Eggplant caponata is a Sicilian vegetable dish is extremely versatile, a summery and flavorful combination of eggplant and tomatoes, all zinged up with a bit of vinegar, olives, capers, and just a bit of sugar to balance out the assertive flavors. During peak eggplant and tomato season, this is just the best thing to make and serve as an appetizer, a salad, or even a condiment. Serve cool or at room temperature.

“Caponata also makes a wonderful pasta “sauce.” Rigatoni or mezzi paccheri seem to work the best. I love anything with pasta! Thanks for all the great recipes, suggestions, and tips.” – Nancy

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Caponata makes a perfect side dish for Sheetpan Roasted Marinated Chicken and Potatoes, Pork Chops with Italian Persillade, or Honey Garlic Chicken.

What Is Caponata?

Caponata is a sweet-and-sour (or agrodolce) Sicilian eggplant salad, made with vinegar, some sweetness, olives, capers, and some form of tomatoes. Sometimes pine nuts are added, but watch out for nut allergies. Red bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, and raisins are other popular add-ins. It is called capunata in Sicily, but Caponata is the more common Italian-American spelling.

There are many ways to make caponata, and unsurprisingly, many people feel like their way is the only right way. Some people cook the vegetables in the oven; in this recipe, I sautéed them on the stove in a pan. Sometimes the celery is blanched instead of sautéed, but I felt like that was a corner I could cut. I prefer not to peel the eggplant, but if you think the skin is particularly thick, or you just don’t like the texture, you can peel it if you wish.

You could add some red pepper flakes if you want to punch up the heat.

Ingredients

• Eggplant – You can use a regular large purple globe eggplant or a few smaller eggplants, like baby eggplants, or Japanese eggplants, and you can mix and match which kinds you use. You are looking for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds eggplant.
• Kosher salt – To salt the eggplants and help extract the moisture for a more concentrated flavor.
• Olive oil – For cooking.
• Onion – The onion melts into all the ingredients.
• Celery – Offers a nice crunch, texture, and brightness to the dish.
• Tomato paste – For depth of flavor and deep umami.
• Green olives and capers – These both bring in a bit of saltiness and texture.
• Sugar – To balance the acidity and saltiness.
• Red wine vinegar – For a pop of acidity. white wine vinegar is also fine.
• Fresh parsley

How to Make Eggplant Caponata

1. Prepare the eggplant: In a colander, salt the eggplant and let it sit over the sink or a bowl for 1 hour. Turn the eggplant onto a dry, clean dish towel, and pat dry.

2. Cook the eggplant: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and add the eggplant. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender and lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate.

3. Sauté the remaining ingredients: Over medium-high heat, heat more olive oil if needed, add the onions, and sauté until almost tender. Stir in the celery and sauté for another minute, followed by the tomato paste, 1 cup water, and bring to a boil. Add the capers, sugar, vinegar, and the cooked eggplant. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat slightly, and stir in the olives.

4. Finish and serve: Add the parsley. Allow to cool to room temperature, and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Caponata Tips

• Sometimes a lot of oil is used to cook eggplant, and the eggplant is basically deep fried – sometimes it’s just sautéed. I used a generous amount of oil, but not a deep-frying level of oil.
• I have seen recipes with a lot more sugar (or sometimes honey), but I have no love for sweet vegetable salads. And because you salted the eggplant, you won’t need to add any additional salt as you prepare the recipe — plus there is salt coming from the capers and olives.
• The parsley at the end is not optional. It’s not a garnish – it’s an ingredient. This salad is earthy and lusty and begs for the freshness a big handful of chopped parsley brings. You could also try fresh mint or basil, two other great herb options.

How to Eat Caponata

You can eat caponata at room temperature or cold, but the flavors will be more developed at room temperature.

Caponata is usually eaten as part of an antipasti plate or on its own to start a meal. It’s also a great side dish for everything from chicken to fish to pork. My favorite way to serve and eat caponata is on toast, like grilled bruschetta. Caponata bruschetta is not only delicious but also fun to say (and very Italian sounding!).

You can also toss caponata with some hot cooked pasta, using it as kind of a chunky vegetable sauce. Or try serving it over hot stovetop polenta.

What to Serve With Caponata

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken

Salmon with Polenta and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette

Chicken Piccata

More Mediterranean Sides

• Mediterranean Tomato Wheat Berry Salad with Fresh Herbs
• Mediterranean Lentil, Red Onion and Avocado Salad
• Fattoush
• Farro and Tomato Salad
• Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing