The humble eggplant takes center stage when it comes to Sicilian cooking. Eggplant Caponata, a Sicilian eggplant recipe, has a flavorful blend of sweet and sour flavors all in one dish. This classic Sicilian appetizer is even tastier served the next day!
When you think of Sicilian cooking, one of the first ingredients that comes to mind is the iconic eggplant. During a recent trip to Sicily, the number of dishes featuring eggplant I sampled was mind-boggling. The record was five dishes during one meal!
And then, of course, there is eggplant caponata. The sweet and sour Sicilian eggplant antipasto that is infamous all over this island! This blend of eggplant, onion, celery, tomatoes, olives and capers has a unique flavor due to the addition of sugar and red wine vinegar that take this dish to a whole new level.
You'll also find variations of this traditional dish which may include peppers; zucchini; potatoes as well as raisins and pine nuts.
What is the difference between ratatouille and caponata?
At first glance you may think that caponata is just like ratatouille! Both consist of a medley of vegetables cooked with tomatoes.
However, the key difference between ratatouille and caponata are the sweet and sour flavorings (sugar and vinegar) added to the caponata at the end of cooking that give it it's distinct flavor.
Caponata is usually served as antipasto and is best enjoyed at room temperature in order to allow the flavors to mingle.
Frying vs oven roasting eggplant for caponata
I'm well aware that purists will say that the only way to cook the eggplant for caponata is by frying it. But I've long switched to oven roasting, and here are my reasonsy why!
- Since there is no frying involved this method is fuss free.
- Oven roasting ensures that each piece of eggplant is evenly roasted.
- This method is also time saving. While the eggplant is cooking, you can prepare the remaining ingredients and toss in the eggplant during the last few minutes of cooking.
Eggplant Caponata Ingredient List
- Eggplant: any variety will do including globe eggplant found in most grocery stores.
- Tomatoes: I used fresh tomatoes from my garden but in a pinch canned diced tomatoes also work.
- Olives: caponata is usually made with green olives. However, I brought back a batch of my favorite black olives cured by my lovely cousin in Sicily. I decided I needed to incorporate them in my caponata. It was just as delicious!
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
How to make Eggplant Caponata
- Salt the eggplant: cut 2 large eggplants into approximate 1 inch cubes. Place in a large bowl, salt generously and cover with water. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain, rinse and pat dry. Place cubed eggplant on two parchment paper lined baking sheets. Be sure to generously coat your eggplant with olive oil.
- Roast in a 400 degrees F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until soft and golden.
- While the eggplant is roasting, in a large skillet heat olive oil and sauté a diced onion for 3 minutes.
- Stir in chopped celery, a pinch of salt and cover. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes until the celery is slightly softened.
- Uncover and stir in diced tomatoes, cook 5 minutes.
- Add olives; capers; sugar and vinegar and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes longer.
- Toss in the roasted eggplant and stir to coat. Cook for 5 more minutes. Adjust seasoning ,if needed.
- Stir in fresh basil leaves at the end of cooking.
- Transfer to a serving dish and let sit for at least one hour before serving.
Eggplant Caponata Recipe FAQs
-Serve eggplant caponata at room temperature, or even the following day, in order to allow the flavors to mingle.
-Enjoy as antipasto (appetizer); a side dish or as a vegetarian main dish along with plenty of crusty Italian bread!
Feel free to experiment by adding other vegetables such as peppers; zucchini and I have even sampled a variation with potatoes!
Other possible additions include raisins (added at the same time as the olives and capers) and pine nuts, stirred in at the end of cooking.
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days. Let the caponata come to room temperature before serving.
Yes it can! Store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before serving.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how much you enjoyed it in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
More Sicilian eggplant recipes!
Eggplant Caponata Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Italian eggplants about 2 lbs
- 8 tbsp. olive oil divided
- 1 onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 4 large tomatoes (1 lb), diced
- ½ cup green or black olives whole or pitted
- 1-2 tbsp. capers
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- handful fresh basil leaves chopped or hand torn
Instructions
Salt the eggplant
- Cut the eggplants into approximate 1 inch cubes. Place in a large bowl, salt generously and cover with water. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain, rinse and pat dry.
Cook the eggplant
- Preheat oven to 400F and cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Distribute the eggplant cubes in the pans and toss with 3 tbsp. of olive oil in each pan. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking.
Cook the remaining ingredients
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat 2 tbsp. olive oil on medium-high heat, add onion, cook for 3 minutes. Stir in celery, add a pinch of salt, lower heat, cover the pan and let the celery cook for 5 minutes.
- Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in olives, capers sugar, red wine vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the roasted eggplant and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
- Remove from heat and stir in the basil.
Notes
Tips and suggestions:
- If you don't have access to fresh, ripe tomatoes use canned diced tomatoes instead.
- Green olives may substituted for the black olives.
Kathryn Petrillo
So glad to have found this recipe. Thanks. Was a delicacy in my house.
Nadia
Thank you Kathryn, so glad to hear you enjoyed my caponata recipe!
Valerie
Our local market has a ‘day-old’ section in their produce dept…yesterday, I picked up a couple of reduced-price eggplants still in great shape, but not really sure what I had planned for them. I had a lovely crusty baguette I needed to make use of as well, and then remembered a Sicilian friend’s mom makes this fabulous Caponata…but I don’t have her recipe. After a quick google search, I came across & then made, this Fabulous recipe…the hubby wants to know why I’ve never made this before!!!
For the tomatoes, I used some homegrown cherry tomatoes from last year that had been slightly roasted, cut in half, then frozen in ziploc bags. After thawing them, I removed the skins & most of the seeds, and drained them well.
This was Delicious & will definitely be enjoyed again & again! Thanks for a Great recipe!
Nadia
Hi Valerie, I'm glad to hear you discovered my recipe! It must have been so tasty with your homegrown tomatoes. Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Betsy
This is delicious. Except for the capers and olives, I was able to use all vegetables and herbs from my CSA share. Then I pressure canned it, so that I could enjoy organically grown caponata in the middle of winter! Grazie.
Nadia
Hi Betsy, I love it when I have all the ingredients handy for a recipe. Glad to hear you enjoyed it and great idea to can it for later. You'll be sure to enjoy it in the middle of winter! Thanks for your commnet!
Anna Cutaia Ruggero
I loved it. Why have I waited so long to learn about Caponata? Raised by my Sicilian Nana, from Campofelice do Fitalia...she never made this. I love it! Fresh tomatoes, eggplant, basil from the garden.
Thanks. Grazie ! mangia,mangia....
Nadia
Hi Anna, so glad you enjoyed it! It really is best with your own garden vegetables of course. Grazie!
Lisa
Been making caponata for over 50 years
I am impressed with you and your recipe it’s the same as mine
Nadia
Hi Lisa, thank you for your kind feedback! This is definitely one of my favorite ways to enjoy eggplant!
Ruby
Can I add raisins and red pepper to the caponata?
Nadia
Hi Ruby, you most definitely can! There are so many wonderful variations of caponata, some even add pine nuts. Please let me know how yours turns out and thanks for stopping by my blog!
annie@ciaochowbambina
I have been wanting to make homemade eggplant caponata for the longest time! Thank you for sharing!
mangiabedda@gmail.com
Hi Anne, you're so very welcome! Thanks for stopping by!