Grandma’s vitello tonnato is a main course that is delicious any time of the year and especially in summer, made of thin slices of meat accompanied by a flavorful and zesty sauce made with tuna, capers and anchovies. Also known as vitel tonnè, vitello tonnato is an ancient Piedmontese recipe, famous like the Bagnetto verde, the Bonet and the Monte Bianco dessert, even if many other regions in the North also claim its origin. It is a perfect alternative to the classic roast, especially in summer.
The original version of vitello tonnato is very old, and, to be honest, the original indications have almost been lost, replaced by more modern variants; some even substitute veal with the cheaper pork loin roast. It is believed that in the earliest versions the meat was served hot with a lemon sauce thickened with flour and did not include tuna at all — tuna was first mentioned by Artusi in 1891 — or even mayonnaise.
As part of tradition, there are many variants and every family has its own interpretation of vitello tonnato. Made with the veal eye round (girello), today the dish is served cold or at room temperature, sliced thinly and dressed with a sauce made from eggs and tuna, to which other aromas and flavors — milder or stronger — are added.
I will tell you how I make my vitello tonnato, learned directly from my mother but refined over time by taking elements from the tradition and some more modern touches, and I will reveal the only secret that keeps the meat tender and juicy — perfect for making a great impression at the table with simplicity and no stress.
Ready? Let’s head to the kitchen and get to work. Discover together grandma’s vitello tonnato recipe. If you want to stay updated on all my recipes, you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).

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Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 1 Hour
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 5 servings
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

2 lb 10 oz veal (eye round (girello))
2 carrots
1 onion (small)
1 stalk celery
1/2 glass white wine
to taste salt
3 whole cloves
3 leaves bay leaves
3 leaves sage
2 eggs (hard-boiled)
5 tbsp mayonnaise (about 1/3 cup)
1 oz capers (rinsed)
3.5 oz tuna (drained)

Tools

Thermometer kitchen
Pot

Preparation of veal with tuna sauce

Buy a piece of eye round from the butcher; you can ask them to put it in a net, or you can tie it yourself at home to prevent it from losing shape during cooking.
Peel the carrots and the onion, rinse them and also rinse the celery stalk.
Also prepare the aromatics.
You can leave the veal to marinate for about half a day in the wine and aromatics, or do as I do and cook it right away.
Place all the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed, sufficiently large pot, cover the veal with water and bring to a boil.
Salt and let the veal simmer over low heat for about an hour.
To obtain tender and juicy meat it is essential to measure the internal temperature and not exceed 140°F.
If you don’t have a thermometer, know that for 1 kg of meat (about 2.2 lb) this temperature is reached in about 1 hour.
Remove the meat from the broth, place it on a rack and let it cool. Put the rack over a plate that can collect the juices.
Reduce the broth over high heat for another thirty minutes, but first remove the onion, carrots and celery and let them cool as well.
Cook the eggs: place them in a small pot filled with water and bring to a boil, then wait 9 minutes and turn off the heat. Let them cool as well.
With all the ingredients ready, put the eggs, mayonnaise, rinsed capers, anchovy fillets, the carrots, the onion and the stalks of celery, a few parsley leaves into the blender and blend everything until you obtain a sauce with the consistency you prefer.
If the sauce seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of room-temperature broth.
You can also omit the mayonnaise and adjust the sauce consistency with cold broth and lemon juice.
Once the sauce is ready, spread some of it on a serving platter, slice the meat thinly and arrange the slices over it.
You can then add the remaining sauce, or if you prefer a neater presentation, put it in a gravy boat so that anyone who wants can help themselves.
Serve the meat cold or at room temperature and store any leftovers in the fridge well covered with cling film; consume within 24–36 hours.
You can use the leftover broth to prepare a good risotto.