Vitel Toné
Vitel toné arrived in Argentina with the wave of Italian immigration of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, adapted from the Piedmontese vitello tonnato that northern Italian settlers brought to Buenos Aires. Argentine cooks embraced the dish's practicality — it is made entirely in advance and served cold — and folded it into the local tradition of festive, buffet-style entertaining. Today vitel toné is inseparable from Argentine Christmas and New Year's Eve tables, where it is served as a starter alongside other cold dishes before the main asado or turkey. Its name, an Argentine spelling of the Italian "vitello tonnato," reflects decades of adaptation, and the dish is now considered as much a local classic as an imported one.
Poached veal
A lean cut of veal simmered gently with aromatics until tender.
Creamy tuna sauce
Canned tuna blended with mayonnaise and anchovy into a silky sauce.
Capers on top
Briny capers scattered over the sauce add sharp little bursts of flavor.
Chilled and thinly sliced
The veal rests overnight, then is sliced thin and napped with sauce.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 800g veal round roast
- 1 carrot, halved
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 200g canned tuna in oil
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp capers, plus extra for garnish
- 2 anchovy fillets
How to make it
- 1POACH THE VEAL: Simmer the veal in water with carrot, celery, onion and bay leaves until fork-tender.
- 2COOL IN THE BROTH: Let the veal cool in its own poaching liquid so it stays moist and flavorful.
- 3BLEND THE SAUCE: Purée the tuna, mayonnaise, anchovy fillets and a splash of the cooking broth until smooth.
- 4SLICE THE VEAL: Once fully chilled, slice the veal very thinly against the grain.
- 5LAYER ON A PLATTER: Arrange the slices slightly overlapping on a serving platter.
- 6NAP WITH SAUCE: Spoon the tuna sauce generously over the veal slices to cover them completely.
- 7CHILL AND GARNISH: Refrigerate for at least two hours, then scatter capers on top just before serving.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
