Name: Eggplant Caponata
Prep time: PT-481448H9M24S
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 large Italian eggplant, diced into 1.5" cubes ( you can also use Japanese eggplant); 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided; 1 medium onion, diced; 2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated; 2-3 tbsp pine nuts; 2 homemade roasted red peppers, or 4 jarred, chopped; 12 green olives, pitted and sliced in thirds; 12 black cured olives, pitted and cut in half; 1 tbsp capers; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (or to taste); 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste); 1/8 tsp pepper (or to taste); 1/8 tsp Aleppo pepper or hot red pepper flakes (or to taste)

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One of our favorite roasted eggplant recipes is Caponata, a Sicilian dish created with a base of roasted eggplant and peppers. Serve it on crusty toasted bread or as a topping for your favorite protein!

Side view of two slices of bread with eggplant caponata

Caponata is one of the best eggplant recipes! Roasting the red peppers and eggplant brings out their incredible natural sweet flavors, and everything combines into the most flavorful dish on the table. You really cannot go wrong when serving this oven-roasted eggplant salad!

Caponata vs Ratatouille

Caponata and ratatouille are both traditional Mediterranean vegetable dishes that have their roots in Italian and French cuisines respectively. While they share some similarities, they also have distinct differences in terms of their ingredients, flavors, and preparation methods.

Caponata

Caponata is a Sicilian dish that combines cooked eggplant (aubergine), tomatoes, red bell peppers, onions, garlic, capers, and olives. The vegetables are often diced and then sautéed or fried individually before being combined and cooked together. Caponata is often served as a side dish, relish, or appetizer. Caponata has a sweet and sour flavor that comes from using vinegar and sometimes sugar or raisins.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a French Provençal vegetable stew that traditionally includes ingredients like eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, yellow onions, and various herbs like thyme and rosemary. The vegetables in ratatouille are typically diced and cooked together in a pot. Unlike caponata, ratatouille doesn't usually have a sweet and sour flavor profile. Instead, it's known for highlighting the natural flavors of the vegetables and herbs used. Ratatouille is often served as a main course and can be enjoyed on its own or with bread, rice, or pasta.

Two Ways of Making Eggplant Caponata

Some cooks make Caponata almost like an Italian version of Ratatouille, adding celery, and tomato paste, and the dish is simmered on the stove.
Other chefs make it like we do. We make our eggplant caponata recipe as a chunky salad, dip, or chutney that’s best enjoyed on fresh sourdough bread, crackers, or as a topping for grilled tofu, vegetables, or pasta.

An overhead view of a white bowl with eggplant caponata

What is Caponata?

Caponata is a flavorful Sicilian eggplant dish. While many of the ingredients look similar to Ratatouille, it’s prepared differently; ratatouille is like a stew that’s best eaten warm over rice or pasta while Caponata can be enjoyed cold or warm as a side dish, or topping for fresh crusty bread or crackers. The capers, olives, and vinegar add a deliciously tangy finish.

Ingredients in Eggplant Caponata

Our eggplant Caponata features roasted eggplant and sauteed onions and garlic with the most flavorful cast of characters to complement them. It will make you smile at the first bite, and guests will ask for the recipe immediately!

Roasted eggplant - We have a lot of eggplant recipes, check them out and let us know your favorites.
Sauteed onions and garlic - The foundation of so many good dishes. Let’s make your kitchen smell incredible!
Olives - We used both green olives and black cured olives for more flavor and color, and they add the briny, tangy flavor that Caponata is known for.
Capers - Salty, lemony capers add even more tang to this Caponata! Look for them by the pickles and condiment aisles in the grocery store.
Parsley - Fresh chopped parsley is best.
Roasted red peppers - You can find jarred roasted red peppers in most grocery stores, but it’s easy to make roasted red peppers at home and they taste better, too!
Vinegar - Since this is more of a salad than a stew, a splash of vinegar makes all the flavors shine!
Olive oil - We suggest using a higher-quality extra virgin olive oil since it will enhance the flavor of this recipe.
Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes - Adjust to your preference for heat.
Pine nuts - A classic in so many Italian dishes! Pine nuts are tiny but packed with nutrients and add a soft, nutty flavor to this eggplant caponata recipe.

A side view of a white bowl with eggplant caponata with chopped parsley and pine nuts in separate bowls

Tips On How to Roast Eggplant for Caponata

The baked eggplant is the star of the show in this Caponata recipe! Even if you feel intimidated by cooking with eggplant, we suggest you give this recipe a try. Roasting eggplant it's the perfect way to bring out its mild-yet-rich flavor.

Leave the eggplant skin on.
Toss the eggplant in oil and spices
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Provide plenty of space between each piece of eggplant on the baking sheet
Wrap the eggplant in the parchment paper while the roasted eggplant cubes cool. This will leave you with perfectly roasted eggplant.

Overhead view of a bowl of cubed eggplant

Overhead view cubed eggplant spread onto a parchment lined pan

How to Roast Peppers For Eggplant Caponata

We love having roasted red bell peppers for recipes like this one!

Roast peppers whole at high heat
Move the hot peppers to a heat-proof bowl
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let them steam for about 20 minutes.
This makes it incredibly easy to pull the skin away from the flesh of the peppers! Check out our roasted red peppers recipe for exact instructions.
If you want to save time you can also use store-bought jarred roasted peppers.

An overhead view of a four whole red peppers

An overhead view of four whole roasted red peppers

How to Serve Caponata

Caponata is delicious when served as an antipasto with crispy toasted bread!
It’s a delicious appetizer to add to a cheeseboard.
You could mix it with cooked pasta for a tasty pasta salad.
Use it as a topping in your favorite sandwich or wrap
Make it a dinner by adding it to toasted rustic bread and placing a sunny-side-up egg on top.
Enjoy Caponata as a relish over your favorite grilled or roasted protein or grilled vegetables.
We’ve even added it to eggs while making an omelet!
It keeps well in the refrigerator and we think the leftovers taste better.
This makes it great to make ahead for parties, dinners, or barbeques!

close up view of two sliced of country bread with caponata.

Variations of Caponata

We’ve seen many Caponata recipes with a hint of sweetness, we prefer ours savory. If you want to add some sweetness you can add raisins, honey, or even a spoonful of brown sugar. You could add fresh mint for some brightness! We suggest adding any of these ingredients gradually and in small amounts with plenty of tasting in between to make sure you like where this dish is headed.

More Eggplant Recipes

An overhead view of a white bowl with eggplant caponata with chopped parsley and pine nuts in separate bowls

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Eggplant Caponata Recipe