Sicilian Eggplant Caponatina (Caponata) is a marinated salad with olives, tomatoes, onions and a sweet-and-sour vibe! Make this refreshing vegan appetizer or side dish the day before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Moms Sicilian Eggplant Caponatina is one of the reasons I started this blog back in 2014.
Its one of those dishes I loved for years but never attempted myself. Because, Mom makes the caponata.
But, with Mom in her 70s, I realized I needed to learn how to make this and many other family recipes. So, I did my best in the early days of this website to replicate her version of this Sicilian eggplant appetizer. (Keep in mind, she doesnt measure anything!)
Now, years later, Ive improved the recipe so it better matches Moms. Youre going to love it!
Its stand-at-the-counter-and-eat-it-right-out-of-the-bowl delicious. Like this Pan-Fried Eggplant with Tomato Sauce, you eat caponatina at room temperature or chilled. And dont miss this Sicilian eggplant pasta!
People use the terms “caponatina” and “caponata” interchangeably. But technically, caponatina includes tinier chunks of eggplant, so the relish can be spread on crostini for an appetizer.
“Melanzane” is the Italian word for eggplants, so this dish is called “caponata di melanzane” in Italian. Its a sweet-and-sour salad of cooked eggplant cubes, onions, crushed fresh tomatoes and garlic, tossed with black and green olives and some basil. Some recipes call for celery, peppers and capers, but were not using them here.
This vegan and gluten-free dish is best eaten the day after its assembled. My family is addicted to it and will graze on it all day long!
If you dont see good ones at the market, ask a produce worker to bring out more eggplants from the back. You can then go through the box yourself to pick the best ones. #italiancookingsecrets
A note about the tomatoes:
You will need to peel and seed all the tomatoes, then squeeze them dry so they dont make the salad runny. Prepping the tomatoes takes 30 minutes if youre doing this alone, so try to recruit an extra pair of hands, if you can.
Some recipes call for tomato sauce instead, but we love fresh tomatoes here. We havent tried using canned, peeled, tomatoes in the caponata, but that might be worth experimenting with, if you get rid of the seeds and juice.
And speaking of tomatoes, you have to try this Italian Tomato Salad!
How to make Sicilian eggplant caponatina
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but heres an overview.
1. Cook the onions and garlic in olive oil until soft.
2. Stir in cubed eggplants and cook for six minutes. Add basil and seasonings.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar.
4. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring periodically.
5. Add the olives and sugar. Stir to combine and place in a serving bowl (affiliate link) to chill overnight.
SICILIAN CAPONATA – Original Italian recipe
FAQ
What is the English name for caponata?
What does caponata mean in italian?
Does Progresso still make caponata?
What’s the difference between ratatouille and caponata?
Why is it called a caponatina?
The name Caponatina (little Caponata) is due to the little vegetables pieces, and the habit to store and sell it into small cans. Eventually a curiosity: into the Neapolitan cuisine there is an appetizer prepared with fresh tomatoes, onions, mozzarella and anchovies over toasted bread, so different to the Sicilian Caponatas!
What are the different types of Caponata?
There is the caponata of Palermo, the Caponata of Catania (see the image), the Caponata of Trapani, the one of Agrigento and the caponata of Messina. These recipes have many ingredients in common, especially vegetables and the typical sweet sour taste that you obtain adding a pinch of sugar and vinegar to the dish.
Where does Caponata come from?
Even though it is prepared throughout southern Italy, the flavorful caponata is a typical Sicilian vegetable dish whose origins date back to the early 18th century.
What is Caponata Catanese?
The particularity of the Caponata Catanese is the adding chopped tomatoes instead of tomato puree. The taste of this Caponata results more fresh and simple confronting of the other variations. 3 fresh San Marzano or Roma tomatoes (alternatively [b] 3 [/b]whole canned San Marzano or Roma tomatoes)