Veal tonnato (or vitel tonnè) is a classic of Italian cuisine, specifically from Piedmont. The recipe was described by Pellegrino Artusi at the end of the 19th century, but it seems that the combination of beef and tuna was already used in Renaissance cuisine.
It is a tasty and simple second course that always conquers everyone, often serving also as an easy appetizer, because it can be prepared the day before serving it. The fundamental secret for a super tender vitel tonnè is that the meat slices are very thin.
Veal tonnato is a protein-rich, gluten-free dish.
The vitel tonnè is an elegant classic that many families never miss on special occasions, also for important occasions like Christmas, Easter etc., because it is easy and convenient to prepare in advance and tastes good even cold, making it a very practical dish to prepare in advance, even in summer, ideal to be served on hot summer days.
The classic Piedmontese recipe doesn’t include mayonnaise and mustard, but I like them and sometimes add them, obviously it’s optional.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Christmas
- Energy 406.53 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 16.68 (g) of which sugars 3.89 (g)
- Proteins 26.83 (g)
- Fat 22.42 (g) of which saturated 5.89 (g)of which unsaturated 7.61 (g)
- Fibers 3.23 (g)
- Sodium 997.62 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Easy Veal Tonnato
- 1.1 lbs veal (silverside or round, tied)
- 2 carrots (about 7 oz)
- 1 brown onion (about 7 oz)
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 cloves garlic
- squares bay leaf (optional)
- 1.5 qts water
- 1 cup cup dry white wine
- 2.7 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp tbsp coarse salt
- to taste black peppercorns
- 5.6 oz tuna in oil (quality, I use Consorcio)
- 2 tbsp tbsp capers (desalted)
- 3 anchovy fillets in oil (about 0.5 oz)
- 2 tbsp tbsp beef broth
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 0.3 oz oz extra virgin olive oil
- 7 oz oz mayonnaise (optional)
- 1 tbsp tbsp mustard (optional)
- to taste lemon (sliced, for garnish)
- to taste chopped parsley (for garnish)
Tools
- Bowls Guzzini set of various sizes
- Cutting Board with 2 integrated side trays
- Knife sharp for meat
- Pot
- Immersion Blender Braun, 1200 W power
Steps for Easy Veal Tonnato
Cut the vegetables into large pieces and place them in a pot, along with the white wine, salt, 2.7 oz of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, bay leaf (optional), black peppercorns, and add 1.5 qts of water. Once boiling, let it simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat.
Then, raise the heat and place the meat in the broth pot.
Once it comes back to a boil, lower the heat to the minimum and cook the veal covered (preferably tied, to keep its round shape for even slicing) for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Ideally, use a kitchen thermometer and reach 149°F at the center; the meat should be slightly pink in the center.
Drain and let the meat cool at room temperature for at least an hour (keep the beef broth).
Then, place it in the fridge for another hour to firm up so it can be sliced into very thin, even slices (using a slicer is ideal).
For the Tonnato Sauce: blend together the drained tuna, drained anchovies, desalted capers, reserved beef broth (about 2 tbsp), and 0.3 oz of extra virgin olive oil, then optionally add mayonnaise and mustard.
Arrange the thinly sliced veal on a serving platter and cover with plenty of tonnato sauce.
Cover the serving platter well and let the veal tonnato rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Before serving, let the veal tonnato come to room temperature for about 30 minutes and then garnish with some capers, lemon slices, and fresh chopped parsley (optional).
Notes and Tips
Alternative Tonnato Sauce:
Blend all the following ingredients in a mixer: 5.6 oz drained tuna in oil; 3 drained anchovy fillets in oil, 2 hard-boiled eggs, the juice of half a lemon, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 2 tbsp beef broth (reserved earlier), a pinch of fine salt, pepper, and finally add 1.7 oz extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency.
Blend all the following ingredients in a mixer: 5.6 oz drained tuna in oil; 3 drained anchovy fillets in oil, 2 hard-boiled eggs, the juice of half a lemon, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 2 tbsp beef broth (reserved earlier), a pinch of fine salt, pepper, and finally add 1.7 oz extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency.
Shopping Tips!!!
To cut the vegetables, I use this practical cutting board with two integrated side trays: one for collecting sliced foods, the other for collecting scraps.
To prepare the tonnato sauce, I used the very convenient immersion blender from my Braun MultiQuick 9, with 1200 W of power.
To slice the meat very thinly, I used this set of very sharp knives, ideal for slicing meat.
All the items recommended here are available on Amazon at a special price by clicking on the respective green links above.
FAQ
How is Veal Tonnato stored?
It is stored in the refrigerator, well covered with plastic wrap. If you prepare it in advance, add the tonnato sauce only at the last minute. Tonnato sauce cannot be frozen.
