Easy Eggplant Caponata
Feb 14, 2025 11:06 PM
Eggplant caponata is a delicious simple appetizer made of roasted eggplant, tomatoes, and olives seasoned with red wine vinegar, capers, and fresh herbs. Sometimes called Italian ratatouille this sweet-and-sour appetizer is brimming with Italian flavor and perfect served at room temperature as a bruschetta topping.
This easy classic Mediterranean dish is perfect to make when produce is at its prime. Most of the ingredients are available at grocery stores year round making it flavor-packed appetizer to serve with crusty bread or other antipasto items any time. The bold flavors are exciting and delicious. It’s a versatile dish with tangy flavors that make it a delicious appetizer.
Eggplant caponata is a regional dish that is made in many different versions. Most are from Sicily or Tuscany and within those areas there are more than 40 known versions. They vary in whether they are made with peeled or unpeeled eggplant, whether the eggplant is roasted or pan fried, using fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes or tomato paste. The sweetness may be heightened by adding golden raisins in some versions. You get the idea.
It’s best served at room temperature or cold (great for a picnic) and is better the next day after making (or even the second or third day) when the flavors have had a chance to blend together. The bright, slightly sour or briney flavors make it a great relish for rich, fattier cuts of meat like steak or lamb too. It’s an easy recipe for a classic Siciillian appetizer that is really the star of the show.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds eggplant approximately 2 medium-large eggplants, cut into ½” cubes (unpeeled)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup olives pitted and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers in brine drained
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
35 minutes
Total Time:
65 minutes
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