Caponata
A classic Sicilian eggplant caponata made with tomatoes, olives, capers, and a sweet-sour red wine vinegar finish. Perfect served warm or at room temperature as a side dish or antipasto.
Updated : 09 September, 2025
Easy
About 45 min.
Ingredients
4
Eggplant
to taste
Salt
to taste
Ground black pepper
1
Onion
2
Celery stalk
400 grams
Canned tomatoes
100 grams
Olives
3 tablespoon
Capers
2 tablespoon
Red wine vinegar
1.5 tablespoon
Sugar
handful
Parsley
as needed
Olive oil
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let it drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Heat a portion of the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the eggplant over moderate heat for 10 minutes, until softened and browned. Remove and set aside, working in batches if necessary.
Step 3
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and gently sauté the onion and celery until soft and translucent, but not browned. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, and capers, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Step 4
In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar with the sugar, then pour this mixture into the pan along with the eggplant. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the vinegar has been absorbed.
Step 5
Transfer the caponata to a large serving bowl, stir through the chopped parsley, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.