We have been enjoying this homemade eggplant caponata recipe on repeat for months! A traditional Sicilian caponata is made with Italian eggplant or palermo eggplant, but we have an abundance of Japanese eggplant growing in the garden, pictured below.
What is eggplant caponata anyway? It’s a sweet and sour almost stew-like mix of diced eggplant, tomato, onion, and bell pepper that cooks on the stovetop. Depending on where you’re from and the specific recipe you’re following, you might see Sicilian caponata made with celery or almonds. And many times the eggplant is fried! But we’re using pine nuts (it’s how we’ve always eaten caponata), ditching the celery, and sticking with stove top cooking. It makes the dish a wee bit healthier, no?
No matter which version you try, the caponata recipe is likely flavored with garlic, salty, briny capers, golden raisins, a high quality aged balsamic vinegar, and the tiniest bit of sugar to help balance it all out. We add lots of fresh basil (traditional, for sure), but we also love the addition of fresh mint!
Here’s why we love this eggplant caponata recipe so much:
- Vegetarian and gluten-free! A great vegetarian and gf option that is not even remotely lacking in flavor!
- Appetizer or main meal! You can serve caponata with crostini as an easy appetizer or make it a meatless entree by increasing the serving size or even pairing it with a warm, creamy polenta!
- Inexpensive ingredients! Caponata is seriously humble. Nothing fancy or expensive here, just a combination of simple, high quality ingredients. Use a really nice balsamic vinegar, it makes all the difference!
- It’s better the next day! Just like a soup, stew, or pasta (trust us), caponata is often better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to meld together.
Ingredient Notes
- Eggplant: of course Italian eggplant is traditional in Sicilian caponata, but we’re growing lots of Japanese eggplant in the garden, so that’s what we use. Any type of eggplant is fine!
- Bell pepper: red, orange, yellow, or green! Adds a nice contrast in texture, particularly because there’s no celery in this recipe
- Red onion: cooks down until sweet and tender!
- Tomato: the water that releases from the tomatoes as they cook will help to create a sauce for the caponata!
- Garlic: always!
- Golden raisins: a much needed sweetness!
- Tomato paste: helps to thicken the caponata and give a deep tomato flavor throughout
- Capers: salty and briny!
- Sugar: to help balance out the salty, sour flavors from the eggplant, capers, and balsamic vinegar
- Fresh basil: traditional flavor component that adds brightness to the caponata recipe!
- Fresh mint: love the way the fresh, lemony mint plays off the tomatoes and basil!
- Pine nuts: for added crunch! Some recipes call for almonds, which is an okay substitution. We’d recommend slivered or sliced instead of whole almonds to maintain the right texture.
- Aged balsamic vinegar: use something high quality that’s been aged! You’ll notice that the balsamic vinegar is think and almost syrupy. That’s a good thing! It means the flavor is extremely concentrated, which pays off in a big way when making homemade caponata!
- Flaky sea salt, for serving!
How To Make Eggplant Caponata
- Sauté the eggplant. Heat 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a skillet (with lid) over medium-high heat. When hot, add diced eggplant, red onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until the eggplant has browned and the pepper has softened.
- Simmer until tender. Add 1 diced tomato, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, ¼ cup golden raisins, 2 Tbsp capers, 3 chopped garlic cloves, and 1 tsp sugar. Season with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, then stir well, using a spatula to help break up the tomato paste. Reduce heat to a simmer, then cover the skillet and cook about 10 minutes.
- Add balsamic and fresh herbs. Finish the eggplant caponata recipe with 2 Tbsp chopped basil, 1 Tbsp chopped mint, ⅓ cup pine nuts, and 3 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar. Stir well, taste, then adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve immediately or at room temperature. Transfer eggplant caponata to a serving dish or assemble on warm crostini, if serving immediately. Otherwise, allow caponata to cool to room temperature, then serve. Garnish with additional sliced basil, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Expert Tips
- Make it in advance! Yes, this is a dream to meal prep. Not only does the caponata cook quickly, but it tastes better hours or days later. Make it today, serve it tomorrow!
- Cut the vegetables into similar sized pieces! This helps to ensure even cooking, particularly since the eggplant, onion, and pepper cook at the same time.
- Use high quality aged balsamic vinegar! It really has so much more depth of flavor than a more budget-friendly generic brand.
- Use fresh herbs! Do not replace fresh basil and mint with dried herbs, it will absolutely not produce the same flavor.
If you love all things eggplant, be sure to check out our cheesy Eggplant Rollatini — it is a perfect fall or winter comfort dish that can be made ahead and is freezer-friendly!
How Long Will Eggplant Caponata Keep?
You can store eggplant caponata in a sealed, airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 1 week. It’s a great make ahead meal, because the flavor gets better the longer it sits!
Can You Freeze Caponata?
Yes, when stored properly, caponata will keep in a freezer for up to 3 months. But we 100% prefer it fresh. You risk losing some of the texture of the eggplant when you freeze and then thaw the caponata. Somewhat mushy ingredients — especially those that retain water — don’t hold up the best when frozen.
How To Serve
We love to toss this with pasta or serve caponata simply over crostini, but you could also spoon this over grilled chicken, fish, or pork for a sweet and sour type of dish!
Making this in the fall or winter? Serve it over warm, creamy mushroom polenta.
Simple ingredients, but a seriously deep, bold flavor. This Eggplant Caponata recipe is an absolute must make! Please let us know if you try it by leaving a review and rating below!
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More appetizers to try!
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Eggplant Caponata Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb eggplant Italian or Japanese work great, cut into ¼" cubes
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 medium tomato roughly chopped
- ½ medium red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 2 Tbsp capers drained
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Flaky sea salt for serving
- Crostini or crackers optional, for sercing
Instructions
- Sauté the eggplant. Heat 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a skillet (with lid) over medium-high heat. When hot, add diced eggplant, red onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until the eggplant has browned and the pepper has softened.
- Simmer until tender. Add 1 diced tomato, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, ¼ cup golden raisins, 2 Tbsp capers, 3 chopped garlic cloves, and 1 tsp sugar. Season with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, then stir well, using a spatula to help break up the tomato paste. Reduce heat to a simmer, then cover the skillet and cook about 10 minutes.
- Add balsamic and fresh herbs. Finish the eggplant caponata recipe with 2 Tbsp chopped basil, 1 Tbsp chopped mint, ⅓ cup pine nuts, and 3 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar. Stir well, taste, then adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve immediately or at room temperature. Transfer eggplant caponata to a serving dish or assemble on warm crostini, if serving immediately. Otherwise, allow caponata to cool to room temperature, then serve. Garnish with additional sliced basil, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include crostini.
- Make-ahead friendly! Will keep for up to 1 week in a refrigerator and tastes better the next day!
Let us know your thoughts!