Eggplant Caponata

Eggplant Caponata is a traditional Sicilian recipe made with eggplant, tomatoes, and other vegetables and seasonings. Caponata can be used as a topping for bruschetta, sauce for pasta, or as a condiment for meats and fish.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bruschetta, caponata, eggplant

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 75kcal

Author Angela Allison

Equipment

large skillet or dutch oven

Ingredients

1 large eggplant (1 to 1 ½ pounds) diced in ½ to one inch cubes
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves minced garlic (about two teaspoons)
1 15 ounce can diced plum tomatoes
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and diced
½ cup roasted red bell peppers, diced
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
fresh basil for serving

Instructions

Dice the eggplant into ½ to 1 inch cubes (skin on). Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of kosher salt over the eggplant and toss to combine. Place the eggplant in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant to remove the salt and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.
In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the diced onion and celery and cook for about 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, then remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.
To the skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the drained and dried eggplant and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add in the onion celery mixture, tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, capers, red wine vinegar, sugar, oregano, and remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook until all of the vegetables have softened, about 20 minutes.
Let caponata cool to room temperature before serving, or cover and refrigerate and served cold. Stir in or top with fresh basil before serving.

Notes

This is a great dish to make ahead. Store the caponata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Leftover caponata is great tossed with pasta or a bed of lettuce.

Nutrition