Typical dish of Turin
Vitello tonnato
Thin slices of rosy veal, served cold and lightly coated with an ivory-colored creamy sauce made with tuna, anchovies, and capers. The contrast between the tender meat and the savory cream creates an elegant balance that is smooth and slightly briny. The dish is often garnished with whole capers scattered across the surface. It is a classic Piedmontese appetizer, perfect for summer lunches but loved in every season.
Season: Tutto l'anno€12–18
Why it matters
Vitello tonnato is one of the most recognizable gastronomic symbols of Turin and Piedmont. It reflects the meeting of inland culinary traditions with the trade routes that once brought tuna and anchovies from the Ligurian Sea to the Savoy capital. Even today it is a staple on the menus of historic trattorias in Turin and on family tables during festive occasions.
Origin story
The earliest traces of the recipe appear in 19th-century Piedmontese cookbooks, when the dish was prepared without mayonnaise and with a more rustic sauce pounded in a mortar. The name “tonnato” originally referred more to a preparation technique than to the dominant presence of tuna. In the 20th century the recipe evolved into the creamier version that is now most widespread, becoming one of the great classics of regional Italian cuisine.
Typical ingredients
vitellotonno sott'oliocapperiacciugheuova
Find it in the Trouvenir app
Verified restaurants, maps and cultural context for every typical dish.
Download the appFree download
Take Trouvenir with you
iOS and Android. Free.
Privacy-firstCross-device syncOffline ready