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Meat, Italy

Vitello tonnato with potato salad

Vitello tonnato is a cold Italian dish made of poached veal, sliced thin and covered with a creamy tuna and caper sauce, served here with a potato salad. For 4 people, it takes 90 minutes at a medium difficulty level, for a cost of €4.10 per person. The key to success is cooking the veal gently, then letting it cool in its own broth so it stays tender.

For mild evenings, a vitello tonnato, tender cold veal draped in tuna sauce, with a potato salad on the side.

Vitello tonnato with potato salad
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.10
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer

Vitello tonnato plays on the contrast between cold, melt in your mouth veal and a tuna sauce that is both creamy and sharpened by capers and lemon. Poaching the veal gently keeps the texture tender, almost silky, very different from a classic hot roast. The warm potato salad with mustard adds some bite and balances out the richness of the sauce.

It takes a bit of planning but very little hands on attention, which makes it a great choice for a Sunday or a dinner with guests when you want to cook ahead. It is served cold, so nothing needs reheating at the last minute, perfect for entertaining without stress in late spring or summer. Kids are rarely fans of the tuna sauce texture, so this one is really a dish for adults.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Veal roast 700 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrot 1
  • Onion 1
  • Lemon 1
  • Potatoes 800 g

Pantry

  • Tuna in wateroften in the pantry 160 g
  • Anchovies in oiloften in the pantry 4
  • Mayonnaiseoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Capersoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Eggs 2

Allergens Fish, Eggs, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Place the veal roast in simmering water with the carrot and onion, cook gently, then let it cool down in the broth. 50 min

    Keep it at a gentle simmer, a hard boil would toughen the meat.

  2. Cook the potatoes in salted water and the eggs separately until hard boiled, then let everything cool. 20 min

    Cut the potatoes while they're still warm, they soak up the dressing better.

  3. Blend the tuna, anchovies, mayonnaise, lemon juice, a little broth and half the capers.

    Add cold broth little by little while blending until the sauce coats a spoon like a light cream.

  4. Slice the veal as thinly as you can, arrange it on a platter, then cover it with the sauce.

    A very sharp knife or slicing the meat cold keeps it from shredding.

  5. Toss the potatoes with the mustard, a little oil and the hard boiled eggs cut into wedges, and serve alongside.

    Keep the dish chilled for an hour, the sauce soaks into the meat.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a veal roast that is evenly tied, it will cook uniformly and slice more cleanly once cold.
  • Chill the cooked veal before slicing it, cold meat cuts into thin, clean slices without tearing.
  • Taste the sauce before coating the meat, adjust the lemon or capers depending on how tangy you want it.

The variations

  • Swap the veal for poached chicken for a cheaper version that stays just as tender.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the veal with cold grilled zucchini slices and serve the tuna sauce on the side instead.
  • For a quicker version, use leftover cooked veal roast and focus your time on the sauce and the potato salad.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty country bread
  • Well dressed green salad
  • Dry, fruity white wine

Storage

Vitello tonnato keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, ideally with the meat and sauce stored separately. It does not freeze well, the mayonnaise based sauce tends to split. Serve it straight from the fridge without reheating.

Questions about this dish

Can you make vitello tonnato a day ahead?

Yes, it is actually recommended. Cook the veal, make the sauce and the potato salad the day before, store them separately in the fridge and assemble everything on the day you serve it.

Can you replace the anchovies if you don't like their flavor?

You can cut back to 2 anchovies, since their flavor mostly blends into the tuna and mayonnaise. Don't skip them entirely, they give the sauce its character.

How do you avoid a sauce that's too thick or too runny?

Add the veal's cooking broth gradually while blending, until the sauce coats a spoon nicely. If it turns out too runny, stir in a spoonful of mayonnaise.

Can canned tuna in oil replace tuna in water?

Yes, just drain the oil packed tuna well before using it so the sauce doesn't turn too heavy. The flavor will be a touch richer, which works nicely in this dish.

How long does it take to make a vitello tonnato with potato salad?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a vitello tonnato with potato salad?

About 510 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a vitello tonnato with potato salad cost?

About €4.10 per serving, or €16.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, eggs, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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