Caponata
Servings: people
This authentic Sicilian caponata recipe is a bold, sweet-and-sour eggplant dish that's simple to make and packed with Mediterranean flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggplants (about 3¼ lbs / 1.5 kg), cut into dice
- 1 rib celery (about 2½ oz / 70 g), trimmed and peeled
- 1 large yellow onion (about 5 oz / 150 g), thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste (double concentrate if you can find it)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for roasting eggplant
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar plus a splash for blanching celery
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 3 tablespoons green olives pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts toasted - sub almonds
- 1 handful basil leaves for serving
- ¾ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
Instructions
- Roast the Eggplant: Cut 3 medium eggplants into chunks, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and ¾ teaspoon salt, arrange on two baking trays on a single layer and roast at 400°F for 30 minutes until golden and tender. (Air fryer works too.)
- Blanch the Celery (optional): Peel and chop 1 rib celery, then boil in water with a splash of vinegar for 2–3 minutes.
- Cook the Onions: Slice 1 large yellow onion and cook slowly in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil until soft and caramelized, about 10–15 minutes. Add a splash of water if needed.
- Build the Sauce: Stir in the celery, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon capers, and 3 tablespoons green olives. Cook for a few minutes to deepen the flavor.Add 1 tablespoon raisins, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Simmer until thick and glossy.
- Toast the Pine Nuts: Push sauce to one side of the pan, toast 1 tablespoon pine nuts on the other until golden, then mix together.
- Combine and Rest: Add roasted eggplant and cook 5 more minutes. Let rest for 2 hours (or overnight) if you can. Finish with 1 handful basil leaves (torn).
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Eggplant: Globe, Italian, or graffiti all work — just roast well for that meaty texture.
- Celery: Adds crunch. Sub with fennel stalks or green bell pepper.
- Onion: Yellow, white, or red all work. Shallots = sweeter.
- Tomato Paste: Double concentrate = best. Sub with crushed canned tomatoes.
- Olives: Castelvetrano or Manzanilla are classic. Kalamata = bolder.
- Capers: Optional. No capers? Try chopped pickles or olive brine.
- Raisins: Key to the sweet-sour flavor. Sub with currants or dried figs.
- Pine Nuts: Optional. Swap for slivered almonds or sunflower seeds.
- Vinegar: White wine is traditional. Red wine, apple cider, or balsamic work too.
- Sugar: Regular sugar is classic. Sub with honey or maple syrup if you like.
- Olive Oil: Use a good extra virgin — no substitute here.
- Fresh Basil: Add at the end. No basil? Use parsley or mint.
- Use a big tray (or two): Eggplant needs space to roast, not steam. We always use two trays.
- Low and slow onions: Take your time — caramelized onions = deeper flavor.
- Blanch the celery: Softens texture and cuts bitterness. Add vinegar to the water.
- Let it rest: The longer it sits, the better it tastes. Make it ahead if you can.
- Balance the flavor: Taste and tweak the vinegar and sugar until it’s just right.
- Don’t skip the raisins: They melt into the sauce and round out the flavor.
- Serve it your way: On toast, with grilled meats, or tossed with pasta.
- Add basil at the end: Tear it in after cooling to keep it bright and fresh.
- Double it: Caponata keeps for days and gets better with time.
