Vitello Tonnato is an Italian dish, a classic originating from the Piedmont region in northern Italy. It consists of roasted or poached veal, thinly sliced, served with capers and a flavorful sauce made with tuna and anchovies. The combination may seem surprising, but personally, I love it!
Vitello Tonnato
23 April 2026
: 4 people
: 10 min
: 50 min
: 3 hr
: Easy
Once cooked, let the meat rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (ideally overnight).
Ingredients
- 600 g veal (eye of round or veal roast)
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 onion
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt, pepper
- 1 can (100 g) tuna in water, drained
- 5 anchovy fillets
- 2 tbsp (up to 50 g) capers
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 5 cl sunflower oil
- 10 cl olive oil
Directions
- Step 1 Cook the veal in a pot over low heat for 45 minutes to a maximum of 1 hour. Cover the meat with water, add the carrot, celery stalk, onion, and bay leaf. Lightly salt, season well with pepper, and let it simmer uncovered for the indicated time.
- Step 2 Prepare the mayonnaise by mixing the egg yolk with mustard in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and whisk while slowly pouring in the oil in a thin stream. You can use an electric mixer. Once the mayonnaise is thick and firm, refrigerate it.Chop some of the capers, add the drained tuna and anchovies, then blend everything together with the mayonnaise. Adjust seasoning if needed. Once the sauce is ready, refrigerate it.
- Step 3 Let the meat cool completely in the cooking liquid before draining it and refrigerating it for at least 2 hours. This is important to keep it tender.
- Step 4 Before serving, slice the veal very thinly. Arrange the slices on a large flat plate, sprinkle with the remaining capers, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with the sauce, lemon wedges, and good bread.
Good to know!
