Eggplant Caponata
Eggplant Caponata is an easy to make Italian dish that’s packed with chunks of eggplant, tomatoes, onion and pepper plus capers and basil. It can be enjoyed as a dip, with bruschetta, a side dish, or a sauce served with grilled meat or fish. It’s Whole30, Vegan and Paleo and will last for 4 days in the fridge!
In recent years I have turned into a grocery shopping addict, unable to stop myself from putting at least 2 of everything into my basket. With common sense out the window I usually return home with 5 butternut squash “just in case I run out”.
Last week my addiction resulted in the purchase of 3 bags of mini eggplants. I had the best of intentions, but the eggplants somehow found themselves forgotten in the back corner of my fridge for a few days too long. I was in need of a dish that would use up a large amount of eggplants that were past their prime.
Eggplant Caponata was the answer, and after tasting this recipe I realized that caponata should always be the answer. It’s such a delicious and versatile dish, it can be served warm as a side dish or as a sauce with pasta, chicken or fish or it can be served cold as an antipasti with crackers or bread.
Sweet, sour and salty it is a dish bursting with a variety of flavours. I recommend making it a day ahead as it tastes even better on day two once the flavours have had time to blend. It can be stored in a container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Here are a few other eggplant recipes that you might enjoy:
- Chopped Eggplant, Almond & Herb Salad
- Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant Salad
- Garlic & Herb Grilled Eggplant
- Pork & Eggplant Stir Fry
- Herby Couscous Stuffed Eggplant Rolls
- Asian Grilled Eggplant
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Eggplant Caponata
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 onions finely diced
- 4 cups chopped eggplants
- 4 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 red pepper thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1/2 cup chopped basil
Instructions
- In a large frying pan on medium heat cook the diced onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes. While that's cooking, cut the eggplant into approx 1/2 inch sized cubes and add to the frying pan. Season with salt
- Cook the eggplant for approximately 5 minutes until they become tender. If the eggplant starts to look dry drizzle more olive oil over top
- Add the chopped tomatoes and vinegar to the pan and let the mixture simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes and peppers have become soft
- Add in the chopped basil and capers and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
yum this looks seriously delicious and hearty, definitely perfect for this winter weather were experiencing here in australia. love it!
Thanks Thalia! It’s such a versatile dish it can be served all year round. It’s also great in the summer with barbecued fish or chicken.
really good fresh tasting dish – so many popping flavours and even better as it’s vegan
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I made a different version of this dish! I added chopped zucchini! Red and green peppers. We like hot and spicy! So I added cut up long hot and halapino peppers, seeds and all. And since my husband loves meat, I added slices of turkey and Italian sausages! It was great!
Not very Paleo, vegan or diet friendly!
Yum! That sounds absolutely delicious!
I was so excited to see your post of this recipe on Instagram! I lost my beloved caponata recipe a few years ago and this one seems identical to what I had. I bought my eggplant yesterday and I’ll be making it today. I’ll report back. Thank you!
I so enjoyed this recipe. It was very, very similar to the one I lost. Unfortunately my capers went bad in the refrigerator and I didn’t have time to add them, but I will definitely be making this again. Garden tomatoes made it extra special! Many thanks!
Yea!! I’m so happy to hear that it was similar to your old caponata. Thanks for the comment Maria!
This just works! I love caponata, but most recipes rely heavily upon olives and capers (duh!) for flavor. I do not like olives, and the family really enjoyed this recipe!
Quick and easy version , I used canned fire roasted tomatoes as I didn’t have any fresh handy and worked out well. My neighbors were drifting over to my yard since I had the kitchen window open while cooking!
Love this recipe & súper easy! Thx.
I love this recipe! I put it over roasted spaghetti squash, and it is heaven. This has become a weekly dish, and the best part is that I use the leftovers to make breakfast. I put it back into a cast iron pan, heat it back up, carve out a few spaces to add eggs. I let the eggs cook undisturbed in the sauce and cover with a lid. It comes out looking like Shakshuka. So delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Soooo good!
Love this recipe! It is so easy to make and tastes so fresh. I added zucchini to mine as we grew them in our garden. The second time around, i added some black olives and jalapeno for kick. Delicious!
The recipe doesn’t mention when to add the pepper. I assume it’s with the onion and garlic.
When do you add the peppers? With the eggplant or with the tomatoes?
Should the eggplant be peeled?
Fantastic, easy, and absolutely delicious. This has been a staple for my whole30 this month and has saved me many times, when I was just too tired of constant cooking. Makes a great big pot and I eat it with everything! It’s an amazing side or complete dish, and is awesome on my spaghetti squash noodles. Wow!
This recipe is awesome. Super easy, incredibly tasty and it makes such a great sized batch. I originally found it, to make some easy whole30 meals for myself and it’s become a staple. I added olives to my batches. I just love this recipe. Thank you so much!
Does anyone know if this can be frozen?
I absolutely love caponata. I’ve made a lot of eggplant recipes from all over the world over the years, but caponata is still one of my favorites.
I absolutely love caponata. I have made a lot of eggplant recipes from all over the world over these years, but caponata is still one of my favorites!
As a confirmed carnivore I found this dish utterly addictive, its now a very firm favourite