Vegetarian Pollo Tonnato Recipe: Italian Classic Made Meat-Free for Family Feasts

Christmas gatherings call for dishes that unite everyone at the table, from avid meat lovers to committed vegetarians. Our vegetarian twist on the beloved Italian vitello tonnato—or pollo tonnato with chicken—delivers that universal appeal using plant-based substitutes.

This elegant starter or light dish combines a vegetarian chicken alternative with a clever tuna-free sauce, drawing from authentic Italian flavors we've perfected in our flexitarian kitchen experiments.

Ingredients for 4 servings
Preparation time: 30 minutes (excluding olive powder)
1 cup vegetarian chicken pieces
olive oil for frying
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bag arugula and/or 1 bunch basil
pine nuts, roasted (optional)
breadsticks
2 tbsp. good-quality olive oil
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

For the sauce
150g Tonyn from The Vegetarian Butcher (freeze the rest)
3 tbsp. egg-free mayonnaise
1 tbsp. capers
2 tbsp. lemon juice
ground pepper

Instructions

• Gently fry the vegetarian chicken pieces in olive oil until lightly golden. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Blend the Tonyn sauce ingredients until smooth. Spoon generous dollops onto the center of each plate and spread with the back of a spoon to form a 0.5 cm layer, leaving the edges bare.
• Arrange the cooled vegetarian chicken, halved tomatoes, and arugula or torn basil leaves over the sauce. Scatter pine nuts if using. Drizzle high-quality olive oil around the edge, then add balsamic vinegar drops into the oil for a stunning effect.
• Place a glass of breadsticks in the table's center for sharing.
• Finish with olive powder if desired. View the olive powder recipe here.

Buon appetito! A crowd-pleaser backed by flexitarian expertise.

Source: Flexitarier.nl