Vitello Tonnato – Veal with Tuna Sauce

An Italian classic, elegant & unmistakable

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

Tenderly cooked veal, served in fine slices, coated with a creamy tuna-caper-anchovy mayonnaise – Vitello Tonnato is not only a specialty of Italian cuisine but also a prime example of elegant appetizers with depth of flavor. Perfect in summer, for guests, at buffets, or simply as a refined meal.

🧾 Ingredients for 4 people

🍖 Meat:

• 800 g veal (round, long side, or shoulder)

🥕 Vegetables:

• 200 g soup vegetables made of onion, carrot, and celery

🧂 Seasoning:

• 4 crushed peppercorns

• 1 small bay leaf

• Salt

• Ground pepper

🐟 For the tuna sauce:

• 200 g tuna in oil

• 100 ml meat broth (e.g., from the cooking process, see link)

• 25 ml cucumber vinegar (or vinegar water from pickles)

• 1 tbsp capers

• 2 anchovy fillets

• 4 tbsp white wine

• 100 g mayonnaise

• Salt

• Ground pepper

🌿 For garnishing:

• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

• 1 tbsp capers

• 1 tsp paprika powder

• 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

• 100 g diced tomatoes

⏱️ Cooking time: approx. 40 minutes

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step preparation

1. Cook vegetables & meat

Clean, wash the soup vegetables, add to boiling water, and salt. Add veal and let it simmer slowly until tender.
💡 Tip: Do not boil vigorously – otherwise, the meat will become tough.

2. Cool the meat

Remove the meat from the broth and let it cool in cold water. Later slice thinly.

3. Prepare the tuna sauce

Drain the tuna and shred it. Process with meat broth, cucumber vinegar, capers, anchovy fillets, and white wine in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Then stir in the mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. The sauce should be thick.

4. Arrange

Cut the veal into even, thin slices (with a sharp knife or a slicer) and arrange on plates or a platter. Drizzle with the tuna sauce.

5. Garnish

Decorate as desired with chopped parsley, capers, paprika powder, quartered eggs, and diced tomatoes.

🧂 Tips

• As a side dish, boiled potatoes or fresh white bread are suitable

• Also, fried veal is excellent for this preparation

• The sauce can be prepared the day before – ideal for guests

Vitello Tonnato is more than just an appetizer – it is a piece of Italian lifestyle on the plate. The combination of tender veal and aromatic tuna sauce appears elegant while being wonderfully uncomplicated to prepare. Whether for guests, for Sunday dinner, or as a summer delicacy – this dish always impresses. And anyone who has made it once will understand why it enjoys cult status in Italy.

Buon appetito!