Healthy, hearty, and complex, this authentic Caponata Recipe combines all of the flavors of the Mediterranean into one addictive blend! Everyone will devour this sweet, tangy, salty, dish made with roasted eggplant, black olives, raisins, and more.
Delicious Caponata
Eggplant is an underappreciated vegetable, and I’m on a mission to change that, one recipe at a time. This easy Caponata is so good that it could change the mind of any eggplant hater. If you like sweet and tangy foods with plenty of roasted, caramelized notes, this one’s for you. And it’s so versatile that you’ll find yourself eating it with just about everything.
If you’re not familiar, caponata is a ratatouille-like recipe that hails from Sicily, the famous island off of Italy’s southern coast. Traditionally, the eggplant in caponata is fried – but roasting it is easier and gives the eggplant the perfect deep golden-brown color, silky texture, and meaty flavor. Tomatoes, olives, and sweet raisins also play their crucial part in this fascinating vegetarian favorite.
What Does Caponata Taste Like?
Agrodolce. That’s Italian for sour and sweet, which are two of the big, bold flavors in caponata. Thanks to the olives, it’s also salty and has a lot of meaty, umami goodness with the roasted eggplant and caramelized veggies. Once you taste it, you’re gonna be hooked!
How to Make Caponata
This recipe is loaded with fresh, flavorful ingredients, but it’s actually really easy to pull together. Even if you’re new to cooking, or you’ve never made caponata before, don’t stress – it’s going to be amazing!
Ingredients For Caponata
- Eggplant: You can use globe eggplant, which are typically sold in most grocery stores, or you could use smaller Japanese or Italian eggplants. Cut the eggplant into ½ inch cubes.
- Salt
- Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil has the boldest taste.
- Tomato Juice: Canned, bottled, or boxed is fine.
- Red Wine Vinegar: If you don’t have this, you could substitute white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Parsley: I prefer chopped, fresh parsley, but dried would also work.
- Sugar: If you like, substitute your favorite honey here.
- Fresh Tomato: Core the tomato, remove the seeds, and chop the flesh.
- Raisins: Golden raisins are my go-to, but red raisins would also be good.
- Black Olives: You want minced olives for this recipe.
- Onion: A small yellow onion, finely chopped.
- Bell Pepper: Finely chop the bell pepper, too.
- Pine Nuts: These are optional, but they add a fantastic flavor and texture!
- Ciabatta: Sliced ciabatta bread is perfect for serving your homemade caponata.
Directions
- Roast the Eggplant. First, set your oven to preheat to 400˚F. While it’s preheating, go ahead and sprinkle the eggplant cubes with salt, and set them aside for a few minutes. This will help pull some of the liquid and any bitterness from the eggplant. Pat them dry, and then place them on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat, and roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until they’re browned and tender.
- Make the Caponata Base. While the eggplant roasts, get out a big mixing bowl and whisk the tomato juice with your vinegar, parsley, sugar, chopped tomato, raisins, and olives. Make sure the sugar dissolves in there, and set this mixture aside.
- Finish the Dish. Finally, stir the cooked eggplant and tomato juice mixture into the skillet and let everything simmer together for five minutes or so until the sauce has thickened. Take the caponata off the heat. While you can serve it right away, it’s best to let it sit for an hour at room temperature before you serve it so that the flavors can develop. Even better, refrigerate it overnight.
- Enjoy! Whichever route you go, sprinkle it with pine nuts and serve it with the ciabatta when it’s time to eat.
Tips and Variations For Caponata
Before you start chopping, roasting, and mixing, be sure to check out these helpful tips for fabulous caponata. It’s a rewarding dish to get right, and each handy hint will help make sure that happens.
- Make It in Advance: Caponata tastes even better once it’s had a chance to sit for a day or so in the fridge. The flavors blend and develop even more. So you can definitely make this a day or two in advance and take advantage of the convenience and the taste.
- Roast Well: Caponata should have a soft, well-cooked texture similar to a good relish, chutney, or even jam – so don’t be afraid to cook the vegetables until they’re very tender.
- Use Seasonal Produce: Although eggplant is really crucial to caponata, the other ingredients are a bit more flexible. Feel free to throw in some yellow crookneck squash or zucchini, some sauteed leeks, celery, additional bell peppers… use what’s in season around you, and enjoy!
- Raisin Substitutes: If you don’t really want to use raisins, you can leave those out – or use another sweet, dried fruit like chopped pitted dates, prunes, or even figs. Some of these are sweeter than others, of course, so keep that in mind.
How To Serve Caponata
While Caponata is traditionally more of a relish or antipasto than a side dish or main course, it works beautifully in all settings! Here are just a few ideas:
- With Fish: Try serving caponata over or with your favorite fish – baked, poached, grilled, whatever! One Pan Risotto with Garlic Herb Tilapia would be perfect.
- With Eggs: Top a dish of your homemade caponata with a poached egg or two, and serve with crusty bread – or make this Orzo Frittata with Spinach and Feta for a vegetarian feast.
- As an Appetizer: Add this to any antipasto platter or appetizer table – especially if you add something warm and bready like this Warm Feta Cheese Bread Ring Dip. Mmm.
How to Store Leftover Caponata
- Leftover caponata can be stored in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for about a week. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.
- Caponata is freezer-friendly, but keep in mind that the texture and even the flavors of the veggies won’t be quite the same after freezing and thawing. To freeze, place cooled caponata in freezer bags or containers, leaving as little air in the bag/container as possible. Freeze for up to three months.
- Thaw in the fridge before using.
ENJOY!
Caponata Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup tomato juice
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large fresh tomato, cored, seeded and chopped
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 3 tablespoons minced black olives
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- ¼ cup pine nuts, for serving
- ciabatta slices, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- Season the eggplant cubes with salt and set aside while the oven preheats.
- Pat dry the eggplant with paper towels and transfer them to a sheet pan.
- Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned and tender.
- In the meantime, in a mixing bowl whisk together the tomato juice, vinegar, parsley, and sugar.
- To the tomato mixture, stir in the chopped tomato, raisins, and olives.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat.
- Add bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, or until softened and a bit browned.
- Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Stir in the cooked eggplant and tomato juice mixture; bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. You can cook for longer, or to desired consistency.
- Remove from heat.
- For best flavor, let the caponata sit at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
- Taste and adjust; more salt, more vinegar, etc…
- Top with pine nuts and serve with ciabatta.
Notes
- Caponata can be refrigerated for up to a week; bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
All these delicious veggies in one dish! Must make them next Sunday!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I had to try this, and I’m so glad I did… The flavor was everything! Thank you so much for that easy recipe!
That’s wonderful! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much! 🙂
Love everything in this dish! So flavorful and I feel healthier eating it!
I hope you’ll enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I honestly haven’t tried this yeat, but I am SO excited!
I hope you’ll love it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Sounds incredibly delicious! Adding on our must make list!
Thank you so much! Please enjoy! 🙂
Absolutely love this
Eye catching
Taste of
Healthy
Perfect
Replace raisins with dates at times
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I love all the flavor here, and I especially love that it delivers all that flavor with healthy ingredients!
Thank you so much, Beth! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂