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Vitello Tonnato

Cold roasted veal sliced paper-thin under a creamy tuna-caper sauce — Piedmont’s most elegant summer dish.

⏱ 30 minPrep time
🔥 1 hrCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 DinnerCategory
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Vitello Tonnato - cold sliced veal with creamy tuna-caper sauce

Vitello Tonnato is the elegant Italian summer roast: thinly sliced cold veal draped in a creamy, tangy tuna-caper sauce. It sounds surprising and tastes wonderful — savory, briny, bright, and refreshing on a warm day.

A Piedmontese classic served chilled, it’s perfect for warm-weather entertaining since everything is made ahead. Let it marinate overnight, then serve with lemon wedges, capers, and crusty bread.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Place the veal in a pot with the broth, wine, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, and salt; add water to cover. Simmer gently until the veal is tender, about 1 hour.
  2. Cool the veal in the liquid, then refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  3. Make the sauce: blend the tuna, anchovies, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth; thin with a little broth if needed.
  4. Slice the chilled veal as thinly as possible.
  5. Spread a thin layer of sauce on a platter and arrange the slices over it.
  6. Cover the veal completely with the remaining sauce.
  7. Chill for at least 2 hours, garnish with capers, and serve cold with lemon wedges.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Chill the roast completely before slicing — it's far easier to cut thin. The sauce tastes even better after a day in the fridge.

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Recipe details

Prep30 min
Cook1 hr
Servings6
CategoryDinner
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →