Sicilian Caponata: The authentic sweet and sour eggplant stew from Italian cuisine

There are dishes that call for calm and care, and Sicilian Caponata is one of them. A delight that everyone can enjoy, as it is vegan-friendly.

Actually, it is said that there are almost 30 different variations of caponata. That is to say, there is no single recipe. Even so, the most popular ones are the Palermitana, which is the one I have prepared, but adding pine nuts, and the Catania style, which also includes bell pepper and, sometimes, potatoes and carrots. Other variations include raisins or toasted and chopped almonds instead of pine nuts. They are all delicious, but this is the one I like best, because bell pepper sometimes doesn’t sit well with me, the recipe seems sweet and sour enough to me without adding raisins, and potatoes are not my preferred carbohydrates.

Speaking of carbohydrates, if you like, you can also prepare pasta mixed with caponata and you get a delicious cold pasta. Mixed with rice it is also very tasty and is a delicious accompaniment for fried fish.

Never serve caponata hot. It is a dish that is enjoyed at room temperature. It keeps perfectly for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator and I advise you that, if possible and you can overcome the temptation, you prepare it from one day to the next, because the next morning it is even tastier.

Golden eggplants, crunchy celery, spring onion, olives, and capers that awaken the palate, all embraced by a sweet and sour tomato sauce that balances every bite. This is how I prepare it, with simple tricks that make the difference.

Main ingredients

For 4 people

⏱ Preparation time: 120 min (including eggplant resting time)
⏱ Cooking time: 40 min

• 500 g eggplants
• 200 g celery
• 150 g onion
• 100 g ripe tomato for sauce
• 80 g green olives
• 25 g capers
• 25 g pine nuts
• 30 g sugar
• 20 g double or triple tomato concentrate
• 30 g apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt

Remember: At the end of the article you will find the complete recipe card with detailed cooking and preparation times.

How to prepare SICILIAN CAPONATA

Salt and drain the eggplants

Cut the eggplants into cubes, salt them, and let them rest for 30–45 minutes so they release their bitterness. Rinse and dry very well: here is the first trick so they fry without absorbing oil.

Fry at the correct temperature

Heat oil and fry the eggplants in small batches, at high temperature (test with a breadcrumb). Brown them on all sides and drain on a rack: it stays lighter than on paper.

Toast the pine nuts and prepare the base

Toast the pine nuts in a clean pan until they are fragrant. Separately, in olive oil, sauté onion and celery (without fibers) with a pinch of salt. Add olives and capers.

The balanced sweet and sour

Incorporate the tomato and the concentrate. When it starts to boil, add sugar and vinegar: mix and let the sweet and sour blend. It should be present but balanced.

Combine, perfume, and rest

Return the eggplants to the pot, stir carefully, and turn off the heat. Add basil torn by hand. Let it cool down and, if you can, let the caponata rest: the next day it is even better.

Serve and enjoy

SICILIAN CAPONATA is served warm or cold, as an antipasto. It is tasty and hearty: a bit rustic. Perfect with bread, and ready to take wherever you want.

Tricks and tips for a perfect result

Well-dried eggplant

Thoroughly drying after resting prevents the oil from splattering and the eggplant from becoming soggy.

No rushing, no overcrowding

Frying in small batches maintains the temperature: this way it stays golden and not oily.

Sweet and sour to your taste

Dissolve the sugar and vinegar in the sauce and taste: adjust until you achieve balance, never cloying.

Herbs at the end

Basil is torn by hand and added off the heat so it perfumes without darkening.

Better from one day to the next

Resting amalgamates the flavors: the caponata gains character and harmony.

Related recipes you will love

If you are attracted to the flavors of southern Italy, also try:

• Pasta alla Norma: eggplant, tomato, and salted ricotta.
• Caprese salad: tomato, mozzarella, and basil at their maximum freshness.
• Pasta with tomato and basil: aromatic simplicity in every bite.

Enjoy your SICILIAN CAPONATA!

With good ingredients and a well-measured sweet and sour, caponata conquers without shouting. If you prepare it, tell me in the comments how it turned out and what you served it with.

If you liked this recipe, subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me on Instagram for more authentic Italian cooking.

Enjoy your meal!

Sicilian Caponata

Golden eggplant with celery, onion, olives, and capers in a sweet and sour tomato sauce; it tastes even better after resting.

• Dish
  Appetizer
• Cuisine
  Italian
• Preparation time
  30 minutes
• Cooking time
  40 minutes
• Total time
  130 minutes
• Servings
  4
• Author
  Mia Villar Raurich
• Tags
  Italian antipasto, Sicilian recipe

Ingredients

• 500 g eggplant
• 200 g celery
• 150 g onion
• 100 g ripe tomatoes for sauce
• 80 g green olives
• 25 g capers
• 25 g pine nuts
• 30 g sugar
• 20 g double or triple tomato concentrate
• 30 g apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. Cut the eggplant into cubes of approximately 2 cm.
2. Salt the eggplant, place it in a colander with a weight on top, and let it sit for an hour and a half to purge it, lose bitterness, and prevent it from being spicy.
3. Wash the eggplant in very cold water to remove any excess salt and dry it well with a cloth or paper towel.
4. Toast the pine nuts in a pan until they are golden brown and set them aside for later.
5. Fry the eggplant in plenty of oil and place it on a plate covered with paper towels to drain excess oil.
6. Finely chop the onion and cut the celery into half-centimeter pieces.
7. Remove the pits from the olives and slice them.
8. Cut the tomatoes into quarters.
9. Sauté the onion in 3 or 4 generous tablespoons of olive oil.
10. Once the onion is very soft, add the celery and let it sauté for a moment.
11. As soon as the celery begins to brown, add the pine nuts, tomato, capers, and olives.
12. Lower the heat, cover, and let it sauté for 20 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure nothing sticks.
13. Mix the vinegar, tomato concentrate, and sugar in a glass.
14. Taste the mixture, add salt if necessary.
15. Pour in the vinegar, tomato concentrate, and sugar mixture.
16. Increase the heat, stir the mixture, and wait until it no longer smells like vinegar (about 5-7 minutes).
17. Add the basil and the eggplant, stir to combine everything well, and cover the pan.
18. Caponata is served at room temperature or cold.

Notes

Adjust the sweet and sour balance to your taste; the caponata should be savory, not sweet.
If you use almonds instead of pine nuts, toast them lightly for a good aroma.

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