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    Home » Starters

    Eggplant Caponata

    Published: Apr 29, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Caponata is an Italian eggplant salad with a delicious sweet and sour flavor. We make it with roasted eggplant (instead of deep-fried) in less than 45 minutes.

    Serve it as a starter, side dish, or a complete meal on pasta or crunchy bread. Try it, and let us know what you think.

    eggplant salad in a bowl
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Tips 
    • Questions
    • Variations
    • More eggplant recipes
    • Similar recipes
    • Storage
    • Recipe

    Check out our best vegetable sides recipe collection!

    Caponata is a traditional Sicilian dish usually served as a starter or a side dish. In essence, caponata is an eggplant (aubergine) salad or a quick eggplant stew that you can eat warm or at room temperature.

    It's made with deep-fried eggplant (here, we make it with roasted eggplant or air-fried eggplant) to keep it light and healthy.

    We then coat the eggplants in a rich sauce made with tomatoes, celery, onion, olives, capers, and a touch of vinegar and sugar, to give it its distinctive sweet and sour taste.

    There are close to 40 different variations of eggplant caponata recipes in Italy (see the "variations" chapter below).

    But today, I'll show you how to make the most classic and simple version we learned to make in Palermo, Sicily.

    caponata or eggplant salad on friselle

    Ingredients

    ingredients for caponata
    • Eggplants: the main ingredient of caponata. Globe American eggplants or Italian eggplants are best. They are black, round ones.
    • Tomatoes: you can use fresh ripe tomatoes like in this recipe or canned tomatoes, chopped, whole, or even tomato passata. To make this dish richer, add a tablespoon of tomato paste.
    • Olive oil, onion, and celery: are used for the flavor base of the dish.
    • Olives: I prefer to use pitted olives. Green olives are more traditional, but black olives are good too.
    • Capers: they are essential to give that tangy, slightly sour taste. You can use either caper in brine or salt. If you use capers in salt, rinse them before use.
    • Sugar + vinegar: to give the distinct caponata sweet and sour taste. White wine vinegar and plain sugar are generally used in the traditional recipe to add sour flavors. However, you can use other types of vinegar or sugar.
    • Salt: based on your taste and diet requirements, so feel free to deviate from my recipe. Optionally you can also add black pepper.
    • Basil or parsley: fresh herbs are key ingredients in Italian cooking. Add them at the end for a pleasant, herby aroma. Basil is most traditional in caponata, but you can also use flat-leaf parsley or fresh mint.
    • Pine Nuts: these are optional. I like to add some on top before serving this dish.
    • Red pepper flakes: also optional; if you like a spicy caponata, you can add a pinch.
    eggplant caponata on pasta

    Instructions

    Bake the eggplant

    Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

    First, cut the eggplant into one-inch cubes. Then, cut them into slices on the long side, sticks, and dice.

    diced eggplant in a baking tray seasoned with salt, pepper and oil

    Transfer onto the baking tray and season with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss and bake for 30 minutes or until soft. In the meantime, prepare the caponata sauce.

    oven baked eggplant

    Make the caponata sauce

    Every respectable Italian sauce starts with some soffrito, which in this case is diced celery and onion fried in oil.

    So, chop the onion and the celery, not too finely, including the celery leaves.

    To a large skillet or pan, add some olive oil, the chopped onion, and the celery, and fry on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, adding a little water if necessary.

    NB: if you are on an oil-free diet, you can use water to "fry" the onion and the celery.

    soffritto with oil, celery, and onion

    In the meantime, chop the tomatoes into small chunks. They don't have to be perfect. I like fresh tomatoes when in season, but canned tomatoes are also suitable for this recipe.

    Add the chopped tomatoes - or the canned tomatoes - to the skillet with the onion.

    Also, add olives, capers, salt, and ½ cup of water. Stir it and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

    chopped tomatoes, olives, and capers added to the soffritto.

    Now add vinegar and sugar, stir, then taste and adjust. The sauce should be sweet and sour but very balanced. You can adjust based on your preferences by adding more sugar or vinegar.

    vinegar and sugar added to the sauce

    Once you are happy with the sauce, add the baked eggplants, which should be perfectly cooked by now. Also, add some fresh basil.

    baked eggplants in the caponata sauce

    Stir well in the tomato sauce and finish cooking for about 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off and sit for at least 15 minutes, but better an hour or more, before serving it with toasted pine nuts.

    caponata just made in a pan.

    Serving Suggestions

    Caponata is versatile. You can serve it as a starter, side dish, or as an easy dinner:

    • Eat as a starter: serve it on bruschetta if you like a crunch, or with this easy rosemary focaccia or flatbread pizza. Try crumbling some of our homemade vegan ricotta on top. It's so good!
    • Eat as a side dish: on its own or with our oven-baked chickpea socca.
    • Eat as a meal: but add a little protein with this 15-min fried tofu. Serve the caponata in a large bowl with pasta, rice, couscous, or Italian flatbread. It's healthy and wonderfully wholesome.

    Also, this is a perfect make-ahead dish as its flavor improves a few hours after it's cooked.

    In Sicily, they often serve it at room temperature to appreciate its flavor to the fullest.

    If you're like us and can't get enough of eggplant, check out our favorite eggplant recipes, which will cater to vegans and non-vegans.

    eggplant caponata on pasta

    Tips 

    • Taste the sauce: depending on your tastes, you might want your caponata a little more sweet or a little sourer. As a tip, adjusting the seasoning before adding the eggplant is much easier. So to ensure your caponata sauce has the perfect balance of sweet and sour, taste it before adding the eggplant.
    • Let it rest before serving: this is common practice with several eggplant and tomato dishes. They taste better if you let them sit and cool down for at least 15 minutes before serving them. Ideally, serve caponata at room temperature.
    • Make ahead: this is the perfect make-ahead recipe, as it tastes better the next day or two. We like to always make a double portion and store it in the refrigerator for a few days as meal prep for the week.

    Questions

    What does caponata mean?

    Caponata comes from the Sicilian word "Capone" (Lampuga in Italian and dolphinfish in English), an expensive fish.

    It seems that back in the days, the Sicilian aristocracy would make caponata with this fish and not with eggplant. Hence caponata.

    But because most people couldn't afford dolphinfish, they started replacing the fish with eggplant, which is widely available and affordable in Sicily.

    Should caponata be eaten hot or cold?

    Eggplant caponata can be eaten warm or at room temperature. However, it's best not to eat very hot or cold caponata, as the flavor will be less pronounced that way.

    Is eggplant caponata gluten-free?

    Yes. Our eggplant caponata recipe is gluten-free, provided you don't serve it with pasta or crusty bread.

    Variations

    There are over 35 variations of Sicilian caponata, depending on the local traditions. The most famous are caponata from:

    • Palermo: like the one I made above, except that the eggplants are deep-fried in large chunks, they add Sicilian pitted and crushed olives and tomato passata rather than fresh tomatoes.
    • Agrigento: in addition to the classic recipe, there are raisins, almonds, honey, garlic, and sweet Italian peppers, sometimes called pepperoncini in the USA. They are very similar to Jalapeńo.
    • Trapani: in addition to the classic recipe are red bell peppers and toasted almonds.
    • Catania: there is usually more aubergine and tomatoes, with fresh basil and pinenuts.
    • Messina: use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato passata.

    More eggplant recipes

    If you love cooking with eggplant, get more inspiration for tasty dinners and lunches:

    • Breaded eggplant with a crunchy outside and tender inside
    • Eggplant salad with roasted eggplant and fresh veggies
    • Stuffed eggplant with tomatoes and melted cheese
    • Roasted eggplants topped with crunchy bread crumbs
    • Eggplant pizza with marinara sauce and mozzarella
    • Grilled eggplant with Italian marinade
    • Pasta alla Norma with a hearty tomato sauce
    • Eggplant dip with fresh lemon and tahini
    • Italian caponata with olives, capers, and roasted eggplant

    Or any of our best 35 eggplant recipes, including dinners, lunches, and snacks.

    Similar recipes

    We are big fans of easy veggie-packed meals! It's a great way to get your vitamins and feel less guilty about eating dessert. Here are some of our favorite healthy meals:

    • Italian bean stew
    • Tofu meatballs in marinara sauce
    • One-pot chickpea stew
    • Tuscan bean soup
    • Easy rice salad
    • Couscous with vegetables
    • Stuffed bell peppers
    • Tofu Cacciatore

    What are your favorite ways to get in more veggies? We'd love to hear. So let us know in the comments below!

    Storage

    Store caponata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    You can also freeze it; just put it in a container suitable for freezing—Thaw in the microwave or the refrigerator.

    Recipe

    caponata or eggplant salad on bread

    Vegan Eggplant Recipes

    Author: Nico
    Caponata one of our favorite vegan eggplant recipes. It's an Italian eggplant salad with a delicious sweet and sour flavor. We make it with oven-baked eggplant (instead of deep-fried) in less than 45 minutes.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    4.88 from 8 votes
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main, Side dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 276 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2.5 ounces eggplant (3 medium, black)
    • 18 ounces tomatoes (ripe Romas, cherry, or canned)
    • 1 large onion
    • 2 stalks celery
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • ½ cup green olives (pitted)
    • 2 tablespoons capers
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 3 twists black pepper
    • 4 tablespoons vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 10 leaves basil
    • 2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted, optional)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 360F (180C). Dice the eggplant. Add it to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Season with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt and 3 twists of pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.
      oven baked eggplant
    • In the meantime, chop onion and celery and add them to a pan with 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry gently for 5 minutes. Add ⅓ cup of water if the pan is too dry.
      soffritto with oil, celery, and onion
    • If you use fresh tomatoes then cut them in small dice.
      Add tomatoes (fresh or canned) to pan. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, olives, capers, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, till the tomatoes are soft.
      Note: Add ½ cup water if pan gets too dry. This depends on water content of tomatoes.
      chopped tomatoes, olives, and capers added to the soffritto.
    • Add sugar and vinegar, stir, then taste the sauce and adjust for salt, sugar, or vinegar if necessary.
      vinegar and sugar added to the sauce
    • Add baked eggplants, fresh basil, stir, finish cooking for a couple of minutes, then turn the heat off, let rest for at least 15 minutes.
      Serve as a starter, side dish, or main dish on pasta. You can top the caponata with toasted pine nuts and more fresh basil.
      caponata just made in a pan.
    • Caponata can be prepared in advance, stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, and served at room temperature or warm.
      eggplant caponata on pasta

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Eggplant Recipes
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 276 Calories from Fat 144
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16g25%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 9g
    Potassium 1010mg29%
    Carbohydrates 33g11%
    Dietary Fiber 11g46%
    Sugar 22g24%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin A 1192IU24%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 27mg33%
    Vitamin E 4mg27%
    Vitamin K 32µg30%
    Calcium 60mg6%
    Folate 90µg23%
    Iron 2mg11%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 71mg18%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this recipe, then you might also like:

    • Vegan Italian recipes such as ricotta and focaccia
      65 Vegan Italian Recipes
    • Easy appetizers with mini pizza and dips
      40 Easy Appetizers
    • vegan ricotta cheese
      Vegan Ricotta Cheese

    « Orange Tofu
    Penne Arrabbiata »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Valerie

      September 08, 2022 at 8:41 pm

      5 stars
      Have been looking for a recipe to use up my home grown eggplant. Did not know anyone that had there own and weren't happy with anything I looked up. This one popped up on my feed on my phone and I can not wait to try. It's going to be great. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Nico

        September 09, 2022 at 6:42 am

        I'm happy you feel like trying, Valerie! Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Cheers, Nico

        Reply
    2. Gianni

      July 09, 2022 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      Sei sempre il numero 1! Grande Nico! Ho appena fatto un early dinner con Capponata Tacos 🌮😉. Un abbraccio da Charlotte in North Carolina

      Reply
      • Nico

        July 10, 2022 at 6:14 am

        Ahaha, ma grazie mille, Gianni!! Siamo molto felici che ti piaccia il nostro blog. Un abbraccio dall'Umbria 🙂 Nico

        Reply
        • Gianni

          July 10, 2022 at 2:24 pm

          Sorry… I meant “caponata” not capponata 😜
          Mi piacerebbe molto conoscerti di persona se un giorno passo in Italia e faccio un giro in Umbria. Se invece ti capita di passare da Charlotte, NC scrivimi così ti offro un caffè ed una delle “tue” specialità. Keep up the good work my friend.
          Gianni

          Reply
          • Nico

            July 11, 2022 at 5:33 am

            That sounds wonderful, Gianna! I'll let you know, thanks so much for the offer! Grazie ancora! Nico

            Reply
      • Valerie

        September 13, 2022 at 1:27 am

        5 stars
        Just finished making this dish. So far, it is a big success. I thought it was on the sweet side and added another tablespoon of vinegar. Next time will start out with less sugar and vinegar and add up from there. Will make again. Giving away tomorrow so we will see what the general opinion is.

        Reply
    3. Nicole

      October 11, 2021 at 12:01 am

      5 stars
      Made this. Loved this. Can’t wait to have more!!

      Reply

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