Vitello Tonnato, a traditional Italian dish, is known for its divine combination of cold tender veal slices served with a rich tuna sauce. Hailing from the mountainous region of Piedmont, this recipe has captured the hearts of many and has become a popular choice for main courses at dinner parties.
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This Vitello Tonnato recipe, also known as vitel tonné, has a unique "surf and turf" essence that will impress your guests.
A layer of thinly sliced veal is served on a large platter and generously coat it with the savory tuna sauce.
Making Vitello Tonnato at home is simple, and it is a perfect dish for dinner parties as it can be made ahead of time and served cold.
Whether you're serving it at a gathering or enjoying it as a flavorful weeknight dish, Vitello Tonnato is a delicious and satisfying option that showcases the best of Italian cuisine.
Its elegant presentation and mouthwatering flavors make it an irresistible main course that you'll want to share with friends and family.
For more traditional recipes you can serve cold, you can check: Carpaccio, bresaola, or roast beef.
Main Ingredients
This dish is made of two main components, the meat and the sauce.
These are the ingredients for each:
- The meat: the cut of meat traditionally used is veal rump, eye round or topside; however, you can use other types of meat. I use pork loin for this recipe because it is easier to find and more reasonably priced. This option offers a delicious twist and makes it more accessible to those who do not consume veal.
- To cook the meat: the meat needs to poach with herbs and vegetables. Here I used onion, carrots, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and a cup of white wine
- To make the tuna sauce: you will need tuna canned in oil, anchovies, and capers. Capers bring a tangy, briny taste, while anchovies provide a salty, umami flavor. In addition, hard-boiled eggs contribute a creamy texture and subtle taste that complements the veal and tuna. Lemon and salt will add acidity and richness to the dish.
See the recipe card for the quantity
Once all the ingredients have come together, you can complete the dish by garnishing it with parsley leaves or pickled gherkins.
This addition brings a punch of herbaceous flavor and a pop of color to the finished plate.
Equipment
When preparing the meat, make sure to thinly slice the tenderloin, as it provides the perfect canvas for the creamy sauce.
Best to use an electric deli meat slicer or an electric knife.
To create a smooth, homogeneous sauce that balances the flavors of the various ingredients, it is best to use an immersion blender or food processor.
Step by step instructions with images
Cooking the meat
- Make sure the meat is well-trimmed, boneless with no fat
- Add wine, celery, onion, carrot, and bay leaf to poach the meat in a pot just large enough to fit the veal
- Add enough water to cover the meat, and bring it to boil
- Boil the veal for 1 hour
- Let it cool down to room temperature in its cooking water
Making the tuna sauce
- Combine the drained tuna, the hard-boiled egg yolks, extra-virgin olive oil, capers, anchovy fillets, lemon juice, and black pepper in a food processor or an immersion blender.
- Blend until you achieve a smooth and creamy texture
- If the sauce is too solid, you can add some of the veal stock or cooking liquid until it reaches the right consistency. It should be smooth and creamy, like a thick mayonnaise.
- Once the sauce is ready, cover it and leave it to chill in the refrigerator until the meat is ready.
Assembling the plate
- Thinly slice the cold, cooked veal
- Arrange it on a serving platter in a single layer.
- To finish the dish, evenly coat the sliced veal with your homemade creamy tuna sauce.
- Keep the assembled Vitello Tonnato well-chilled in the refrigerator until just before you plan to serve it.
- Garnish with additional ingredients such as pickled gherkins, lemon slices, or capers for added color and flavor profile.
- Giving the dish time to rest and chill in the fridge for a day, allows for better integration of flavors and a more enjoyable eating experience.
Hint: Store the Vitello Tonnato in the fridge covered with cling film or in an airtight container, it will keep for 3 to 4 days
Serving Suggestions
You can enhance this dish's flavors with various garnishes and accompaniments.
Classic garnishes for Vitello Tonnato include chopped parsley and capers.
Sprinkle these atop the veal and tuna sauce to add a pop of color, a touch of freshness, and some additional briny punch.
If you feel more adventurous, consider adding thin slices of lemon or gherkins for brightness and acidity.
To serve, arrange the thinly sliced veal on a platter and generously spoon the smooth tuna sauce over the meat.
Then, top with your chosen garnishes and fresh salad on the side.
Don't hesitate to get creative with the presentation and use extra garnishes to suit your taste.
Vitello Tonnato can be served as part of an antipasti platter, providing a delicious assortment of flavors and textures to your table.
Alternatively, you can offer it as a more filling main course, accompanied by crusty bread to soak up the velvety sauce.
Cold side dishes you can serve to complement this cold meat are: Insalata Russa, Insalata di Riso, Tabbuleh, grilled vegetables, stuffed peppers.
You can also serve it with a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette that complements the richness of the veal and tuna sauce.
Feel free to mix in your favorite salad greens, such as arugula, baby spinach, or mixed greens.
With its peppery flavor, arugula pairs particularly well with the dish.
Various version
There are various versions of Vitello tonnato.
The recipe in this blog follows the cooking technique of the book by Pellegrino Artusi: Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well (1891) and The Silver Spoon from 1950.
While The Talisman Italian Cookbook by Ada Boni 1950 and the Cordon bleu book suggests poaching the meat with also the canned tuna.
Other recipes use Mayonnaise instead of hard-boiled egg yolks to make the tuna sauce.
Historical Background
Vitello Tonnato, a classic Italian dish, originated in the 18th century as a typical recipe of Piedmontese cuisine.
Its ingredients and preparation techniques differed from our current recipe during that time.
Initially, the recipe omitted both mayonnaise and tuna and instead only used anchovies and capers.
Veal leftovers were often boiled and enriched with anchovy and capers to enhance their flavor.
In the mid-19th century, Angelo Dubini, a renowned Italian physician and medical researcher, published the first known Vitello Tonnato recipe in his cookbook, La Cucina degli Stomachi Deboli.
As the recipe evolved and gained popularity, additional ingredients, such as preserved tuna and mayonnaise-like sauce, were incorporated, and the dish was served chilled or at room temperature as the main course or as an elegant antipasto.
By the end of the 19th century, Pellegrino Artusi contributed to the dish's regional relevance by including it in his influential cookbook, La Scienza in Cucina e l'Arte di Mangiar Bene.
The Piedmontese dish soon became a highlight on the menu of many cruise ships, served on a large platter to create a memorable, delicious experience for passengers.
Over the years, this recipe has gained popularity in Italy and other parts of the world.
In countries like Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, Vitello Tonnato is known by the original Piedmontese name, Vitel Toné (spelled Vitel Toné or Thoné in Argentina), owing to their cultural inheritance.
It is a traditional Christmas dish in these regions, showcasing this Italian classic's global appeal and influence.
Today in Italy, Vitello Tonnato maintains its status as a popular summertime dish.
FAQ
For vitello tonnato, it is generally recommended to use a lean, boneless cut of veal, such as the eye of round or top round roast. This will produce tender, thinly-sliced meat that pairs well with the creamy sauce. Alternatively, you can replace the veal with pork loin
The primary ingredient in tonnato sauce is tuna. Typically, canned tuna is blended with other ingredients such as hard-boiled egg yolks, capers, and anchovies to create a rich, creamy sauce that complements the slices of veal. Lemon juice and olive oil are also commonly added to give the sauce its characteristic tangy flavor.
If veal is not your preference or is difficult to source, you can substitute other proteins for a similar dish. For instance, thinly-sliced roast beef or pork tenderloin can be used as alternatives to veal. When using these substitutions, ensure the meat is cooked to the appropriate temperature and sliced thinly to maintain the dish's delicate texture.
For more cold main recipes
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📋 Tonnato Recipe - Italian Veal With Tuna Sauce
Ingredients
For the meat
- 2 lb Veal or pork loin rump, eye round or topside
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 bay leave
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 peppercorns
- ¼ cup white wine
For the sauce
- 9 oz tuna canned in olive oil, drained
- 4 anchovies stored in salt
- 2 boiled eggs
- 1 lemon juice
- 4 tablespoon meat cooking water
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Garnish
- 10 pickled gherkins
- 20 capers
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
Instructions
Cooking the meat
- Make sure the meat is well-trimmed, boneless with no fat2 lb Veal or pork loin
- Add wine, celery, onion, carrot, and bay leaf to poach the meat in a pot just large enough to fit the veal1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, 1 bay leave, 1 tablespoon salt, 4 peppercorns, ¼ cup white wine
- Add enough water to cover the meat, and bring it to boil
- Boil the veal for 1 hour
- Let it cool down to room temperature in its cooking water
Making the tuna sauce
- Combine the drained tuna, the hard-boiled egg yolks, extra-virgin olive oil, capers, anchovy fillets, lemon juice, and black pepper in a food processor or an immersion blender.9 oz tuna canned in olive oil, drained, 4 anchovies stored in salt, 2 boiled eggs, 1 lemon juice, 4 tablespoon meat cooking water, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Blend until you achieve a smooth and creamy texture
- If the sauce is too solid, you can add some of the veal stock or cooking liquid until it reaches the right consistency. It should be smooth and creamy, like a thick mayonnaise.
- Once the sauce is ready, cover it and leave it to chill in the refrigerator until the meat is ready.
Assembling the plate
- Thinly slice the cold, cooked veal
- Arrange it on a serving platter in a single layer.
- To finish the dish, evenly coat the sliced veal with your homemade creamy tuna sauce.
- Keep the assembled Vitello Tonnato well-chilled in the refrigerator until just before you plan to serve it.
- Garnish with additional ingredients such as pickled gherkins, lemon slices, or capers for added color and flavor profile.10 pickled gherkins, 20 capers, 1 bunch fresh parsley
- Giving the dish time to rest and chill in the fridge for a day, allows for better integration of flavors and a more enjoyable eating experience.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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