Mangia! My favorite Italian word. (Right up there with Vino! and Salute!, in that order.) If Italian food is placed before me you don’t have to tell me to mangia twice. One of the great hallmarks of this cuisine is its reputation for simplicity. Italian cooks focus on the quality of the ingredients rather than the quantity to produce an abundance of flavor. Eggplant Caponata fully embodies this philosophy, producing such a full and distinct taste.
Eggplant Caponata Plated
Caponata from the Old Country
This recipe was handed down to me by my father-in-law, who was a first generation Italian-American. His mother brought it over from Sicily when they immigrated to the U.S. in the early 20th century. It’s so good–you can taste the heritage!
Eggplant Caponata Ingredients
Caponata is a dish that takes many forms, and you will see great variations depending on the genesis of the recipe. While there are many overlapping ingredients (eggplant, onions, garlic), some will add or remove various other items (olives, capers, sugar).
Eggplant Caponata Ingredients Diced
Reason being that Caponata, by origin, is a dish that is the result of what’s left at the end of the day. If there were peppers to be used, they went in. Tomatoes available? They went in. Italians by nature, my husband tells me, are efficient cooks, and masters of the art of utilizing ingredients and drawing them into their fullest expression.
I hope you will find that this rendition serves that example well. I fell in love with this recipe the first time I ate it while dating my husband twenty-five years ago. This dish is a salute (Salute!) to my father-in-law’s classic original.
Eggplant Caponata Sautéed
Selecting the Perfect Eggplant
When selecting eggplant it is important to pick one that feels heavy in your hand. The skin should be smooth and unblemished and the stem should still be green and fresh-looking. If possible, I use all organic produce. The flavor difference will be ten fold the difference in the price. It’s worth it!
And did you know there is a difference between male and female eggplants? And a major flavor difference depending on which you choose!
Eggplant Caponata with Sauce
Why Eggplants Are Good For You
Since the eggplant is a member of the nightshade family it is technically a fruit, considered a berry by some. A serving of this fruit and vegetable mixture delivers so many wonderful nutrients: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, folate, iron, calcium, and manganese. It is high in fiber, low in carbohydrates, and sugar-free (no sugar added). Caponata also provides plant-based protein and monounsaturated fats. We love our olives and olive oil for the long list of benefits that monounsaturated fats are adding to their nutritional resume.
Eggplant Caponata
How to Serve Eggplant Caponata
Traditionally, Caponata is served on baguette slices, crackers, or fresh bread. I use gluten-free options. It can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or cold. Store the Caponata in the refrigerator. After 24 hours all the flavors will have blended nicely, but it’s delicious when served before 24 hours as well. This dish will keep at least one week.
Eggpant Caponata Plated
Mangia!
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And if you are looking for some more delicious health-filled eggplant recipes, check out my Baked Vegan Eggplant Arrabiata, “Cheesy” Eggplant Stuffed Peppers, or my Eggplant Caulliflower Dirty “Rice”! Enjoy!
This traditional Italian dish has been passed down for generations. A classic! It will delight your palate and your body as it bursts with flavor and nutrients.
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium green pepper
- 3 stalks celery
- 1 small bulb garlic (about 5-7 cloves)
- 3/4 cup kalamata olives (pitted)
- 3/4 cup green (salad) olives (pitted)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- a few drops of hot sauce (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1) Dice eggplant, onion, green pepper, and celery to approx. 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes. Mince garlic.
- 2) Pour olive oil into large skillet on medium flame and heat.
- 3) Once oil and pan are hot, add diced vegetables and sauté until vegetables are translucent.
- 4) Chop kalamata olives and green olives length wise - some in halves and some in quarters.
- 5) Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives and vinegar to pan with sautéed vegetables. Mix well, cover and reduce heat. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
- 6) Stir in hot sauce, oregano, salt and black pepper.
- 7) Serve on baguette slices, crackers, or fresh bread. Can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or cold. Store in refrigerator. After 24 hours the flavors will have blended nicely, but it's delicious when served before 24 hours as well. This dish will keep at least one week.
Notes
If a lower carbohydrate option is preferred, Eggplant Caponata can also be served deliciously on a bed of greens.
I’m making it this weekend again is what i mean to type. lol
No worries!! 🙂
I tried your recipe and I absolutely loved it!! make it this weekend again!
Hi Michelle, I’m so happy to hear that you loved the Caponata and it will be a repeater!! 🙂
Wish you would have let us know which eggplant to use
Hi Peg, the text in the post that reads “the difference between male and female eggplants” is hyperlinked. If you click on it, it will take you to the post that discusses that and how to identify each in detail. It begins part way down the post under the heading “The Secret of Eggplant”. Male eggplants generally are better. Fewer seeds, less bitter and the skin is not as leathery. Because caponata is so robust and cooks for so long it’s not as important to select a male. The female eggplants will have plenty of time to cook down. I hope this helps! 🙂
I love family recipes that pass down from generation to generation! I’m a quarter Italian, but unfortunately my grandmother on that side passed away before I could learn any recipes from her 🙁 But you’re so lucky to have your Italian in-laws for Italian recipe goodness!! 🙂
Thanks for the comment, Sarah! I agree with you. Family recipes are great because they always have great staying power! Sadly, my father-in-law passed away four years ago but I was fortunate enough to have twenty years with him sharing his recipes and great stories! 🙂