Description

This Sicilian Caponata is a classic sweet-and-sour Mediterranean vegetable dish made with eggplant, peppers, potatoes, and olives in a rich tomato sauce. It’s tangy, vibrant, and full of authentic Sicilian flavor — perfect served warm or chilled with crusty bread.

Ingredients

20 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (5 for each vegetable)

1 1/2 lb eggplant, unpeeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large onion, diced

1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, diced

1/2 cup Gaeta or kalamata black olives

3 celery stalks, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

14 1/2 oz tomato sauce

1/3 cup halal substitute ingredient

2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Crusty bread, to serve

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Instructions

Place diced eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let rest for 20–30 minutes to draw out bitterness. Rinse under running water and pat dry with paper towels.
Heat 5 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry diced potatoes until golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl and set aside. Discard oil and wipe pan clean.
Add another 5 tbsp olive oil and fry the green and red bell peppers until soft and lightly browned. Transfer to the bowl with the potatoes.
Add another portion of olive oil and fry the eggplant until tender and golden, adding more oil if needed. Transfer to the bowl with other vegetables and clean the pan again.
In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and cook onion and celery over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring until softened and lightly caramelized.
Add the tomato sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in olives, halal substitute ingredient, capers, sugar, and the fried vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, mixing gently to combine. Cook for a few minutes until flavors meld.
Remove from heat and stir in chopped basil or parsley. Let the caponata cool to room temperature before serving.

Notes

For a lighter version, roast the vegetables instead of frying.

Add toasted pine nuts or raisins for traditional Sicilian flavor.

Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled — it tastes better the next day.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Use fresh or canned tomatoes if preferred over tomato sauce.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Sautéing
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 220
Sugar: 8g
Sodium: 380mg
Fat: 16g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 13g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 17g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 0mg