I tried caponata for the first time when I lived in Italy, many years ago, and I was immediately hooked. This unbelievably flavorful southern Italian dish has since become an all-time favorite antipasto with my family. So, finally, I am able to share my recipe for the Best Sicilian Caponata with you today!
Caponata is a quintessentially summer antipasto when these tasty vegetables are available in abundance. The favorite dish has distinct Arabic and Greek influences: the Sicilians incorporated the eggplant and the agrodolce (sweet and sour) flavor profile from the Arabs and the olives from the Greeks.
Essential Ingredients for the Caponata
The essential ingredients for caponata are a variety of summer vegetables–eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and celery–which are then cooked along with tangy green olives, capers, vinegar and sweet raisins. The result is a bold, sweet, and tangy side dish or relish.
The star ingredient of the dish is of course, the eggplant. Eggplants are in regular rotation for weeknight meals throughout the Mediterranean countries. Their rich, smoky flavor and meaty texture make them a great plant-based alternative to meat and, interestingly, eggplants are often referred to as “poor man’s meat”.
Three tips for making the perfect caponata
- Cooking order is key to perfect texture: caponata is a pretty simple dish to make and it consists of several vegetables that are sautéed in olive oil. Different vegetables need different cooking times in order the retain their perfect texture. So, cooking them in a certain order will ensure perfect consistency for the final dish
- Do not omit: olives and capers are a big part of the dish as they add a sharp, tangy flavor–do not leave them out
- Make ahead: this is the perfect make-ahead dish. The longer this dish sits, the more the flavors develop
How to serve the caponata
This is one of the most versatile dishes with big, bold flavors. Served either warm or at room temperature, there are many different ways to enjoy it. Here are just a few of them:
- As an appetizer, an antipasto on top of grilled bruschetta or toasted crostini
- As a relish, alongside grilled meats or seafood
- Toss it with some cooked rice, pasta, or couscous
- Add it to a hearty frittata or a strata (an egg casserole with chunks of bread in it)
- Use it as a great vegetarian sandwich or pita filling
- As part of a charcuterie board
Similar dishes you will love!
Throughout the Mediterranean countries, there are many dishes which call for similar ingredients, but require different methods of preparation; Greek Briami and the French Provençal Ratatouille (I love Ali’s baked version), are just a two examples. All of them are equally delicious and a big part of the plant-forward Mediterranean diet. This is the perfect time of the year to give them a try!
- 2 med. Italian eggplants (about 1.5 lbs total), cut into 1” cubes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lrg. red (or yellow) bell peppers, (or, 4 smaller ones), cut into 1” cubes
- 1 lrg. yellow onion, cut into ¾” pieces
- 2 lrg. celery stalks, sliced on the diagonal into ½” slices
- ¼ tsp. dried red pepper flakes
- 3 med. tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1 lrg. clove of garlic, minced
- 1 cup small green olives, pitted
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 TBSP. capers, rinsed well and drained
- 1 TBSP. sugar (or, honey)
- 2 TBSP. red wine vinegar
- --- ---- sea salt
- ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
- --- ---- small basil leaves for garnish
- Rinse the eggplants and cut them into cubes. Core and seed the bell peppers and cut them into ¾"-1" pieces. Chop the onion and the celery, and set them aside. Then, cut the tomatoes in ½" pieces and mince the garlic.
- Place a deep sauté pan over medium heat and when hot, add the olive oil. Add the bell peppers, onion, celery, and sprinkle the pepper flakes. Cook until the onions are golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place in a bowl.
- Working in batches, and adding more olive oil to the pan if needed, spread the eggplant pieces in the same pan in a single layer. Cook the eggplants, stirring only occasionally, until the eggplants are tender, lightly browned on all sides and still hold their shape. (The eggplants are like sponges and they will absorb the olive oil quickly).
- To the pan, add the cooked vegetables, stir in the tomatoes and the garlic and season with some salt. Cook for a few minutes and then lower the heat and stir in the olives, raisins, capers, vinegar and sugar. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture begins to dry out. Remove from the heat, transfer to a serving dish and let cool.
- Just before serving, sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts, add a couple of basil leaves and serve with some hearty Sicilian bread for soaking up the sauce.
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