Veal with tuna sauce, also known as vitel tonné, does not have French origins; it is from Piedmont, although it is widely used in Lombardy and Veneto.
Regardless of its origins, it is a stunning and delicious dish, especially because you can prepare it in advance, put it in the fridge, and enjoy it perhaps after returning from the beach.
This dish should be served strictly cold, which is why I recommend it especially during the summer.
Pay particular attention to washing the capers well, as being very salty they could make the sauce too savory.
Follow my super tested recipe!
Approximately 395 calories per person
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make Veal with Tuna Sauce
- 1.54 lbs Veal (a piece like veal round)
- 1 stalk Celery
- 1 onion (medium)
- 1 carrot
- Salt (to taste)
- Whole peppercorns
- 5.29 oz Tuna in oil (drained)
- 6 anchovy fillets
- 1.76 oz Capers
- Mayonnaise (to taste)
Preparation of Veal with Tuna Sauce
Place over 3 quarts of water in a pot with the celery, onion, carrot, peeled, a pinch of salt, and a few peppercorns.
Bring to a boil, immerse the meat, and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes over moderate heat with the lid on, skimming as necessary.
Once the cooking time is over, remove the meat from the heat and the broth and place it on a plate, covering it with another plate with a weight on top so that the meat doesn’t deform.
Chop the tuna, anchovy fillets, and capers (previously washed) very finely, transferring everything into a bowl and adding the mayonnaise, mixing the ingredients well.
When the meat has cooled, slice it very thinly….
……align it on a slightly deep serving dish; distribute the sauce evenly over it and keep it in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap while keeping it in the fridge, to prevent it from drying out.

