This incredible Sicilian-style Eggplant Caponata is a sweet and salty appetizer that combines eggplant, peppers, onions, olives, capers, pignoli and raisins and is perfect by itself, slathered on crusty bread, or as a topping for sandwiches.
Editor’s Note: Originally published on June 18, 2019. Updated with improved recipe, expanded information, and new photos on July 23, 2024.
I’ve sampled many different types of eggplant caponata from storebought to homemade, and this is the recipe I come back to again and again.
It’s easy to make and so much better (and less expensive) than jarred caponata; once you make it yourself you’ll never buy storebought again!
The sweet raisins, peppers, and onions perfectly complement the salty capers and olives, and the sour vinegar and they all combine beautifully with the delicious roasted eggplant!
I love to include eggplant caponata on an antipasto platter, and it’s also great alongside other appetizers such as zucchini bruschetta and cannellini dip.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Eggplant. I’m using American eggplants and when selecting them I look for medium-sized eggplants that are dark, shiny, and firm to the touch.
- Olives and capers. Green Castelvetrano olives are my go-to for eggplant caponata. Look for ones that are already pitted or, you can remove the pits yourself. Be sure to rinse the capers to remove additional salt.
- Raisins. Raisins or currants are added to many Sicilian dishes. They add sweetness and texture to the caponata. If you don’t want to use them, you can omit but you may need to replace with a touch more sugar.
- Herbs. Fresh herbs like parsley, mint, and basil all work well with caponata.
- Pignoli. Also called pine nuts, these tend to be on the pricier side but you can find better prices at Costco or Trader Joe’s. You can also omit them but the do add great texture and flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat the oven to 425f and set the rack to the middle level. Cut 2 pounds of eggplant into 1 1/2 inch cubes and toss them with 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, then spread the cubes onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets taking care to not overcrowd the pieces. If the eggplant looks at all dry, add a drizzle of olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes or until the eggplant is fully cooked through and soft in the middle.
- While the eggplant is roasting, chop 3 celery ribs and 1 large red bell pepper. Slice 1 medium red onion, chop 1 cup of pitted green olives, and mince 1/4 cup of flat-leaf Italian parsley and set aside. In a dry pan over medium heat toast 1/3 cup of pignoli nuts for about 5 minutes taking care to not burn them. As they toast they’ll become fragrant and turn a light golden color. Once toasted, set them aside.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat with 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, then add the celery, red onion, and bell pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes or until softened.
- Add 1 6-ounce can of tomato paste and continue to cook for another 5 minutes stirring frequently. If the paste starts to burn at all, add a few ounces of water. Add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar along with the chopped olives, 2 tablespoons of rinsed capers, 1/4 cup of raisins, and 2 tablespoons of sugar and cook for 5 minutes to allow the vinegar and sugar to cook through and incorporate into the sauce.
- By now the eggplant should be done and you can remove from the oven and test for doneness with a fork.
- Add the roasted eggplant to the pan and gently mix it all together taking care to not mash the eggplant. Taste test the caponata – if you’d like more acidity, add a touch more vinegar, and if you’d like it sweeter add more sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove from the heat and add the pine nuts and parsley (or other fresh herbs).
- You can serve the caponata immediately, but it will taste better if it sits in the fridge overnight. Eggplant caponata can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. Enjoy!
Top tips
- Roasting vs. frying. Traditionally caponata is made by frying the eggplant in olive oil. Frying will take less time (about 7-10 minutes in the oil per batch), but you may need to fry in multiple batches and your attention needs to stay on the eggplant. I prefer to roast because it’s more hands-off which means I can start cooking the other ingredients while the eggplant roasts.
- Don’t over-salt! Olives and capers are salty ingredients which is why salt was kept to a minimum in this recipe. Aside from salting the eggplant prior to roasting, salt is to taste only, so be sure to taste-test before adding additional salt.
- Additions. My recipe for caponata can easily be added to; some great additions would be zucchini, anchovies, and as mentioned before, other herbs such as mint and basil. For a full meal, check out my recipe for chicken agrodolce which is basically chicken with eggplant caponata plus/minus a few ingredients.
More Italian appetizers
Here are a few more of my favorite Italian appetizer recipes. I hope you love them!
- Peperonata – with sweet bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes.
- Cherry pepper spread – bell peppers, hot cherry peppers, tomatoes, and garlic.
- Fried zucchini – crisp and golden with marinara on the side.
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Eggplant Caponata
Ingredients
For the eggplant
- 2 pounds eggplant cut into 1 1/2" cubes
- 1/2 cup olive oil plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pignoli nuts
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 cup chopped pitted green olives
- 2 tablespoons capers rinsed
- 1/4 cup raisins optional
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 3 tablespoons mint and/or basil for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the eggplant
- Preheat oven to 425f and set the rack to middle level. Toss the cubed eggplant with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the eggplant out onto parchment paper lined baking sheet(s), making sure to not overcrowd the pieces. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until fully cooked through and soft in the middle.
Meanwhile
- Toast the pignoli nuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat for approximately 5 minutes being careful not to burn. Once toasted, set aside.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat with extra virgin olive oil. Add the celery, red onion, and bell pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes or until softened.
- Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If the paste starts to burn, add a few ounces of water to the pan. Next, add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the green olives, capers, raisins, sugar, and 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 the acidity and add more sugar or vinegar if required. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- When satisfied with the taste, turn off the heat and add the parsley and pignoli nuts. Mix well. Caponata can be eaten right away but it's better to refrigerate overnight so that the flavors meld together. Enjoy!
Notes
- Makes 6 large or 8 moderate servings.
- Caponata tastes much 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. Season to taste after adding all of the salty ingredients.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published on June 18, 2019. It was completely updated on July 23, 2024.
Excellent
I’ve tried many Caponata recipes and this is my all time favorite . I make this at least 2-3times a month. Great on top of Chicken breast or grilled Salmon as well as crackers or grilled bread with ricotta. YUM
We are so happy you love the recipe, Myrna!
I made this last week and it is absolutely delicious and easy to make. Thank you for sharing.
We’re so happy you enjoyed, Claudia!
I tried this recipe and it’s the best, hands down, caponata recipe I’ve had!
Really good, thank you for sharing 😊
I loved it! So delicious. My only issue was the skin of the eggplant came off some of it and it was hard to chew. Is that common or did I do something wrong?
Hi Maddy, that can happen but it shouldn’t be hard to chew if it’s cooked. You can remove the skin in the future if you find it to be troublesome.
My first attempt to make this and it came out delicious. I love all of your recipes and have tried many. I grew up on Italian American cooking and I’m so glad you also provide videos as an instruction method.
Great recipe, I love your videos on You tube. You and your son bring back memories of my youth with my Dad. Keep it up, hopefully you are making a buck doing this, I’m sure it takes a lot of effort.
I’ve been making caponata for years and your method is the best. Saved so much time. I have a question. I made a double batch can I freeze the caponata?
Hi Sandy, we’re so happy you like the caponata recipe! Yes, you can defintely freeze the caponata. Thanks for the comment!
I’ve made this several times during the summer and everyone loves it! It reminds me of the caponata my grandmother made years ago.
Hi Joanne, thanks for the comment and it’s great to hear you enjoyed the caponata!