Caponata Recipe

Youll love the combination of savory, sweet, and sour flavors in this creamy eggplant caponata with onions, tomato and olives! A great make-ahead appetizer to serve over crusty bread or use next to chicken or fish!

In Mediterranean cooking, there is no shortage of tasty eggplant recipes! Some favorites around here include eggplant rollatini; classic moussaka; and stuffed eggplant.

Youll love the loads of texture and flavor in this vegan eggplant salad. And because it tastes better the next day, its the perfect make-ahead appetizer to serve over crostini or toasted bread of your choice.

Caponata Recipe

Sicilian caponata is a tasty salad or relish made of eggplant with onions, celery, and tomatoes and augmented with tangy olives and capers. It’s best the next day, so try to make it ahead and store it in the fridge in a tight-lid mason jar. Bring it to room temperature before serving.

Prep: 20min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 91.3 kcal, Carbohydrate 15 g, Protein 2.2 g, Fat 1.3 g, Saturated Fat 0.2 g, Sodium 228.9 mg, Fiber 4.7 g, Sugar 8.2 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant (1 ¼ lb or so, cut into 1-inch cubes)
• Kosher salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 1 red bell pepper (cored and chopped)
• 2 small celery stalks (thinly sliced)
• Black pepper
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp capers
• ¼ cup pitted green olives (roughly chopped)
• ¼ cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons honey (more to your liking)
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp to ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Instruction:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Season the eggplant cubes with salt (if you have the time, set it aside in a colander to sweat out its bitterness for about 20 or 30 minutes, while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Pat dry with paper towel).
3. Place the seasoned eggplant cubes on a sheet pan, add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (about 3 tablespoons or so) and toss to coat. Roast the eggplant in the heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, tossing regularly until softened.
5. Add the tomatoes, capers, olives, raisins, honey, bay leaf and crushed pepper flakes. Pour in the vinegar and white wine. Stir to combine. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the roasted eggplant and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes in the sauce. Finish with fresh parsley and mint.

Caponata

Learn how to make homemade caponata with this recipe! This boldly flavored Sicilian appetizer or side dish is perfect for late summer meals. Recipe yields about 6 side servings.

Prep: 20min

Total: 1h

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 side serving (no crostini)

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 side serving (no crostini), calories 193 calories, Sugar 16.5 g, Sodium 448.3 mg, Fat 10.6 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 25.5 g, Fiber 6.9 g, Protein 3.4 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 smallish eggplants (about 1 3/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
• ½ teaspoon fine salt, divided, to taste
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 can (14 ounces) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• ¼ cup pitted green olives (ideally Castelvetrano), roughly chopped
• ¼ cup raisins, red or golden
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, to taste
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon honey or sugar, to taste
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint, flat-leaf parsley and/or basil
• Homemade Crostini, optional, for serving

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to it.
2. Place the cubed eggplant on the prepared pan. Sprinkle it with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, and promptly toss to coat (some of the eggplant pieces will be more saturated with oil than the others, and that’s ok). Roast the eggplant in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway, until deeply golden.
3. In the meantime, warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and about 10 twists of black pepper. Cook until the onions are tender and just starting to turn golden, about 9 to 12 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the olives, raisins, vinegar, capers, honey, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the roasted eggplant and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in most of the fresh herbs, reserving a small handful for garnish. Remove the pot from the heat.
6. Adjust to taste to find your desired balance of tangy-sweet-spicy-salty. Add more vinegar (by the tablespoon), honey (by the teaspoon), red pepper flakes (I like at least 1/4 teaspoon more, but I like spice), and/or salt (for more overall flavor). Transfer it to a serving bowl and top with the remaining herbs.
7. For best flavor, allow the caponata to rest at room temperature for an hour, or longer in the refrigerator. Serve warm or at room temperature (some even enjoy it chilled), with crostini if desired. Caponata will keep for about 5 days, covered, in the fridge. I suspect it would freeze well for several months, too.

Eggplant Caponata – Best Summer Eggplant Recipe!

FAQ

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