I first made tonnato sauce a few years ago after reading about it in a recipe by Clare Lattin and Tom Hill in their book Ducksoup: The Wisdom of Simple Cooking. It is based on a Piedmontese classic called Vitello Tonnato, usually cold thin slices of veal with the tuna sauce spooned over. Veal is hard to find here in Mississippi and to be honest I’ve never had it, so I always opt for a nice steak whether that be top sirloin, NY strip, ribeye or sometimes filet. I think it makes serving steak so elegant and once plated, it’s a gorgeous addition to any dinner table. We sometimes cook two steaks and share the first, then save the remaining steak just for this recipe. A jar or tin of good quality tuna is added to a blender with some anchovies, capers, fresh lemon juice and the best mayonnaise that you’re able to find. It’s processed until smooth then thinned out with just a touch of water, spooned over your sliced steak (cooked medium-rare for me) and garnished with a few essentials to make it pop: capers, fresh parsley, flake salt and fresh pepper, good olive oil. Here is my version of that recipe that we eat at room temperature quite often during hot summer months. Please tag me #thedaleyplate @thedaleyplate on Instagram should you decide to make and share, it’s always nice to see your creations!

The tonnato sauce can be stored in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days. Use it as a salad dressing or dip for cucumber slices, snap peas and radish.

I’ve decided to list exactly which products I use in my recipes, also where I source my proteins. I hope this provides some clarity on the recipes, as well as consistency with the results. The Amazon links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of sales made through those links at no cost to you. Those links help offset costs related to providing these recipes to you :) Thank you! Please feel free to substitute with whichever ingredients you prefer - Some readers have mentioned swapping lamb for steak, or adding different herbs like thyme and rosemary. It’s all good! ENJOY :)

Steak with Tonnato Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Serves: 2-3 as an appetizer (makes extra sauce)

Ingredients:

Steak:
8-10 ounce top sirloin, filet or steak of your choice (This steak was from @44farms)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (this truffle salt is absolutely incredible on steak)
3/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Sauce:
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise (I love Sir Kensingtons or Chosen Foods avocado oil mayo when using store bought)
6.7 ounce (190g) jar of good quality tuna packed in olive oil (Tonnino, or this Portofino one is great value for money and tastes incredible)
4-6 anchovy filets
2 tablespoons capers
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tablespoons water

Garnish:
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
flake salt and fresh black pepper to taste
Optional: 1-2 cornichons, finely diced

Guidelines:

Remove your steak from the refrigerator for about 20 minutes prior to cooking - This is called tempering and all you’re doing is bringing it closer to room temperature for a juicier result. Rub your steak with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper then sear until your desired doneness. People always ask me how I cook my steaks and it really just depends on the thickness of your cut. If you have a meat thermometer, you can take the guesswork out of cooking times and know that it’s cooked exactly the way you prefer. Thermapen is what I use, and I cook mine until it’s between 130-135F before resting and slicing. Here is a guide on their website for steak cooking temperatures. I received my thermapen as a gift last year and it’s so quick to register the temperature, I love it (not sponsored)

While the steak rests, make the sauce. Add all ingredients except water to the bowl of a food processor, or better yet to a jar and use an immersion blender to process until smooth. Both work, but the immersion blender is much less clean up. Anyone else hate washing all the parts of a food processor? Thin the sauce out with the water if needed, taste and adjust seasoning.

Slice the steak (it should be warm to the touch rather than hot) and arrange on a platter. Spoon a few tablespoons of the tonnato sauce over, followed by olive oil, flake salt, pepper, capers and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

I eat it as is, because it is a wonderful keto meal to enjoy with a salad, fresh slices of tomato and other non starchy vegetables. You could serve it with crostini for a more filling meal. Some photographs of the many times I’ve made it: