Sicilian summer vegetable stew is a delicious medley of vegetables fragrant with fresh basil and mint. Enjoy as a main dish with fresh, crusty bread or a side dish. The easiest way to enjoy your garden vegetables this summer!
What is canazzo?
Sicilian canazzo is a combination of vegetables simmered until tender and flavored with mint and basil just before serving. This one pan meal is basically summer in one dish!
You can enjoy this summer vegetable stew as a light lunch along with fresh bread or as a side with grilled meat; fish or poultry.
This recipe may sound very familiar to you. In fact it is quite similar to Neapolitan ciambotta or even ratatouille. But in Sicily it is called by the curious name canazzo!
Canazzo or canazzu in Sicilian means thrown together without much attention to detail or precision. And that is truly what this rustic dish is all about, just a bunch of vegetables tossed into a large pan and stewed.
In fact, this recipe is a mere suggestion. You can vary the quantities of vegetables or use what you have. If you have only one zucchini lying around, add one instead of two or omit them entirely; if you prefer more potatoes, toss in a couple of extra. There really aren’t many rules when it comes to canazzo.
This recipe makes approximately 8 servings as a side dish or 4-6 as a main. If you happen to have leftovers, this dish is delicious served at room temperature the following day!
What is the difference between Sicilian caponata and canazzo?
At first glance, the two dishes may not be easy to distinguish as they are both made with eggplant. However there are key differences between caponata and this Sicilian summer vegetable stew:
- Caponata is a sweet and sour recipe with sugar and vinegar added at the end of cooking.
- Canazzo is made with potatoes; peppers and zucchini which are not typically present in caponata.
- Caponata ingredients include celery; sliced olives and some also add capers.
- The eggplant in caponata is traditionally fried (although I oven roast mine until nicely browned!) while this summer vegetable medley is stewed with the lid on until all vegetables are cooked.
Ingredient List
- Eggplant: I used one large globe eggplant but any variety will do
- Potatoes
- Peppers: choose a variety of colors
- Zucchini
- Cherry tomatoes: or whole tomatoes if that’s what you have handy
- Onion
- Fresh basil
- Fresh mint
- Olive oil
- Salt, to taste
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.
Step by Step Instructions
- Begin by prepping your vegetables: wash well and cut into uniform pieces:
- Peel and cube potatoes
- Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and trim off the white membrane, slice into 1-inch strips and cut each strip into 3 or 4 pieces
- Slice the zucchini lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch half moon pieces
- Trim both ends of the eggplant; slice into 1/2-inch rounds crosswise and cut each round into roughly 1-inch cubes.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half
- Dice the onion.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the potatoes, a pinch of salt and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggplant, zucchini, peppers and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add the cherry tomatoes; a pinch of salt and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in 1/2 cup water, lower to a simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- If the pan is dry, pour in a couple of tbsps. of water at a time, as needed.
- When the potatoes are cooked through, uncover and cook for 5 additional minutes.
- Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Remove from the heat, stir in chopped basil and mint and drizzle with a little extra olive oil on top.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
-You may vary the quantities of vegetables according to what you have on hand ie: 1 pepper instead of 2; 2 eggplants; more potatoes if you like; omit the zucchini if you don’t have any etc…
-The use of mint is traditional in this summer vegetable stew however if you’re not a fan, substitute with parsley.
-The recipe may be halved.
This stew is traditionally cooked on the stove top. However, you may combine all the ingredients (except for the herbs), spread them out in 2 sheet pans and roast at 400 degrees F until all vegetables are cooked through. Be sure to coat the potatoes thoroughly in olive oil to ensure they cook well.
-Enjoy as a main course along with crusty bread.
-Serve as a side dish alongside grilled meat; poultry or fish.
-This dish would also be delicious tossed with your favorite pasta!
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days. Enjoy at room temperature or reheat in a pan or in the oven.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
*****
Check out more Sicilian vegetable recipes!
- Italian Green Bean Salad
- Tomato, Cucumber, Onion Salad with Celery
- Italian Potato Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Salad and Tomatoes
- Herb and Garlic Marinated Roasted Vegetables
- Sicilian Orange and Fennel Salad
- Grilled Zucchini with Mint and Vinegar
- Spring Vegetable Stew with Fava Beans with Peas
- Swiss Chard with Potatoes and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil plus extra for drizzling at the end of cooking
- 1 large white onion
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 bell peppers
- 2 medium zucchini
- 2¼ cups cherry tomatoes
- handful fresh basil
- handful fresh mint
- salt to taste
Instructions
Prep your vegetables
- Peel and cube potatoes.
- Cut the peppers in half, remove seeds and membrane, slice into 1-inch strips and cut each strip into 3 or 4 pieces.
- Slice the zucchini lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch half moon pieces.
- Trim both ends of the eggplant; slice into 1/2-inch rounds crosswise and cut each round into roughly 1-inch cubes.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Dice the onion.
Cook the vegetables
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the potatoes, a pinch of salt and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggplant, zucchini, peppers and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add the cherry tomatoes; a pinch of salt and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in 1/2 cup water, lower to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. If the pan is dry, pour in a couple of tbsps. of water at a time, as needed.
- When the potatoes are cooked through, uncover and cook for 5 additional minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Remove from the heat, stir in chopped basil and mint and drizzle with a little extra olive oil on top.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
-The use of mint is traditional in this recipe however if you’re not a fan, substitute with parsley.
-The recipe may be halved. Can this dish be oven roasted instead? This stew is traditionally cooked on the stove top. However, you may combine all the ingredients (except for the herbs), spread them out in 2 sheet pans and roast at 400 degrees F until all vegetables are cooked through. Be sure to coat the potatoes thoroughly in olive oil to ensure they cook well. To Serve -Enjoy as a main course along with crusty bread.
-Serve as a side dish alongside grilled meat; poultry or fish.
-This dish would also be delicious tossed with your favorite pasta! Storage Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days. Enjoy at room temperature or reheat in a pan or in the oven.
Leave a Reply