Sicilian Caponata is a vegetable mixture that works as an accompaniment for meats and seafood, and also makes a delicious appetizer served room temperature with fresh crusty bread or crispy bruschetta.
It’s important to use roasted eggplant as the base of this dish, roasted zucchini also helps create the foundation for this dish. Don’t use fried eggplant or stove-cooked eggplant for this dish.
The combination of savory, sweet, and sour flavors elevates caponata a new level of deliciousness! The roasted eggplant (and zucchini) adds a creamy texture, making this tasty vegetable relish almost spreadable.
Some recipes compare caponata to ratatouille, and some recipes make it in the same manner, but it’s not really caponata when it’s cooked stovetop. When it comes to Sicilian Cuisine, you won’t often find garlic cloves or onion in Sicilian Caponata as their flavors tend to overpower the rest of the ingredients. I also prefer the fuller flavor of roasted red peppers to that of red bell peppers.
Just remember, you’ll find as many different Caponata recipes as there are Italian Grandmothers.
Ingredients to make Sicilian Caponata
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Sicilian Caponata. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Caponata is made using fresh vegetables and simple pantry ingredients:
- eggplant
- zucchini
- tomato
- green olives
- Kalamata or black olives
- roasted red peppers
- capers
- red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- Italian parsley
- basil
- sugar
- red pepper flakes
- salt
How to make Sicilian Caponata
The first step is prepping the eggplant and zucchini for roasting. Brush the veggies with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and set on a sheet pan.
Place the sheet pan of prepared veggies on the center rack of a 350-degree preheated oven and roast the vegetables for 18-20 minutes.
*Let the eggplant and zucchini cool before chopping.
While the roasted vegetables are cooling put the dressing for my Sicilian Caponata together.
Blend the vinegar, olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes and just a bit of sugar together to make the dressing for the caponata,
- Place the chopped vegetables, olives and capers in a large mixing bowl.
- mix the ingredients together.
- Add the dressing to the mixture and mix together.
Don’t be tempted to use tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes or tomato paste to make this dish. You’ll end up with more of a salsa than caponata and trust me, you won’t be happy with the results.
Add the chopped Italian parsley and chopped fresh basil to the vegetable mixture and blend together.
If there is any left after the first day, you’ll find that my Sicilian Caponata tastes even better the next day when the flavors have a chance to come together. If you have time make this a day before you need it.
One of my favorite uses for Sicilian Caponata is as a spread on Italian meat sandwiches…OMG delicious!
Recipe FAQ’s
In the Italian dialect of Sicilian, capunata is the word for a sailor’s dish of bread steeped in oil and vinegar and chopped vegetables.
The main difference is other than roasting the eggplant and zucchini, Sicilian caponata is not cooked. You’ll also find olives and capers in caponata, which are not included in ratatouille.
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Sicilian Caponata
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant peeled and sliced longway into planks – roasted and chopped
- 2 small zucchini sliced long into planks – roasted and chopped
- 1 cup tomato chopped
- ½ cup green olives chopped
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives or black olives – chopped
- ½ cup roasted red peppers chopped
- ¼ cup capers
- 1 tablespoon basil fine chop
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley fine chop
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Coat eggplant and zucchini in olive oil season with sea salt and pepper and grill or roast until barely cooked. Allow to cool before dicing.
- Dice eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and olives (cut in a small dice)
- Mix all of the ingredients (except pasta and cheese) together a bowl and toss until mixed well and set aside. Keep at room temp if you are using immediately. If not using right away refrigerate mixture, allowing it to come back to room temperature before using.
John
Chef Dennis! I have noticed there seemingly endless variations of caponata. Some even using dark chocolate and raisins and toasted nuts! I am tempted to try a tiny bit of citrus peel myself! I see that you don’t salt the eggplant and zucchini slices first in order to partially dehydrate and “soften” the raw eggplant flavor. How come?
Chef Dennis Littley
I don’t use raw eggplant or zucchini; that’s why I don’t salt them. I roast or grill the eggplant and zucchini
Anne Alesauskas
Hi Chef Dennis! I have been missing in action for the better part of 9 months and lost 50 pounds so I had to stay away from all food blogs-including my own. But now I am slowly getting back to being able to look at delicious food again and figuring out a way to adapt it to my new eating lifestyle. This looks fabulous and the veggies are up my alley! Anne of anniebakes
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Anne
its so nice to hear from you and congratulations on your weight loss!! I could use to lose 50 lbs myself. This was a very simple and delicious recipe and I hope you enjoy it!
Cheers
Dennis
Jennifer Essad
I’m anxious to make this, we love Italian Subs and muffaletta sandwiches, I love to try this mixed into cream cheese for serving w/crackers – thanks for sharing
Chef Dennis Littley
you’re welcome Jennifer, and this will be pretty close to a Muffaletta, and I think you’ll find the flavors even better!
Robyn @ simply fresh dinners
I will admit to never having made this before but your directions are so simple, I will do it! I love the versatility! Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe, Chef Dennis!
Chef Dennis Littley
You’re welcome Robyn and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!