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Starter · Piemonte

Vitello Tonnato – Classic Piedmontese Recipe

Vitello Tonnato is one of Piemonte's most celebrated dishes — cold, thinly sliced veal draped in a velvety tuna and caper sauce that sounds unusual but tastes utterly refined. Born in the kitchens of 19th-century northern Italy, it has earned its place on every serious antipasto table. Serve it well chilled and let the sauce do the talking.

25Prep (min)
60Cook (min)
85Total (min)
6Serves
MediumDifficulty
Vitello Tonnato – Classic Piedmontese Recipe

Ingredients

  • 800 g veal topside (noce di vitello), in one piece
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 small white onion
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 150 ml dry white wine
  • 200 g good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained
  • 4 anchovy fillets in oil
  • 3 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed (plus extra to garnish)
  • 200 g good-quality mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and whole black peppercorns, to taste

Method

  1. Place the veal in a snug pot with the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, white wine, a pinch of salt and a few peppercorns. Cover completely with cold water.
  2. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming off any foam that rises. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and poach the veal for 50–60 minutes until just cooked through but still moist — do not boil hard or the meat will toughen.
  3. Remove the veal from the broth and allow it to cool completely in the liquid to keep it tender. Once cool, lift it out, pat dry, wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is ideal).
  4. Reserve 3–4 tablespoons of the strained poaching broth.
  5. Make the tonnato sauce: blend the drained tuna, anchovy fillets and rinsed capers together until smooth. Fold this paste into the mayonnaise, add the lemon juice and stir well. Thin to a coating consistency with a little reserved broth. Taste and adjust salt.
  6. Slice the chilled veal as thinly as possible — a sharp carving knife or electric slicer gives the best results. Arrange the slices in a single overlapping layer on a large serving platter.
  7. Spoon the tonnato sauce generously over the veal, covering every slice. Scatter extra capers (and thin lemon slices if desired) over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavours meld.
  8. Serve cold, straight from the fridge, with crusty bread or grissini alongside.

Tips from the kitchen

💡 Poach the veal a day ahead — resting overnight in the fridge makes slicing far easier and intensifies the flavour.
💡 Use tuna packed in good olive oil, not brine; it makes the sauce noticeably richer and smoother.
💡 If you prefer a lighter sauce without mayonnaise, the traditional 19th-century version blends tuna, capers, anchovies, hard-boiled egg yolks and olive oil — equally delicious and more rustic.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a different cut of veal?

Topside (noce) is the classic choice because it is lean and slices beautifully when cold. Eye of round (girello) works equally well. Avoid cuts with too much fat or sinew as they will not slice cleanly.

How far in advance can I prepare Vitello Tonnato?

You can poach the veal and prepare the sauce up to 2 days ahead, keeping them separate in the fridge. Assemble and sauce the dish no more than a few hours before serving so the veal does not dry out.

Is the mayonnaise in the sauce traditional?

The modern version uses mayonnaise for convenience and creaminess, and it is now widely accepted even in Piemonte. The original 1800s recipe used emulsified egg yolks and oil instead. Both are legitimate — use whichever you prefer.