Eggplant caponata is a delicious relish or appetizer that can be served hot or cold! Serve with toasted crusty bread.
I added toasted pignoli nuts, golden raisins and a touch of heat from a little crushed red pepper. It truly is alive with tasty good flavors.
My grandmother and mother made this when I was a child. I have been trying to duplicate it for years. This is exactly how it tasted, better than I could remember how to make it. It is great hot or cold. I will be making it again and taking some to my brothers and sisters. Only change I made was to cook everything together in one skillet.
I cut the olive oil back to 1 tablespoon and I did the math. The entire recipe comes to 536 calories (when you use 1 tablespoon of oil instead of 1/4 cup). 4 servings of 134 each. I serve it over 2 oz of whole grain pasta for a yummy meatless Monday at 315 calories /10 grams of protein/ 10 grams of fiber. I am sure it’s better with 1/4 cup of oil but I am trying to stay under 1200 calories a day. Delicious!
This is good but I made a few changes which based on a friend’s Italian mother’s recipe (which I lost) May make it better. I did not peel or salt the eggplant- not necessary in my opinion. Used fresh, not canned tomatoes because it was what I had on hand. I wasn’t sure about the celery, and I thought last time I made caponata I used red pepper, so I did 1/2 c of celery and 1/2 cup red pepper. I used less oil than called for, seemed like a lot. I used 2 tbsp and added an extra tbsp of tomato paste. I added fresh basil (chopped), and assumed the author meant for dried oregano, not fresh. Lastly I used less vinegar than called for, and even at that I felt it overpowered. As a result I needed to add about an extra 1/2 tsp sugar and a bit more salt. With those changes, I thought this was quite good both warm, and even better next day.
Turned out great! I didn’t even need to add any sugar, vinegar or seasonings at the end as it was very flavourful. I served it with Italian sausage and toasted baguette for supper and strawberry salad afterward.
This the way I always make my Caponata! It's like you're inside my head- because I didn't write it down. It is very delicious! Bravo!
I’ve made it many times over the summer since I had a great eggplant crop! The only change I made is to add a few of my homegrown purple peppers and a teaspoon of Hersey’s dark cocoa powder.... something I read in Mario Batali’s recipe.
OMG! This is a wonderful recipe. The taste in this dish all marry so nicely. I did use 2 Japanese eggplants, and black olives and omitted the sugar. I served it as a side dish with a steak. Next time I will use it as an appetizer with some french bread
Used olives instead of capers and did not take celery + onion out while brown eggplant. Otherwise did everything as in recipe. Turned out absolutely delicious!
Omg! Husband has always said he hates tomatoes. Guess who licked the pan, spatula and the stove! So glad I planted eggplant this year. I will again next year too!
It tastes good warm but after refrigerating leftovers it was even better cold. Best compliment is I had to keep going back to fridge for a few more bites until it was all gone! Only thing I added was a little drizzle of olive oil at the end. Great recipe!
Oh so good! I had some zucchini that I needed to use up so I put that in too.
Very pleased with this recipe - I did not use celery, other than that no changes. Delicious!
My new favorite way to eat eggplant! Used regular canned tomatoes because my local store didn’t have plum tomatoes (or I just couldn’t find them). Skipped the green olives because the hubby doesn’t like them. So, so good. I’ll be making this many more times.
I left out the sugar, and would leave out the red wine vinegar the next time.
Loved this recipe! Delicious! I served it as an appetizer on french bread and everyone commented on how good it was. Followed the recipe and thought it was spot on.
I made this to bring for a dinner party because I had an abundant garden harvest of eggplant this year. It was well received and the flavors are complex and interesting. I don't know if I'd make it again, it wasn't my favorite, but hubs and dinner guests said they liked it a lot; there was little left and I was asked for the recipe (of course, we talked about how much we love All Recipe!). Only substitution was to use garden fresh tomato vs. canned.
Absolutely delicious. I gave my Italian husband a teaspoon to taste to see what he thought and he wanted more. I made it for an Italian birthday party I am hosting on Saturday. I’m really happy with the results.
Fantastic! I have never had this particular dish before but loved it! I used fresh tomatoes from my friend's garden because that is what I had on hand. Followed the recipe other than forgetting the sugar ( because I was too busy taste-testing ). Had it served hot the first day, today cold. Yyyyeeesss!!!! I think I may have to do this often. Too many possibilities to enjoy a healthy, flavorful food! Thank you!!!
Followed the recipe to the tee.. Was just how I remembered as my mom and Nona made it. Delicious l!
needed to emphasize need to cook after you boil mixture. Would like suggestions what to have with it. Tasted wonderful
I made the recipe as described, and it was a fabulous appetizer/side dish. We had it with fresh baked Crusty Bread from Wegman's and it was awesome. Highly recommend this recipe to Med food lovers.
Loved it! I've made many different versions of caponata in the past, but this one was definitely near the top! Keeps well and delicious warm or cold. Fabulous side for your summer meal.
Doubled the recipe because I had extra eggplant, added some lone zucchini in the fridge with the celery and onions. Made a partial batch per the recipe--DELICIOUS as is. Then took another readers suggestion and added cocoa powder and some hot pepper with extra red wine vinegar--still DELICIOUS just with a little more depth and bite. Cannot wait to serve this (if it makes it that far!)
Have made this recipe twice now and each time my guests raved about it. Since I have a vegetable garden I substituted fresh garden tomatoes for the canned tomatoes and the tomato paste, otherwise I followed the recipe. I always make it 2 days before I serve it to get the flavors to blend. This will be one of my staples for entertainment from now on.
First timing making Capanota. It is a vegetarian masterpiece. All the ingredients together make it the perfect summertime meal. We will have it for our Friday Happy Hour on our sunporch with crusty Italian bread and Aperol Spritz!
Made almost as written, added fresh anise root and extra garlic, terrific! Will definitely make it again!
Made exactly as the recipe indicates. Excellent! Tastes just like mama used to make.
Tastes just like how my mom made it. I love the simplicity of the recipe that yields DELICIOUS RESULTS!!!
Fabulous! Did not have red wine vinegar so used some balsamic and apple cider vinegar. Also used fresh basil instead of oregano. Will definitely make again!
Delicious. I followed the recipe closely. Once chilled i tasted and added homemade hot sauce - just a bit. Served chilled with goat cheese and sour dough crackers.
I found the recipe to be tasty, especially with the capons and roughly cut olives. went well with my chicken cutlet and fresh crusty bread.
I made this dish exactly as directed and I was extremely pleased with the result. I served it over tortellini and I will definitely make this again.
Absolutely awesome! I received so many compliments on this recipe...thank you! I did admit that I got the recipe from you! I did not use sugar, I used mixed dried raisins, cherries and cranberries because I try to use "natural" forms of sweetness.
Yum! We're not in any way Italian, but I had celery, eggplant and tomatoes to use up. This is not a very pretty dish but it was very tasty! I added a little crushed red pepper and forgot to put the red wine vinegar. I put it over fettuccini and maybe next time I'l put it over rice. I'm looking forward to leftovers tomorrow!
It was awesome! Canned and giving out with fresh bread this holiday season! Thank you!!
I used some advice from other and added raisins, toasted pine nuts, cocoa powder and a bit of pumpkin pie spice. I also cooked the onions/celery together for a few minutes and then just added the eggplant and other ingredients. I only had manzanilla olives with pimentos so I just added those chopped up and i didn't wait until the end to add the vinegar, I cooked it down with the other ingredients - i only waited to add the pine nuts until almost the end just to keep. them crunchier. I cooked this with cover on and off until the eggplant was tender. This is even better the next day and i'm pretty sure I could just eat this for days with some tortilla chips and be happy!
My husband and I love this recipe. I use it as a main course over split, toasted ciabatta rolls. I did substitute black olives for green as I do not like the green ones. It was an easy recipe.
I hate to review a recipe that I did not follow the directions to the "T" but this is some amazing use for eggplant. I omitted the celery as I was out and use Ro-Tel mild seasoned tomatoes. Other than that I followed as closely as possible making a double batch as I had two eggplants. This was, again, amazing. I use Mexican Oregano which has a stronger flavor. It was just a tad sweet for me but I do not have a sweet tooth so it likely is fine. The vinegar/sugar at the last really makes it POP. Will make this again. Great use for eggplant when they are in season and cheap.
Delicious! I added a jalapeño and kept everything else the same as recipe. The whole family loved this. I will definitely make it often
Excellent. I sort of doubled it & used Kalamata olives (inappropriately I know) and I totally agree with the other Sicilians! It was very much like my mother used to make. I didn't use her recipe because it called for 7 eggplant! This one works well in it's stead! We will eat it over pasta tonight and freeze the rest. Excellent once again!
DELISH! It would be helpful if the size of eggplant was specified - I had a large eggplant and realized that I had to double the remaining ingredients.
I doubled the minced garlic, because my family loves it! The only substitution I made was Balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. Balsamic was all I had. DELICIOUS recipe!
Great flavor! We severed over blackened tilapia. I added extra olives as we didn't have capers.
This was a great meal!!! We had small eggplants off the vine and the were nice and tender. I was probably a little aggressive draining the tomatoes so there wasn’t any liquid to speak of at the end so I added a splash of tomato sauce. We loved this recipe and will be making it again and again!
Oh this is a keeper! Reminds me of my grandma and aunts cooking in the kitchen, lovely. I added more garlic and used black olives I was out of green. Otherwise it perfect! Hot or cold on breads on pasta as a side with steak or chicken... this relish kills it. Family and friends loved it. Thank!
The recipe was easy to make. I made it the day before and placed in the refrigerator. Much better than the those I 've purchased at the deli. I will be making it again before summer ends and preserving for fall
Shared somwthing like this note & recipe w/ family:
I've NEVER liked eggplant before, but this works with noodles as a main dish, at least. Think if carnivores didn't know any better they might guess it was ground beef at a glance, try & like it--but vegetarians could eat it too. Takes a bit of time chopping everything up & I cooked it on low much longer than it said (so I wonder if that melded the flavors).
Literally called a vegetarian friend in the middle of making it--thinking I wasn't going to like it & might need to offload it--but then shared the recipe with her instead when we appreciated it. I did the eggplant in 1cm cubes instead of 1 inch based on a different recipe. Prepped eggplant based on internet guidance--set cubes on paper towels, salted, then rinsed after 30 min and patted dry.
Was pretty cheap to make and though neither of us were immediately jazzed, it grew on us over the course of the meal (once we added noodles and mixed them with it). Apparently red wine vinegar & eggplant are full of antioxidants too.
