Eggplant Caponata (Sicilian Caponata di Melanzane)
A traditional Sicilian appetizer or side dish, this Eggplant Caponata is made with lots of seasoned fresh veggies and delicious served on top of some crusty bread.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 98kcal
Equipment
- Parchment paper (optional, but makes cleanup much simpler)
Ingredients
- 1 large red bell pepper, halved (see Note 1)
- 1 large eggplant, diced
- 1 ¼ tsp salt, or more to taste
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ of a medium red onion, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- 2 ribs celery, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- 1 tsp chili flakes, optional
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (see Note 2)
- 1 Parmesan rind, optional (see Note 3)
- 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, chopped (or other green olives of choice)
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
For Serving
- Crusty bread or crackers, optional (see Note 4)
Instructions
- Add the eggplant pieces to a mixing bowl and season with 1 tsp salt, tossing to ensure all pieces are well coated
- Set aside for 20 minutes (this helps to draw out moisture and remove bitterness)
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Drain and rinse eggplant well to remove excess salt then pat very dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and season with ½ tsp black pepper; add the red pepper and press flat then toss everything with 1 tbsp olive oil (see Note 5)
- Roast for 30 minutes or until lightly charred then remove the eggplant from the baking sheet and return the red pepper to the oven; broil for 1 minute or until the skin is charred and blistered then set the oven back to 400℉ (see Note 1)
- Once the red pepper has cooled, peel and remove the skin, then dice
- Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil
- Add the onion and celery and sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add the chili flakes and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant
- Add the tomatoes, Parmesan rind and olives and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tomatoes have started to break down and the consistency is saucy (see Note 2)
- Stir in the roasted eggplant and roasted red pepper along with the capers, honey, red wine vinegar, the remaining ½ tsp black pepper and salt to taste
- Remove the Parmesan rind and discard, then stir in the fresh parsley
- Serve on top of toasted crusty bread or with crackers
Notes
Note 1: I make a roasted red pepper for this recipe at the same time as I roast the eggplant because it’s super simple and I already have the oven on. If you prefer, you can just used jarred roasted red peppers.
Note 2: I prefer ripe fresh tomatoes here, but you can definitely substitute for canned diced tomatoes; just make sure to drain them or the caponata will be saucier.
Note 3: I only use freshly grated cheeses, so I cut off the rind from my Parmesan and throw it in. I also keep extra rinds in my freezer (which I highly recommend doing because they add great flavor to soups and sauces). If you don’t have a Parmesan rind on hand, you can skip it.
Note 4: Caponata is best served at room temperature or cold on top of toasted crusty bread. It's also great with crackers, with pasta or just on its own. For a twist on the classic recipe, try my cheesy Caponata Pasta Bake.
Note 5: Traditionally, the eggplant in Caponata is fried, but I prefer to oven roast it for a lighter version. You can absolutely fry it, just follow the same steps of salting and rinsing it first.
Nutrition Facts are calculated automatically and may be inaccurate.
Nutrition
Serving: 10 servings | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1131IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg