Eggplant Caponata Recipe

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I’m always looking for new ways to spice up my side dish rotation, and this eggplant caponata recipe takes me right back to my Italy trips every time! With a combination of roasted eggplant and sauteed vegetables, this dish has a lot of the same ingredients and flavors of ratatouille, but with an Italian flair.

Why You’ll Love This Eggplant Caponata Recipe

Sweet, tangy, and savory flavors
Tender, chunky veggies
Easy to make
Ready in less than 30 minutes
Versatile, healthy appetizer or side dish

Eggplant caponata stirred with a wooden spoon.

What Is Caponata?

Caponata is a Sicilian vegetable dish of eggplant, tomatoes, onions, and olives in a rich tomato caper sauce. It can be served as a hot relish for an appetizer or a cold salad for a side dish.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for the best best eggplant caponata, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Vegetables – This eggplant caponata uses a combination of eggplant (I used American globe eggplant), celery, red bell pepper (or any color you like), yellow onion (but white onions works too), canned diced tomatoes (but you can use fresh), and green olives (or sub black olives).
Capers – These add a briny, tangy flavor. Feel free to skip them if you’re not a fan, as the green olives in this dish add some similar flavor.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – For sauteing and for flavor. Regular olive oil, avocado oil, or another neutral cooking oil would work fine.
Red Wine Vinegar – Balances the flavors and adds tang to the eggplant caponata. If you don’t have any, you can use another acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Feel free to throw in some crushed red pepper flakes if you want extra heat.
Garnishes – I topped this dish with pine nuts and fresh basil, but that is totally optional. You could also garnish with other fresh herbs, like chopped parsley, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

VARIATION: Add raisins!

If you don’t mind the natural sugar, stirring these in adds a nice touch of sweetness.

Eggplant caponata recipe ingredients measured out.

How To Make Caponata

This section shows how to make eggplant caponata, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Season the eggplant. Preheat your oven. Place the diced eggplant in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat.
Roast in the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the eggplant in an even layer. Roast until golden brown and tender. Set aside.

Eggplant seasoned in a bowl with a rubber spatula.

VARIATION: Saute the eggplant instead.

I love the flavor that roasting imparts in this caponata recipe, but if you want to save time, you can saute eggplant instead (just dice it like above instead of slicing).

Saute the veggies. Heat more olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or any large skillet) over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, celery, and red pepper, and cook until tender.
Saute the garlic. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
Simmer. Add the diced tomatoes, green olives, capers, red wine vinegar, and more salt and pepper. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer until the caponata sauce starts to thicken.

Diced tomatoes added to veggies in a skillet.

Add the eggplant. Stir in the roasted eggplant and cook for a couple minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste if needed.
Garnish. Remove from heat. If desired, garnish with fresh basil and pine nuts. You can serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

Roasted eggplant and garnishments added to the caponata.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep eggplant caponata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Meal prep: You can cut and store the veggies in the fridge until ready to cook. You can also make the entire dish ahead of time, as it stores well and the flavors will continue to develop over time, making it even more delicious.
Reheat: Heat in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, or in the microwave. You can also just serve cold or at room temp!
Freeze: Let the caponata cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or reheat in the oven from frozen.

What To Serve With Caponata

You can serve this Sicilian eggplant caponata recipe as a relish or a side dish, and it tastes great warm, cold, or at room temperature. Try these ways to serve it:

Grilled Meats – Mediterranean-inspired grilled chicken kabobs, herby grilled lamb chops, or even grilled salmon all pair well with this dish on the side.
Bread & Crackers – Spoon caponata over regular or toasted slices of any crusty bread that fits your lifestyle, or even crackers (I love scooping it with almond flour crackers). You can also use it in sandwiches.
Creamy Cheese – Pair caponata as an appetizer with creamy cheeses like burrata, goat cheese, or fresh mozzarella. You can even spoon it over a burrata salad!
Italian Dishes – Try mixing it into pasta (or zucchini noodles), or serve on the side with an Italian steak salad. If you have extra eggplant to use up, make eggplant rollatini or eggplant lasagna.
Eggs – Mix caponata into a frittata or egg casserole, or just use it as a topping for fried eggs.

More Eggplant Recipes

From hearty mains to side dishes, discover the versatility of the eggplant and unlock a world of delectable possibilities with these enticing recipes.

Tools For This Recipe

Baking Sheet – My favorite! The silicone coating lasts a long time and never sticks, and I love that it’s made in the USA.
Cast Iron Skillet – I love this pan for fast, even cooking, and this one goes beautifully from stovetop to table.

Caponata Recipe

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4 Comments

Jill
0 September 23, 2023Reply

I love this recipe! Since my husband became vegan and I became low carb/GF, it’s been a challenge! He can spoon this over his beloved Italian bread and I eat it sans anything. But I really want to say how much I appreciate this website, I have tried out several and this one consistently offers easy (for us blossoming cooks!) and GREAT recipes. Thank you!
Natasha
0 August 9, 2023Reply

This eggplant caponata recipe is a perfect side dish. It’s full of flavor, easy to make and super healthy! I’ve also tried serving this with crackers and they are perfect!
Olivia
0 August 8, 2023Reply

This Eggplant Caponata is packed with delicious flavors! My family and I really enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for sharing!
jess
0 August 8, 2023Reply

oh my goodness! As a fellow italian, this eggplant dish is everything that I could have asked for and more! thank you so much for sharing this recipe