great edits to the recipe -- I definitely plan to try all the great adaptations.
 
aargersi January 29, 2010
I made this last night and our friend who was over for dinner said it was the best broccoli he has ever eaten!!!!
 
mariaraynal February 16, 2010
Yay, great to hear!
 
roryrabbitfield January 28, 2010
I made this again tonight, using steamed lacinato kale instead of broccoli. I ate a huge bowlful, it is so yummy.
 
mariaraynal February 16, 2010
Smart thinking. I bet cauliflower would be great, too. Thanks!
 
mariaraynal January 27, 2010
Thanks again for all your wonderful comments and ideas!
 
Maria T. January 27, 2010
Congratulations, brilliant recipe.
 
mariaraynal December 28, 2010
Thank you. High praise, coming from you!
 
monkeymom January 27, 2010
Wow was this totally amazing. Thanks so much for this...we eat so much broccoli in my house...it is great to have some options that make me look forward to eating it!
 
mariaraynal May 28, 2011
Always good to have options...
 
teemee January 26, 2010
Delicious! This is a keeper - Thank you!!!
 
mariaraynal May 28, 2011
Thank you!
 
Lizthechef January 26, 2010
OK, I finally have a reason to make me want to live in San Diego and NOT move back to NYC - our Meyer lemon trees...Hey, it has been over 30 years -
 
mariaraynal May 28, 2011
I am so envious of those Meyer lemon trees.
 
roryrabbitfield January 26, 2010
I made this last night, with my various substitutions (prefer to use what I have rather than buy new stuff). I used mostly caulliflower, but a few pieces of broccoli too. Roasted cauliflower is amazing, I think. I used walnuts instead of almonds, also very tasty. I increased the anchovies because I love them. Left out wine, didn't have any. Forgot to add cheese! Still, I think what I made was very close in spirit to the original recipe and I must say it was amazing! I will make this many times.
 
mariaraynal January 26, 2010
I'm loving all the variations you all are creating! Thanks for making the recipe and commenting!
 
Littlepots January 26, 2010
I make this dish fairly often in our house. I generally substitute breadcrumbs (panko works well here) for nuts, which I add in at the end to soak up any last bits of goodness from the sauce. Aleppo pepper adds a nice heat element to this as well.
 
mariaraynal January 26, 2010
More excellent ideas. I'm going to get into the kitchen and experiment.
 
FreshLemonZest January 25, 2010
So good, we all went back for 3rds!
 
mariaraynal January 26, 2010
That's so great to hear, thanks for posting!
 
Tribeca M. January 25, 2010
This is the second time I've made this dish in less than a week...and I had to stop myself from making it last night. Love the anchovy/garlic flavor on a veggie that my whole family LOVES. Yes, even my 7 year old!
 
mariaraynal January 26, 2010
I love that your 7 year old will eat broccoli -- glad that you can add this to your repertoire!
 
dinnerthyme January 23, 2010
I made this dish last night but with pine nuts instead of almonds. It was delicious! My family loved it. I will make this again for friends.
 
mariaraynal January 24, 2010
Great idea to add pine nuts. I'll try it myself! So glad you enjoyed it!
 
AppleAnnie January 22, 2010
I made this tonight, and even without some of the ingredients it was still the best broccoli I ever made. I used toasted sesame oil instead of the olive oil, and it helped pinch hit for the missing anchovies.
 
mariaraynal January 23, 2010
Great, thanks! Toasted sesame oil sounds wonderful.
 
sweet E. January 22, 2010
this looks divine. I can't wait to try it.
 
mariaraynal January 23, 2010
Let me know your thoughts, if you do.
 
menumaniac January 21, 2010
What a wonderful combination of flavours. I adore lemon, anchovies and garlic. And, I adore them even more on top of this broccoli. Fantastic recipe and one that I will make again and again. Mazel Tov Maria from FreshEats! Nice to see you as a finalist!
 
mariaraynal January 22, 2010
Hope you like it! Thanks!
 
Kelsey B. January 21, 2010
Congrats Maria! This is awesome! I love the combination of the garlic and anchovy with the lemon butter and almonds. Yum!
 
mariaraynal January 23, 2010
I know -- it sort of makes you want to forget the broccoli and just go with the sauce. : )
 
MrsWheelbarrow January 21, 2010
YUM! What a bunch of good tastes! Congratulations, Maria!
 
mariaraynal January 23, 2010
Aw, thanks, MrsWheelbarrow!
 
mariaraynal January 21, 2010
Thanks so much for all your kind words!
 
gabrielaskitchen January 21, 2010
Toasted almonds and a squeeze of lemon make any good green veggie even better! I wouldn't have thought to add the anchovy, sounds delish.
 
mariaraynal January 22, 2010
The anchovy really adds a lot of great, nutty flavor. Thanks for commenting!
 
Burp_blog January 21, 2010
Gorgeous looking dish! I'm totally there!
 
mariaraynal January 23, 2010
So glad! : )
 
WinnieAb January 21, 2010
Lovely!
 
mariaraynal January 23, 2010
Thank you!
 
eatboutique January 21, 2010
I like the almonds with the bagna cauda. Yum.
 
mariaraynal January 23, 2010
Yes, they play off each other nicely.
 
AntoniaJames January 15, 2010
Love this! Definitely going to make it, soon.
 
mariaraynal January 22, 2010
Let me know what you think!
 
lastnightsdinner January 15, 2010
Oh, YUM. I love bagna cauda, and this sounds like a great preparation for broccoli.
 
mariaraynal January 23, 2010
Roasted broccoli in any shape or form is terrific, isn't it.