A delicious topping for any toast, crostini, sandwich, or cracker, Eggplant Caponata will steal the show as the most addicting appetizer at the table. The combination of eggplant and tomato with assorted olives, capers, garlic, and onion makes for an aromatic and tasty snack!
There is nothing like sitting around the table enjoying caponata on crostini and some Italian Stuffed Artichokes!
Love something for your crostini? Try our Spiced Apple Chutney, Marinated Eggplant and Onion, or EASY Ricotta Bruschetta.
Jump to:
What's Eggplant Caponata?
Eggplant Caponatini or Caponata is a delicious appetizer made with marinated eggplant and tomato with olives, onions, garlic, and capers. It's served as a topping for toast or crostini and is a great addition to any sandwich. Swap out the Lox in our Mascarpone Toast with Lox with caponata for a delicious appetizer.
This is a perfect recipe to serve while everyone is sitting around the kitchen table waiting for dinner. It is the "Italian Salsa." Everyone will have a bite and before you know it, you'll have an empty bowl in front of you! You always need little snacks like this or Bourbon Candied Pecans for folks to snack on before dinner.
Our family loved this one on Fridays during Lent! We'd have this or a Peppers and Eggs Sandwich!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Whole Plum Tomatoes. I use the entire can of plum tomatoes but I drain as much of the liquid as I can. You can save the strained tomato sauce in the freezer in a Ziploc bag. This recipe is meant to be more chunky than saucy.
Red Onion. You can substitute yellow or vidalia onions.
Olives. I enjoyed my choice of castelvetrano and black olives but you can choose the olives of your choice.
Eggplant. I chop up the eggplant into fairly small pieces. One of the main differences between caponata and caponatini is how big the eggplant chunks are. Once you chop up the eggplant, salt them and let them sit for 20 minutes to pull out the moisture. Then pat with a paper towel.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.
How to Make Eggplant Caponata
Eggplant Caponata is an easy recipe plus it's meant to be served cold! This means you can make it a day or 2 ahead of time when you want to serve it at a party.
Step 1: Add olive oil to the saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the red onion and saute for 6-8 minutes or until the onion softens.
Step 2: Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the capers and stir.
Step 3: Add the eggplant and season with salt. Stir well until combined. Saute the eggplant for another 5-8 minutes until it begins to soften and brown.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, crush the drained whole plum tomatoes. Add them to the pan with the red wine vinegar and stir until combined.
Step 5: There will be a slight bit of sauce in the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a simmer. Add the honey, olives, and roasted red peppers. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring often.
Step 6: Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the parsley and combine. Cover and leave until room temperature or refrigerate. Caponata should be served at room temperature or cold!
Pro-Tips
- When sauteeing the red onion, adjust the temperature lower if you start to see the edges of the onion burning.
- Once all the ingredients have been added to the pan, keep a close eye. If the liquid completely evaporates, the dish will start to burn. Be prepared to add a little water.
- This dish is meant to be served on toast/crostini as a topping. It should be cold or room temperature for serving.
Recipe FAQs
Serve it with a loaf of sourdough bread, crostini, or toast. Add it to an Italian Chicken cutlet sandwich or Italian Breakfast Sandwich. It's best served as an appetizer before dinner or as a light lunch!
Caponata will last in the fridge for 5-7 days if covered and kept in the fridge! This recipe can and should be made in advance so that it can be served cold or at room temperature.
Caponata is a marinated eggplant and tomato dish made with olives, capers, garlic, onion, red peppers, and occasionally nuts and raisins.
More Italian Appetizers
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
📖 Recipe
Eggplant Caponata
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant or 2 small eggplant, chopped
- 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes, drained
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ cup castelvetrano Italian olives
- ½ cup black olives
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Add olive oil to the saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the red onion and saute for 6-8 minutes or until the onion softens. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the capers and stir.
- Add the eggplant and season with salt. Stir well until combined. Saute the eggplant for another 5-8 minutes until it begins to soften. In a separate bowl, crush the drained whole plum tomatoes. Add them to the pan with the red wine vinegar and stir until combined.
- There will be a slight bit of sauce in the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a simmer. Add the honey, olives, and roasted red peppers. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring often.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the parsley and combine. Cover and leave until room temperature or refrigerate. Caponata should be served at room temperature or cold!
Notes
- When sauteeing the red onion, adjust the temperature lower if you start to see the edges of the onion burning.
- This dish is meant to be served on toast/crostini as a topping. It should be cold or room temperature for serving.
- Once all the ingredients have been added to the pan, keep a close eye. If the liquid completely evaporates, the dish will start to burn. Be prepared to add a little water.
Vinny
This is a family favorite at our house. It's the best appetizer to have out on the table. Let us know what you think!