Name: Tonnato Sauce
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 large egg; 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; ½ cup vegetable oil; 1 (5-ounce) can olive oil-packed tuna with packing oil, flaked; 6 anchovy fillets; 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon pepper

Why This Recipe Works

Tonnato, which translates to “tunafied” in Italian, is a classic condiment that combines the meaty flavors of canned tuna and anchovies in a creamy fresh-made mayonnaise. The base relies on emulsifying eggs with oil. To do this, we use a blender to whip the two into a thick, voluminous sauce before blending in the remaining ingredients. We prefer the neutral taste of vegetable oil here instead of olive oil, which can taste bitter if over-agitated. Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and capers (all traditional) add pops of acidity and salinity. For the tuna, we prefer the fatty texture of the olive oil-packed kind over the water-packed kind and include its packing oil in the sauce for additional flavor. While tonnato was traditionally served atop thinly sliced cold veal in Piedmontese cuisine, modern-day versions drizzle it on any number of proteins and vegetables.

Before You Begin

Be sure not to drain the oil from the tuna can, and don’t be tempted to substitute extra-virgin olive oil for the vegetable oil; olive oil tastes bitter after being blended. This sauce is great for drizzling over roasted or blanched vegetables, roast chicken or delicate fish, and salad recipes. It also makes a good spread for sandwiches.

Instructions

Process 1 egg, 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard in blender until smooth, about 20 seconds. With blender running, slowly add ½ cup vegetable oil until incorporated and mixture is thick and creamy, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed, about 2 minutes.

Add 1 can olive oil–packed tuna, flaked with packing oil; 6 anchovy fillets; 1 tablespoon rinsed capers; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; and ½ teaspoon pepper to blender. Process until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)