Vitello tonnato

Allergens at a glance

• UsuallyFishTuna and anchovies are the base of the sauce.
• UsuallyEggsMayonnaise, or hard-boiled egg yolks in the older recipe.
• OftenCeleryThe veal is usually poached or marinated with celery, carrot and onion.
• OftenSulphitesWhite wine in the poaching liquid; capers in vinegar in the sauce.
• SometimesMustardSome mayonnaise, especially bought-in, contains mustard.

Usually in the standard recipe. Often in many versions. Sometimes in some kitchens, or a cross-contact risk.

Diets

• Not vegetarian or pescatarian: veal and fish together.
• Not halal as standard: the veal is often cooked in white wine, and the meat's slaughter is unknown.
• Gluten-free as made; check any bought-in sauce and the bread served alongside.

Recipes change from kitchen to kitchen. If you have an allergy, confirm every ingredient with the restaurant before you order.

What is vitello tonnato?

Vitello tonnato is a Piedmontese antipasto of cold, thinly sliced veal covered in a smooth sauce made from tuna, anchovies, capers and egg. It sounds like an odd pairing, but the sauce is savoury and mild rather than fishy. It's eaten cold, especially in summer and at festive meals across Piedmont and Lombardy.

What's in it

• Veal: a lean cut such as eye of round (girello), poached in water or stock, often with white wine, celery, carrot, onion and bay. Some kitchens roast it instead.
• Tuna: usually tuna preserved in olive oil.
• Anchovies and capers: salted or in oil, for depth.
• Egg: either mayonnaise, or in the older style (all'antica), hard-boiled yolks blended with some of the cooking liquid and oil.
• Lemon and olive oil to finish, with extra capers on top.

Allergens and diets

Assume fish and egg. Tuna and anchovy aren't a garnish; they are the sauce, blended smooth so you can't pick them out. The egg comes from mayonnaise in most modern versions or from cooked yolks in the old recipe. If you avoid raw egg, ask which: homemade mayonnaise uses raw yolk.

Celery is often hidden in the cooking. The veal is usually poached or marinated with celery and other vegetables, and some cooks blend a little of that liquid into the sauce. White wine is common in the poaching, and capers are often preserved in vinegar, so sulphites are likely. Mayonnaise bought in by the tub may contain mustard; check the label if that matters to you.

The dish has no flour, so it's usually gluten-free as served, though bread almost always comes on the side and some kitchens use a ready-made sauce. It isn't suitable for vegetarians or pescatarians, since it combines veal and fish.

On the menu

It's listed under antipasti as vitello tonnato, or in Piedmontese dialect as vitel tonné. A portion is a plate of overlapping slices under a blanket of sauce. In Piedmont it's a standard starter on a set lunch, and it's also sold by weight in delicatessens.

Last checked 1 November 2026. Spotted something wrong? Email support@inventum.com.au.