Chilled veal layered with creamy tuna, caper, and anchovy sauce gives Vitello Tonnato its rich flavour and delicate texture, perfect for Italian appetisers and gatherings.
Vitello tonnato is one of the most famous dishes from Piemonte. It’s made with thin slices of cold veal served with a creamy tuna sauce. The sauce combines tuna, capers, anchovies, and mayonnaise. It may sound like an unusual combination at first, but the flavours work incredibly well together.
This dish has always been one of my favourite meals. Served cold or at room temperature, it works particularly well for relaxed lunches and gatherings.
I also think it tastes even better after resting in the fridge for a few hours because the flavours have more time to come together.
Like many traditional Italian recipes, every family has its own version, and this is the one I grew up eating. The sauce is really the key to a good vitello tonnato.
It’s rich, savoury, and delicious spooned over thin slices of veal. I also love using any leftover sauce in sandwiches or served with tomatoes.
If you haven’t tried vitello tonnato before, don’t worry about the combination of veal and tuna. Once everything comes together, it makes complete sense. The capers and anchovies give the sauce a really distinctive flavour, which works perfectly with the cold veal.
Why We Love Vitello Tonnato
- Smaller portions fit naturally into antipasto spreads alongside olives, vegetables, and focaccia.
- Homemade vitello tonnato usually tastes fresher and lighter than many restaurant versions.
- Leftover salsa tonnata rarely goes to waste because it works so well in sandwiches and simple lunches.
Key Ingredients for Vitello Tonnato
Veal Girello
Veal girello, also called eye round, stays tender after cooking and slices neatly once chilled. It has a delicate flavour which works very well with the creamy tuna sauce. A lean cut with very little fat gives the best texture for thin slicing.
Tuna
Tuna gives the salsa tonnata its savoury flavour and creamy texture. Tuna in olive oil works particularly well because it blends into a smoother sauce with a richer taste.
Anchovies
Anchovies add a savoury and slightly salty flavour to the sauce. Good-quality anchovy fillets give the salsa tonnata a richer flavour.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise gives the sauce its creamy consistency and smooth finish. A thicker mayo coats the sliced veal more evenly and helps the sauce hold its shape once layered.
Find the complete list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Vitello Tonnato
Prepare the Meat
Step 1: Place the onion, carrot, celery stalk, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns in a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil.
Step 2: Add the veal and cook over low to medium heat until fully cooked. Remove the meat from the broth and leave it aside to cool completely.
Step 3: Once completely cold, slice the veal very thinly into about 3 mm – ⅛-inch thick slices. Use a slicer machine if available. Set aside while preparing the sauce.
Prepare the Sauce
Step 1: Place the tuna, mayonnaise, anchovies, capers, broth, and carrot in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste before adding salt, since the anchovies and capers may already contain enough seasoning.
Assemble the Vitello Tonnato
Step 1: Spread a layer of sauce over a serving dish, followed by a layer of sliced veal. Continue layering the sauce and meat until all the veal has been used.
Step 2: Finish with another layer of sauce and decorate with sliced cooked carrot.
Step 3: Serve cold or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Veal girello, also called eye round, is the most commonly used cut because it stays tender after cooking and slices neatly once chilled. Veal topside and veal silverside also work well if girello is difficult to find.
Yes, an immersion blender works very well for salsa tonnata and gives a smooth, creamy texture. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, finely chop the tuna, anchovy fillets, and capers, then mix everything thoroughly with the mayonnaise until smooth and creamy.
Yes, store-bought mayonnaise works very well for salsa tonnata and is commonly used in many home kitchens. Choose a thick mayonnaise for a smoother sauce.
If the sauce becomes too thick while preparing it, slowly stir in a small amount of veal broth or olive oil until the consistency becomes smoother and creamier. Add the liquid gradually to keep the sauce rich and creamy without becoming too runny.
Yes, extra capers, sliced hard-boiled eggs, or chopped parsley can all be added before serving. They work particularly well with the creamy tuna sauce and chilled veal.
Extra Help from the Kitchen
Pat the Veal Dry – Pat the cooked veal dry with paper towels before slicing so the sauce coats the meat more evenly.
Strain the Broth – Strain the cooking broth before adding it to the sauce to keep the salsa tonnata smooth and free from vegetable pieces.
Rinse the Capers Well – Rinse salt-packed capers thoroughly under cold water before preparing the sauce to remove excess salt.
Bring It Out Before Serving – Remove the vitello tonnato from the fridge about 15 to 20 minutes before serving so the sauce softens slightly and the flavours come through more clearly.
Spread the Sauce Evenly – Spoon the sauce evenly over each layer of veal so every slice stays coated and moist after chilling.
Variations and Twists
Serve with Pork Loin – Swap the veal for pork loin or pork tenderloin if preferred. Cook the pork in the same vegetable broth used for the veal, then leave it to cool completely before slicing it thinly and serving it with the tuna sauce.
Cook the Veal with White Wine – Pour a splash of dry white wine into the pot along with the vegetables before bringing it to a boil. It gives both the meat and the resulting broth a much deeper flavour.
Prepare the Sauce with Egg Yolks – Use hard-boiled egg yolks instead of the mayonnaise for a more old-fashioned style of salsa tonnata. While preparing the sauce, slowly drizzle in olive oil or extra ladlefuls of veal broth until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
Finish with Lemon Juice – Stir a small squeeze of lemon juice into the sauce before serving. It gives the salsa tonnata a fresher flavour.
Garnish with Parsley – Scatter chopped parsley over the finished dish before serving. It gives the platter a fresher appearance and extra colour.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store vitello tonnato in an airtight container or cover the serving platter tightly before refrigerating. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Don’t freeze the assembled dish, as the sauce can separate once thawed.
If needed, freeze only the cooked veal without the sauce, then defrost it overnight in the fridge before assembling.
Vitello tonnato is best served cold or at room temperature. For the best texture, take it out of the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before serving so the sauce softens slightly.
More Italian Recipes to Serve with Vitello Tonnato
Vitello Tonnato Recipe (Veal with Tuna Sauce)
Ingredients
For the Meat
- 1 kg – 2.2 lbs veal girello (eye round)
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 bay leaf
- salt
- peppercorns
For the Sauce (Salsa Tonnata)
- 250 g – 8.8 oz tuna in olive oil – drained
- 300 g – 10.5 oz homemade mayonnaise – you can also use store-bought mayonnaise
- 5 anchovies
- 1 heaped tbsp salt-packed capers – rinsed
- ¼ ladle broth (veal cooking liquid)
- ¼ carrot
- salt and pepper – to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Meat
- Place the onion, carrot, celery stalk, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns in a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil.
- Add the veal and cook over low to medium heat until fully cooked. Remove the meat from the broth and leave it aside to cool completely.*
- Once completely cold, slice the veal very thinly into about 3 mm – ⅛-inch thick slices. Use a slicer machine if available. Set aside while preparing the sauce.
Prepare the Sauce
- Place the tuna, mayonnaise, anchovies, capers, broth, and carrot in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste before adding salt, since the anchovies and capers may already contain enough seasoning.
Assemble the Vitello Tonnato
- Spread a layer of sauce over a serving dish, followed by a layer of sliced veal. Continue layering the sauce and meat until all the veal has been used.
- Finish with another layer of sauce and decorate with sliced cooked carrot.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
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Omg! My grandparents came from Piemonte,…I grew up having this and I make it for my family all the time. It is my oldest son fav,…thanks for this!
What a great series! I love Italian food and have never tasted this dish before. It looks amazing!
I love the idea of your new series! It’s such a great tribute to your culture! … and to an amazing country! 😀
Ciao Manu! Welcome back. Hope you had a wonderful time away. With my new job and all, I have a lot to catch up on my favorite blogs, but I am working on it. I love vitello tonnato. I posted about it a long time ago (with horrible pics) trying to make it the classic way, without mayo. I was surprised when I fund out that it originally did not contain mayonnaise. I have to admit I prefer it with and yours looks so much better and creamier than mine did (although it was very tasty). Love the look of your veal, you sliced it wonderfully
I have never tasted this classic Italian recipe, but I have heard alot about it! It looks delicious and your photos are outstanding! I like the step by step instructions too! Great job Manu!
I’m so glad you started with vitello tonnato – such an interesting dish, and an unusual too. Not unusual to the Italians, who, like you say, know it well, but nevertheless unusual to who stops to think about it! Veal and tuna? Really? 🙂
To me vitello tonnato has always been a classic holidays dish, especially for Christmas – served as an appetizer, or as one of the many courses.
Great explanation and pictures, as always!
First of all, those are beautiful photos.
Here in the U.S. it’s the same thing with regional dishes. I would imagine that holds true in most countries.
This dish looks and sounds awesome, and I can’t wait for the rest of them. I really like the way you’ve explained it. You clearly are very proud of your heritage!
There’re really so many things to learn about Regional Italian Cuisine! This looks delicious with the sauce and I guessed it must be very good when served chilled. 😉
Looking forward to your future posts! 😀
I love this dish! You make it look so easy! I agree, this dish can be eaten every day.
I can’t wait to see more of you delicious adventures..This one looks wonderful too..Very presentable and tasty..I love that sauce of your..
Your photographs are SO inviting, excellent post.
Look forward to the different culinary masterpieces each week!
It was obvious from the very first picture that the sauce was the star of this show! I must say that, for me, this is a VERY unusual recipe, which makes it even more exciting. I’ve never had anything like it. I have to admit that I’m having a hard time getting my head around tuna, anchovies and veal – and then you threw in the mayo! 🙂 BUT, as I’ve learned in the past, some of the strangest combinations make the best dishes and I’m sure that this is one of them so I’m going to have to try it! Really looking forward to your series!!!!
I will definitely try this I love how you prepare this it looks easy and the presentation is awesome. And the ingredients are easy to find. Thanks I also love Italian Cuisine.
Wow, you started with Piedmont!!! 🙂
I love love love vitello tonnato (and I have some friend who have an entire blog dedicated to it :D), but I never made it at home.. time to start! 🙂
Manu: che buon’idea (le ricette regionali). Concordo perfettamente con te che non esiste una cucina italian ma una cucina regionale italiana. Ti seguiro’ volentierissimo e con curiosita’ in questa nuova serie.
What an interesting recipe, Manu. Not sure I would order it at a restaurant, but I surely would love to try it at someone’s home. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Manu, what a nice and tasty dish…love the simplicity of it…and looking forward to more posts.
Hope you are having a fantastic week and thanks for this delicious recipe 🙂
Wow…this looks so simple and delicious…what an interesting combination for the sauce!
Ummm…Vitel Tonel…!!! I always wanted to make this, but I couldn’t because it has tuna and anchovies…and I’m not sure my kids will eat it…and I hate when they give me problems when it’s dinner time. Anyway, your looks delicious…looks so Italian…
Oh come mi piace il vitello tonnato! I love it! And now summer is gone, can you eat vitel tonne’ in summer? by the way in my version I use pork loin or pork butt instead of veal….
I am so looking forward to your future posts! This particular post is about the most unique recipe I have seen for preparing veal! That picture of the slices and then the plating with the gravy tells me I need to get in the kitchen and make this. First things first however-get my hands on some veal. Thanks for sharing this delicious dish!
I love that your are doing this! I am looking forward to seeing the different foods from the different regions. I know I use all of my own family recipes and my family is mostly from abruzzo so I hope my recipes live up to that area! 🙂
perfetto!!! anch’io lo faccio nella stessa maniera!!! ora però mi hai fatto venire la voglia! gnam!!!