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2 Comments Vitello tonnato is one of those Italian classics that almost everyone knows. This quick vitello tonnato recipe takes a shortcut by using ready-cooked veal, which means you can have it on the table in about 10 minutes. Perfect as an easy appetizer for Christmas or another festive occasion.
Table of contents
Tip from Simone
I’ve made vitello tonnato before using veal cooked on the barbecue. And while there are plenty of people who happily fire up the grill in winter, I’m not one of them. For me, barbecuing belongs to warm, sunny weather! So for this version, I wanted something much quicker and easier.
The shortcut is simple: buy good-quality cooked veal from your butcher and ask them to slice it nice and thin. Then all you have to do is make the tuna sauce and assemble everything.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Veal – For this quick version, use good-quality cooked veal, sliced as thinly as possible. Ask your butcher or deli counter if they can slice it for you. Avoid anything heavily seasoned or particularly salty, since the tuna and capers already add plenty of salt. If you can’t find cooked veal, thinly sliced roast turkey is a good alternative.
- Tuna – I prefer canned tuna packed in olive oil because I find it a little more flavorful. Tuna packed in water works too.
- Capers – These add that characteristic salty, tangy flavor to the tuna sauce. There are also a few scattered over the finished dish.
- Mayonnaise – This gives the tuna sauce its creamy texture.
- Lemon juice – A little acidity keeps the rich tuna and mayonnaise sauce fresh.
- Garden cress – I like garden cress here because it adds freshness and a little color. Other delicate fresh herbs can work too.
How to Make Quick Vitello Tonnato Recipe
Start with the tuna sauce. Add the tuna, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice, Tabasco, and smoked paprika to a tall container and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. You can also use a food processor.
Taste the sauce before adding any salt. The tuna and capers already contain plenty, so you may find you don’t need extra salt at all. Add some black pepper if needed.
Arrange the thin slices of veal on one large serving platter or divide them among individual plates. Spoon the tuna sauce generously over the meat, then finish with capers and garden cress.
And that’s it. Quick vitello tonnato recipe, ready to serve!
Make Ahead and Storage
This is a great appetizer to prepare ahead of time. You can make the tuna sauce in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
You can also assemble the vitello tonnato ahead of time, but for the nicest presentation I prefer to keep the sauce and veal separate and combine them closer to serving. Add the garden cress at the last minute so it stays fresh.
Keep everything refrigerated until you’re ready to serve. This dish is meant to be served cold, so there’s no reheating involved.
What To Serve with Vitello Tonnato
If you’re making this as your appetizer, it would work really well together with the leg of lamb as the main course and the easy Christmas trifle as dessert.
FAQ Vitello Tonnato Recipe
Yes. If you prefer not to eat veal, thinly sliced cooked turkey or chicken breast can also be served with the tuna sauce. It won’t technically be vitello tonnato anymore – vitello means veal – but it’s an easy alternative.
Vitello tonnato comes from Piedmont in northern Italy. Interestingly, Italians traditionally serve it as a cold dish, often in warmer weather. That makes perfect sense, but I also think it works brilliantly as an easy Christmas appetizer.
Yes. For the best-looking result, make the sauce ahead and store it separately from the veal in the refrigerator. Assemble shortly before serving and add the garden cress at the end.
Absolutely. I prefer tuna packed in olive oil because it has a little more flavor, but tuna packed in water works just fine. Drain it well before making the sauce.
More Easy Appetizers
Recipe Card Vitello Tonnato
Quick Vitello Tonnato Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g thinly sliced cooked veal or use thinly sliced roast turkey or chicken
Tuna sauce
- 200 g tuna in olive oil
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Tabasco
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve
- 3 tbsp garden cress
- 2 tbsp capers
Instructions
- Start by making the tuna sauce. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stick blender (or use a food processor) and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Take a nice large plate or divide it immediately over four plates. Place the slices of veal on each plate and cover generously with the tuna sauce.
- Sprinkle with capers and any fresh herbs you like, such as garden cress.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
No anchovies????? I can’t imagine making it without. Is it a personal preference?
Haha. Yes that is absolutely personal preference. I’m just not a big fan of anchovies so I tend to leave them out, but you can absolutely add them in if you do like them!