This one pan dish is a blend of sweet tomatoes and peppers, mixed with creamy eggplant, onions, salty olives and capers, and fresh garlic! It’s a delicious appetizer to serve with toasted sourdough or to enjoy on it’s own as a main meal. There is so much texture and taste in this vegan recipe that is packed with fresh vegetables!
What is Caponata?
Caponata is an Italian eggplant salad dish from Sicily. It’s made with lots of eggplant, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and of course olives and capers! Some versions of caponata call for added sweetness, but I love this version that is naturally sweetened from the tomatoes. I topped this dish with fresh parsley, which adds another level of flavor. You can enjoy this dish served hot or at room temperature!
For this recipe, you will need:
- Eggplant: this is the star ingredient of the dish and what the recipe revolves around. I suggest using traditional purple eggplant
- Bell Peppers: I used an orange pepper, one of the sweeter variations. You could also use red or yellow
- Tomatoes: I used canned diced tomatoes, which are delicious and naturally sweet
- Garlic: fresh garlic adds delicious flavor to the dish
- Greek Olives: this adds the saltiness to the dish since it is cooked into the dish rather than just added on top. I used green olives, but any work
- Capers: these are optional, but help add more flavor and saltiness to the recipe
Tips:
- After you cube your eggplant, sprinkle salt on it and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. This helps take some of the bitterness out of the vegetable
- The caponata will be more flavorful the next day
- Enjoy with sourdough bread, crackers, or enjoy with salmon
- I sauteed my eggplant, but you can also roast your eggplant to cook it
How to Store:
- Store in the refrigerator in a sealed airtight container for up to 3 days!
Eggplant Caponata
Cooking & Baking Supplies
- Our Place Always Pan
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 eggplant, cubed (about 3 ½ cups)
- 1/2 onion, chopped (½ cup)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 bell pepper, diced
- 1 15.5oz can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup green olives, halved
- 1 1/2 tbsp capers
- 1/2 tsp salt (+ extra for eggplant)
- sprinkle of pepper
- fresh parsley (to top)
Instructions
- Cut up the eggplant into cubes and place on a plate or in a bowl. Sprinkle salt over it and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- When the eggplant is ready, add oil to a skillet or large pan over low/medium heat. Add eggplant and cook until soft, stir occasionally and cover the pan to help the eggplant cook faster.
- Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the pan and saute until the pepper is soft, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, olives, caper, ¼ tsp of salt, and pepper and bring the sauce to a low boil over medium heat, then lower heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and enjoy with some toast, plain, or with a protein!
Did you make this recipe?Tag @girlswhoeat!
