Eggplant Caponata Recipe (Authentic Sicilian Dish)

This Eggplant Caponata Recipe is the perfect traditional Italian condiment that’s great for topping bruschetta, tossing with pasta, or topping grilled meats. Traditional caponata that’s easy to put together and great for any occasion.

Caponata is an Italian specialty with origins in Sicily. It is the essence of Mediterranean cuisine with its flavors and combination of fresh and brined vegetables.

Eggplant Caponata can have many uses. It’s a great accompaniment to an antipasto platter or a topping for bruschetta. Toss it with fresh pasta and you have a delicious meal.

There are numerous versions of caponata out there. Some use raisins, hard boiled eggs, or pine nuts. Here, I’ll show you my favorite caponata recipe, which includes kalamata olives, jarred roasted red bell peppers, and capers.

For another tasty side dish, be sure to try this Farro Salad Recipe or this Italian Roasted Vegetable dish! And, if you love eggplant, be sure to try this Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich or Ciambotta recipe! For a classic Sicilian dessert, give this Lemon Polenta Cake a try!

What is Eggplant Caponata?

Caponata is a traditional Sicilian dish consisting of diced cooked eggplant, onions, celery, tomatoes, and other vegetables. The dish is cooked with olives, capers, and olive oil. There are numerous variants of caponata, some including pine nuts, raisins, and carrots.

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata is typically used as a side dish for meat and fish dishes, or as an appetizer. My favorite way to serve eggplant caponata is on top of bruschetta or alongside crusty bread.

This is sure to be one of your new favorite eggplant recipes. Full of bold flavors and slightly sour flavors, it’s the only homemade caponata recipe you’ll need. 

You’ll love how this versatile dish goes with everything. It’s great as a side, topped on crostata, or tossed with hot pasta for a main course. 

I also love to toss any leftovers with fresh pasta for a main dish. Eggplant Caponata is great to make ahead and tastes even better the next day! Be sure to give this versatile recipe a try!

INGREDIENTS AND VARIATIONS

• Eggplant: you will need one large eggplant (about 1 to 2 pounds). You can either peel the skin or leave it on. 
• Canned plum tomatoes: diced canned tomatoes add a chunky texture and classic Italian flavor. You could use tomato sauce for more of a saucy caponata. 
• Capers: salty capers add a great flavor to the caponata. 
• Olives: you can make this with green olives, black olives, or Kalamata olives. 
• Celery: crunchy celery is a classic ingredient in Sicilian caponata. 
• Onion: use yellow, white, or red onion. 
• Peppers: jarred roasted red bell peppers add a delicious sweetness and texture to the recipe. 

• Garlic: you’ll need about 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic. 
• Vinegar: red wine vinegar adds the sour taste to the recipe. You could substitute balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar. 
• Sugar: use a bit of granulated sugar to offset the sour flavors of the eggplant caponata recipe.
• Olive oil: you’ll need a bit of extra-virgin olive oil for the fried eggplant. 
• Salt: kosher salt is best for removed the excess moisture from the eggplant as well as flavoring the dish. 
• Seasonings: I use a bit of dried oregano and lots of fresh basil to finish off the caponata and add great flavor. 
• Variations: add in golden raisins, pine nuts, carrots, red pepper flakes, or fresh parsley to change the flavors of your caponata. 

How to Make Eggplant Caponata

This traditional eggplant caponata recipe includes traditional elements like eggplant, tomatoes, onion, celery, and capers. Here, I use kalamata olives instead of green, and I omit the raisins and pine nuts. Feel free to substitute or add in whatever ingredients you prefer.

Before you start, you will need to make sure that you have a large skillet or dutch oven to cook the caponata. I like to use my Le Creuset Braiser. It’s versatile enough to use everyday and great for making sauces or meatballs.

Read on to see how to make this delicious and flavorful Eggplant Caponata Recipe. With its slightly salty sweet bite, it’s sure to be your new favorite.

Step 1: Prepare the Eggplant

Prior to frying the eggplant, you will need to salt and drain it to remove excess moisture. This is a simple step that will really bring out the flavors of the eggplant without all of the moisture.

Firstly, dice the eggplant into small chucks – about ½ to 1 inch cubes. Then, sprinkle the eggplant with kosher salt and place in a colander to drain. Alternately, you can place the eggplant on sheets of paper towels.

Let the eggplant sit for at least thirty minutes, then rinse under cold water to remove the salt. Lastly, pat the eggplant dry with a paper towel and set aside.

Step 2: Pan Fry the Vegetables

While the eggplant sits, you can begin prepping the other vegetables for this recipe. Once the veggies are diced, move on to preparing the caponata.

Firstly, fry the onions and celery. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Then add in the diced onion and celery. Stir until softened, about 7 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.

Then, heat the remaining olive oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add in the drained and dried eggplant cubes. Cook until you lightly brown the eggplant, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Add remaining ingredients and simmer

Once the eggplant is cooked, add back in the onion mixture along with the eggplant pieces. Then, stir in the diced plum tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, olives, capers, red wine vinegar and seasonings.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and reduce heat. Let cook, stirring frequently, until the some of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture has softened. Cool to room temperature and serve or refrigerate for later use.

I find a day or two in the refrigerator can really bring out the flavors of the caponata… if you can wait that long!

More Classic Italian Recipes

I hope you love this Eggplant Caponata Recipe. Be sure to comment below if you try it. Enjoy!