Sicilian Caponata (Sweet and Sour Eggplant Recipe)
This Sicilian Caponata is a sweet and tangy Mediterranean side dish made with roasted eggplant, celery, raisins, and capers. Fresh mint and parsley add brightness, and it can be served warm or cold. A perfect recipe for meal prep, holidays, or an easy weeknight side.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 166kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant or two small eggplants, about 1 ¾ pounds, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 whole red bell pepper chopped
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can (14 ounces) crushed fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup green olives (Castelvetrano) pitted and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup raisins golden or black
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar to taste
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup fresh mint chopped
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450℉. LIne a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place the cubed eggplant on the sheet pan. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat.1 large eggplant, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Roast the eggplant in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden.
- While the eggplant is roasting, add the rest of the olive oil in a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and celery. Season with the remaining salt and a couple of twists of black pepper.1 medium yellow onion, 1 whole red bell pepper, 2 stalks celery, ground black pepper
- Cook until the onions are tender and starting to turn golden, about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.2 cloves garlic
- Add the tomatoes and stir to combine.1 can (14 ounces) crushed fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- Add the olives, raisins, vinegar, capers, sugar, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.¼ cup green olives (Castelvetrano), ¼ cup raisins, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar , 2 tablespoons capers, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 bay leaf
- Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Stir in the roasted eggplant and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh herbs.¼ cup fresh mint, ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley
- Adjust the seasonings to taste (see notes).
- For the best flavor, let the caponata sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature but it is delicious cold as well.
Notes
Adjust the flavor to your taste buds: Add more vinegar one tablespoon at a time, sugar by the teaspoon, red pepper flakes by the ¼ teaspoon, or salt. Personally, I like more vinegar and more red pepper flakes.
The vegetables can be flexible. You can add extra or omit one entirely. I sometimes add summer squash or zucchini. If you don't like raisins, leave them out. Pine nuts are a nice addition sprinkled on top which is a Sicilian variety.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and if you are vegan, sub out the sugar for honey.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The flavors actually improve as it sits, so it’s even better the next day.
If you’d like to freeze it, let the caponata cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to two months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then bring it to room temperature before serving.
For the best texture, stir in a little olive oil and a squeeze of lemon before serving leftovers to freshen the flavor.
Serve the caponata as a side dish (either hot or cold) for the French Onion Chicken or the Flank Steak. I also like serving it as part of mezze platter or on my homemade Pita Chips.
Nutrition
Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 480mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 699IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
