Charred Broccolini with Tonnato Sauce
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While this creamy and flavorful Italian sauce is often made from scratch with egg yolks and oil, I use mayonnaise as a shortcut for this bright and briny condiment paired with charred broccolini.
Charred Broccolini with Tonnato Sauce
Table of contents
What is Tonnato Sauce?
A flavorful blended classic sauce made with canned tuna and anchovies, egg yolks, oil and lemon juice. It may sound odd but give it a chance! The condiment comes from Piedmont in Northern Italy. Tonnato sauce is often served over chilled and poached veal (vitello tonnato) though I opt to serve it over charred broccolini in this recipe.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Broccolini – Broccolini, sometimes referred to as baby broccoli, looks similar to broccoli. They have longer, thinner stems with more sparse florets. The broccolini is blanched to cook it while retaining the bright green color.
- Mayonnaise – Rather than making mayonnaise from scratch for this recipe I use store-bought as a shortcut. I recommend using regular mayonnaise rather than reduced fat varieties for the best flavor.
- Canned tuna – I prefer to use oil-packed jars of tuna for the rich flavor it adds. Canned or jarred tuna is a great way to easily (and inexpensively) add protein to dishes. While it seems like a strange thing to add to a blended sauce, trust the process!
- Anchovies – They add a subtle, briny flavor – even the pickiest eaters won’t be able to tell they’re in there. I use canned oil-packed anchovies but you can always substitute anchovy paste which lasts longer in the fridge since you can put the cap back on and store them refrigerated. A general rule of thumb is to substitute ½ teaspoon (2.5g) of anchovy paste for every anchovy filet needed.
- Lemon juice – A squeeze of lemon juice helps to brighten up and balance the briny flavors.
How to Make Charred Broccolini with Tonnato Sauce
Step 1: Add ingredients for tonnato sauce. .
In the base of a blender or food processor fitted with the blade attachment add the olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, tuna, anchovies, capers, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon (15g) cold water.
Step 2: Blend sauce.
Blend until the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt. The tonnato sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored refrigerated in an airtight container.
Step 3: Cook broccolini.
In a large pot over medium heat, bring 3 quarts (2.8L) of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Have a large bowl of ice water ready on the side. Add the broccolini and cook until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add broccolini to ice bath.
Drain the water and place the broccolini in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When the broccolini is cool remove from the ice bath and pat dry.
Step 5: Prepare broccolini.
Preheat the broiler to high with a rack set in the top third of the oven. Arrange broccolini on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the broccolini in the olive oil, tossing to coat then arrange in an even single layer.
Step 6: Broil.
Season with salt and pepper then broil until the tips of the broccolini start to char but are not burnt, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 7: Assemble and serve.
Arrange broccolini on a baking sheet and drizzle with ¼ cup of the tonnato sauce. Garnish with parsley leaves.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- Rather than using mayonnaise as a shortcut for the tonnato sauce, substitute by making your own using my recipe here.
Other serving suggestions for tonnato sauce:
- Try serving tonnato sauce with a crudité platter with raw vegetables like cucumber for dipping.
- Serve over other roasted vegetables like carrots, asparagus or green beans.
- Serve over seared steak.
- Use it as a dip for warmed ciabatta bread.
- Serve with hard or soft boiled eggs on toast.
How to Char Broccolini in a Skillet
Rather than charring the broccolini in the broiler they can be charred in a cast iron pan. Heat pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the broccolini and cook, stirring occasionally until charred in spots, about 5 minutes.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this broccolini with tonnato sauce recipe, give these a try and follow me on Instagram for more updates:
Charred Broccolini with Tonnato Sauce
Ingredients:
For the tonnato:
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 ounces oil-packed tuna filets, drained
- 3 oil-packed anchovy filets
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Kosher salt, as needed
For the broccolini:
- 1 pound broccolini, bottom ¼” (6mm) stems trimmed
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- Flat leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
For the tonnato:
- In the base of a blender or food processor fitted with the blade attachment add the olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, tuna, anchovies, capers, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon (15g) cold water.
- Blend until the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt. The tonnato sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored refrigerated in an airtight container.
For the broccolini:
- In a large pot over medium heat, bring 3 quarts (2.8L) of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Have a large bowl of ice water ready on the side. Add the broccolini and cook until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes.
- Drain the water and place the broccolini in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When the broccolini is cool remove from the ice bath and pat dry.
- Preheat the broiler to high with a rack set in the top third of the oven. Arrange broccolini on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the broccolini in the olive oil, tossing to coat then arrange in an even single layer.
- Season with salt and pepper then broil until the tips of the broccolini start to char but are not burnt, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Arrange broccolini on a baking sheet and drizzle with ¼ cup of the tonnato sauce. Garnish with parsley leaves.
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