Sicilian eggplant caponata is one of the best ways to utilize eggplant. Caponata is a salty, sweet and sour appetizer, bursting with flavor. It's perfect by itself, on top of toasted bread or crackers, or used as a topping for sandwiches.
No matter how much we make, we never seem to have enough.
My love for caponata happened after I left my house, moved to the city, and started making many dishes on my own.
I have made it many different ways and have come to rely on this version. Down below I'll share a number of additions to this eggplant caponata.
For this recipe, the eggplant is roasted rather than fried. Frying it is great - it's the traditional way to do it, but too much olive oil is needed and too much of a mess is made.
Eggplant caponata step-by-step instructions
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat oven to 425F and begin by cutting 2 pounds of eggplant into approximately 1" cubes.
- Place all the cut eggplant into a large glass bowl and toss with a ½ cup of olive oil, a tsp of kosher salt and a ½ tsp of black pepper. Use enough oil to coat all the pieces.
- On a large baking sheet (line it with parchment paper to avoid sticking) spread out the eggplant. Keep the pieces from touching and if necessary use 2 sheet pans. Place the eggplant on the middle oven rack and roast for 25-30 minutes.
- While the eggplant is roasting begin cutting 1 cup of celery into smallish pieces like shown.
- Cut 1 cup of onion into half-moon strips. You can cut the onion and celery any way you want! Some people like a chunkier caponata while others prefer a smoother one.
- Toast a ¼ cup of pignoli (pine) nuts in a separate pan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or so. Be careful, they burn easily. When finished toasting, remove the nuts and set them aside.
- In a large pan saute the onion and celery for a few minutes in a ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat. Again this is a preference/textural thing. If you like crunchy vegetables in your caponata only saute them for a minute or so.
- Add in one 6-ounce can of tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes longer, spreading the paste all around the pan.
- After 25-30 minutes the eggplant will be nicely roasted as shown. Use a fork and make sure they are soft on the inside and fully cooked. If not, another 5 minutes in the oven is fine.
- To the pan add 1 cup of pitted good quality green olives, an ⅛ cup of rinsed capers, and a ¼ cup of raisins. Also, add 2 Tbsp of sugar and a ¼ cup of red wine vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.
- Add in the eggplant and pine nuts and cook for 3 more minutes to ensure the caponata is well mixed. Be careful while mixing in the eggplant to avoid mashing it too much. A gentle stir with a wooden spoon is all that's required.
- Finally, add a ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley, give it one more stir, and a taste test. Adjust salt, pepper, and sugar if necessary. If satisfied, let it cool, then place it in a container and refrigerate.
The flavors will meld together and it will be better the next day. Of course, it can be eaten right away too!
You will see Sicilian caponata sold in the Italian section of your supermarket.
It comes in jars that you keep refrigerated once open. The jars are small, processed, and mostly not that good.
Now you know how to make a much better one! And, you can do it in much larger quantities for way cheaper!
Substitutions and additions
- Zucchini - Add some zucchini to this caponata for a nice twist. Pan roast 2 cups of the same size pieces as the eggplant for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
- Peppers - Use 2 large bell peppers, cut up into bite-size chunks for added texture and flavor.
- Carrots - Roast 1 cup of carrots with the eggplant for added flavor or just sear them in the pan with the onions and celery to introduce a crunchy texture.
- Anchovies - It wouldn't be Sicilian cooking without talking about this ingredient. Saute 3-4 chopped anchovies until they melt with the celery and onion.
- Herbs - Mint and basil are excellent additions!
- Make a full meal - Chicken agrodolce is basically chicken with eggplant caponata plus/minus a few ingredients.
Top tips
- Cooking process - Before roasting you can salt the eggplant pieces for 30 minutes. The salt will release moisture from the eggplants and allow them to cook quicker in the oven. Using a paper towel, pat dry the eggplants with a wiping action to remove some of the salt before roasting. I rarely salt the eggplants prior to roasting, but want to point out the option.
- Texture - The texture of the caponata is really a personal preference. If you like it on the softer side, saute the veggies a little bit longer and/or cut them smaller. Conversely, just cook them for a few minutes if you want the celery and onion crunch.
- Buying eggplant - Italian eggplants will be smaller than a large American eggplant. They look the same, but you will need about 4-5 of them versus 1-2 of the latter. I have come across Sicilian eggplants a couple of times in the supermarkets. They are round, a mix of purple and white, and delicious. If you can find them by all means use them!
More Italian appetizers and spreads
- Peperonata - Bell peppers, onions, plum tomatoes, and garlic are stewed together and tossed with fresh basil.
- Pickled eggplant - Eggplant strips pickled with cherry peppers, parsley, and garlic, then topped with extra virgin olive oil.
- Cherry pepper spread - With red bell peppers, hot cherry peppers, cherry tomatoes, loads of garlic, and fresh basil.
- Sweet and sour zucchini - Cold zucchini appetizer with garlic and sweet and sour flavors.
- Roasted eggplant with tomato sauce - Eggplant with sauce, fresh basil and mint, and freshly grated ricotta salata.
- Eggplant meatballs - With Pecorino, basil, garlic, and breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant
- 1 cup celery
- 1 cup red onion
- 1 cup pitted green olives
- ¼ cup pignoli nuts
- ¼ cup parsley
- ⅛ cup capers
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425f and set rack to middle. Cut eggplant into 1" squares and mix well with a ½ cup olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt and a ½ tsp pepper. Place eggplant on parchment paper lined baking sheet, making sure to not overcrowd the pieces. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes until fully cooked through and soft in the middle.
- Toast pignoli nuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat for approximately 5 minutes being careful not to burn. When toasted set aside.
- Saute 1 cup of chopped celery and 1 cup of red onion in a ¼ cup of olive oil for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add in 1 6 ounce can of tomato paste and continue to cook for 3 more minutes.
- To the pan add the 1 cup of pitted green olives, ⅛ cup rinsed capers, ¼ cup raisins, 2 Tbsp sugar, toasted pine nuts, and ¼ cup of red wine vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes allowing the vinegar and sugar to cook through and incorporate.
- Add the roasted eggplant to the pan and gently mix it all together being careful to not crush the eggplant. Taste test and make any last minute adjustments to salt, pepper or sugar. The last step is to add in the ¼ cup of fresh parsley and to plate. Enjoy now or allow the flavors to better blend overnight in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Caponata tastes better the next day. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Salt was kept to a minimum. The inherent saltiness of the olives and capers should be kept in mind.
Nutrition
Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.6g | Protein: 4.3g | Fat: 29.8g | Saturated Fat: 3.9g | Sodium: 564mg | Potassium: 807mg | Fiber: 7.8g | Sugar: 16.9g | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
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OMG so delish !
I omitted pine nuts, but added anchovies & chopped red bell pepper ❤️
That sounds nice too! Love anchovies. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I Started making this dish for dinner at 11:00am this morning. The fragrances from this recipe were intoxicating and making my mouth water. I wanted to put it in the refrigerator for tonight but found myself consuming a good portion of it before I forced myself to put it away. Thanks so much for this delicious recipe!
I am glad you enjoyed it! It's hard to put it away, but I promise if you do the flavors are even the better the next day. Thanks for the comment!
Absolutely fantastic this will be a standard in my fridge not just with eggplant but I got to try all of the vegetable suggestions pennies to make compared to buying thank you. george
Hi George. It's great to hear that you liked the caponata! Appreciate the comment.
I had no idea what eggplant caponata was. But had an eggplant I needed to use before it got bad. Made this with a few adjustments, due to what I had on hand, and it was delicious. I used dried cranberries instead of raisins, and one half of a purple onion. Only a small amount left for today. Can’t imagine the flavor improving overnight but we’ll see.
Hi Barbara! Glad you enjoyed it! I think the flavor develops more if you can hold off and not eat it all the same day. That's always a tough task for us to do though!
This caponata turned out even better than the one they make at Cafe Fiorello in NYC. I LOVE IT and sometimes just eat it as a snack. No bread or crackers though, I've given up white carbs. AND I use Splenda in place of sugar in this recipe.
Thank you so much! I often eat it by itself too. I'm glad it works well with the Splenda.
Me too! It’s low carb that way! Yummy!
quality and tradition..thank you
Thanks very much!
I am always searching for different ways to cook eggplant and this one is a keeper! I tested the finished eggplant immediately after cooking it and am reserving rest for tomorrow. I can't wait for tomorrow! Bringing some to my mother too as she is getting older and doesn't really cook anymore but loves eggplant. Thank you and please keep those great recipes coming!!!!
Hi Denise. I hope it was a hit with your mother too. It is always much better the next day!
Sooooo good! Your instructions are very helpful. So many times I’m left wondering if I’m following the instructions correctly. Can’t wait to make other recipes.
Thank you, Catherine! I'm happy you find the instructions to be helpful!
Honestly one of the best things I've made. I had a friend over and she was as amazed as I was how good it was. Will be making for mothers day next weekend. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hi, Evie. I'm so happy you liked the caponata recipe and thanks for letting me know!
Question: would I be making a huge mistake if I left the tomatoes or tomato paste out? I have seen pictures of this dish that didn’t look so “tomatoey”. Wanted to ask the experts before I messed up a beautiful dish. Thank you!
Hi Judi, you can cut the tomato paste in half or omit it but this particular recipe hasn't been tested without tomato paste so I can't say for certain how it will turn out. Although I'm pretty sure it will still taste good!
This the 2ond time for your delicious recipe for caponata.i am sure it won’t be the last double recipe today for appetizer for a crowd.
Thank you for sharing 😋
Thank you, Cindy! I'm so happy you enjoyed the caponata!
Great recipe!!! Love the way you cook!!! Im always starving after watching your videos!!!
Thank you, Jeff! I appreciate you watching the videos and so happy you liked the recipe!
I love eggplant and I am going to make this something I’ve always wanted to try. I will follow the recipe exactly. I will however peel my eggplant, it’s an optional thing I just do not care for the tough eggplant skin. I’d definitely recommend you solve the eggplant first, not only does it remove extra moisture, And improves the texture of the eggplant and makes it creamier
Hi Nonnie, thanks for the comment and hope you enjoy it!
Can I use green olives with pimento?
Hi Fran, yes you can.
Can I process and can this? I would like to give this as gifts.
Hi Barry, yes you can definitely can it. This recipe doesn't provide the steps for canning so I'd recommend following proper canning protocol.
Hello, Can I freeze this?
Hi there, yes, you can freeze this.
What a simple delicious, authentic recipe… I can’t wait to make this again
Hi Francesca, so happy you liked the caponata and really appreciate the comment!
This rates a WOW! My son planned to take his girlfriend out to dinner, but after a taste of this (and your Chicken Piccata) he decided to stay home. His girlfriend even gave me a thank-you hug.
Hi Ken, so happy you all enjoyed this and the piccata! Thanks for the comment.