↑
  • Home
  • About
    • CONTACT US
  • Recipe Index
  • DIY
    • Oils
    • YLEO

VeggieConverter

Helping moms introduce meatless meals with ease.

  • Home
  • About
    • CONTACT US
  • Recipe Index
  • DIY
    • Oils
    • YLEO

meatless meals in your inbox

SUBSCRIBE FOR ALL THE LATEST VEGGIECONVERTER RECIPES!
Sign up!

Eggplant Caponata Recipe

June 4, 2011 By Kristi

  • Share
  • Tweet
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
eggplant caponata

Day 155.

Eggplant caponata is on the menu today and it sounds fantastic. I love eggplant and this recipe sounds like a winner for sure.

Don’t you just love rediscovering old cookbooks? When I went to make the vegan version of Frugal Gourmet’s Spaghetti Frittata Recipe I was pretty sure I remembered the recipe by heart.

But, I wanted to link to the book and make sure I got the proportions right for the conversion of the recipe. So, of course, I thumbed through the rest of the book while I was there.

I found this delicious-sounding eggplant caponata recipe. I don’t think I’ve ever had eggplant caponata, but it sounds like a bruschetta with (BONUS) eggplants in it. Yum, right?

But, bummer, it has anchovies in it. So, I definitely have to make my own. Yum!

I replaced the anchovies with miso paste (for the briny flavor) and ended up making several other alterations. I adjusted the onion to red (from yellow) and increased the amount (because I’m allergic to the celery the original recipe calls for.

I also switched the wine vinegar to balsamic. Mainly because I love balsamic, but also because I had it in my pantry (and had no wine vinegar).

I was also able to restrain myself and can some of the caponata for later with a simple water-bath canning method. So I get to enjoy this later in the year, too. Yum!

Eggplant Caponata

Adapted from Frugal Gourmet’s Eggplant Caponata.

Ingredients

1 pound eggplant, cubed
1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 of a red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. molasses (or sugar)
3 cups canned tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 green olives, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon capers (or sub more olives)
1 oz. miso paste
House seasoning, to taste

Method

I think I came up with a pretty ingenious way to cube my eggplant, if I do say so myself. First, slice the eggplant into 1-inch thick rounds. Then, if you have an apple slicer (which if you’re a mom, you sooo should if you don’t yet), just slap that baby over the eggplant rounds and make little triangleish “cubes” and one circle. Yeah, they aren’t perfect little cubes, but they are about the right size. And hey, it’s rustic.

After you’ve cubed the eggplant in whatever method you choose, throw the pieces in a colander and dust them with kosher salt.

Meanwhile, saute the onion in a little olive oil for about 15 minutes. Set aside. In the same pan, saute the drained eggplant for about 10 minutes in a little oil. Place these all in a heavy kettle (at least 1 quart, preferably 2 quart to prevent crowding). I actually used this kettle to saute the veggies so I wouldn’t dirty an extra pan.

Add the vinegar, molasses/sugar, tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, capers, miso paste and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add House seasoning. Chill and serve.

We had ours on toasted bread pieces (like bruschetta), but it would also be great with crackers or even on pasta. We also dusted it with a little “parmesan” (see Cheeseburger Recipe). So good! I think it would be great as a pasta sauce, too.

The Results

After I tasted it, I regretted canning so much of it. 🙂 It is so incredibly tasty I’m not sure how long it’ll stay in those jars. If you like eggplant, definitely make this. But even if you don’t, give it a try, these eggplants aren’t overpowering. You really taste the smokiness and the tomatoes and the briny “anchovies” and olives. Yum.

This post is shared with What’s for Lunch Wednesday and Muffin Tin Monday.

Yield: 8

Eggplant Caponata

eggplant caponata

I don't think I've ever had eggplant caponata before today, but it is a lot like a bruschetta with (BONUS) eggplants in it. Yum, right?

Ingredients

  • 1 pound eggplant, cubed
  • 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3/4 of a red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp. molasses (or sugar)
  • 3 cups canned tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 green olives, pitted and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon capers (or sub more olives)
  • 1 oz. miso paste
  • House seasoning, to taste

Instructions

    First, slice the eggplant into 1-inch thick rounds. Then, if you have an apple slicer (which if you're a mom, you sooo should if you don't yet), just slap that baby over the eggplant rounds and make little triangleish "cubes" and one circle. Yeah, they aren't perfect little cubes, but they are about the right size. And hey, it's rustic.

    After you've cubed the eggplant in whatever method you choose, throw the pieces in a colander and dust them with kosher salt.

    Meanwhile, saute the onion in a little olive oil for about 15 minutes.

    Set aside.

    In the same pan, saute the drained eggplant for about 10 minutes in a little oil.

    Place these all in a heavy iron pan (at least 1 quart, preferably 2 quart to prevent crowding). I actually used this kettle to saute the veggies so I wouldn't dirty an extra pan.

    Add the vinegar, molasses/sugar, tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, capers, miso paste and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

    Add House seasoning.

    Chill and serve on toasted bread.

© Kristi
Cuisine: Italian / Category: vegan

The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook

Want vegetarian and vegan recipes you’ll love? Check out my first cookbook! I’m so excited about it and I hope you’ll love it. You can find more information about it right HERE.

Related Posts:

  • 30 Meatless Instant Pot Freezer Meals
    30 Meatless Instant Pot Freezer Meals
  • 15+ Meatless Instant Pot Recipes Using Pantry Staples
    15+ Meatless Instant Pot Recipes Using Pantry Staples
  • Food, self-sufficiency and financial independence
    Food, self-sufficiency and financial independence
  • VeggieConverter recommends: holiday gift guide
    VeggieConverter recommends: holiday gift guide
  • 20+ Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu Recipes
    20+ Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu Recipes
  • Black Currant Lime Martini
    Black Currant Lime Martini

Filed Under: vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: eggplant, Frugal Gourmet, Italian

WHAT KRISTI’S WRITTEN

The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook: Easy, Healthy Recipes That Are Ready When You Are

Baby Steps for the Entrepreneur An Introvert’s Roadmap to Freedom in Young Living

Privacy Policy

Kristi Arnold is a former newspaper reporter and editor who is now a cookbook author and gluten-free vegetarian(ish) mom married to Mr. Meaty, a "normal" omnivore. Helping moms introduce family-friendly meatless meals into their lifestyle with ease. Read More

meatless meals in your inbox

SUBSCRIBE FOR ALL THE LATEST VEGGIECONVERTER RECIPES!
Copyright ©2021, VeggieConverter. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs