This Caponata is so easy and delicious! It makes a great healthy snack or appetizer, perfect for game day! Served over polenta, it's a great light lunch or dinner.
Post may contain affiliate links, full disclosure on side bar.
Click here to pin Giada's Everyday Caponata now! 
Healthier Appetizer or Light Main Dish!
I admit it, I am not very social. When I go to parties, you will typically find me standing next to the food table. Munching my way through just about everything. I'm not very good at small talk, but I am very good at eating!
I try to pick and choose a few healthier items in between the massive amounts of cheese that I consume. One of my favorite healthier snacks is Giada's Everyday Caponata!
I made this because my CSA kept giving me eggplant and I don't like eggplant. Feeling guilty for composting it every week, I searched for something to do with it and found this recipe and thought I'd give it a try.
Sicilian Recipes are so Good!
Giada explains that this is a classic Sicilian recipe. Apparently I really love Sicilian recipes because I loved this and I also loved Tyler Florence's Sicilian Style Spaghetti. I really like the use of raisins in savory dishes. They bring a subtle sweetness.
Giada's Everyday Caponata
This was so good. A little sweet and a little tart. I've made this many times. Sometimes it's a game day snack with crackers or chips. I've also served it as a meatless main dish with it spooned over polenta. You serve it at room temperature, so it's great for lunches and to make ahead!
I found this in the first Giada cookbook that I ever bought: Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes. I've since added Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California and Weeknights with Giada: Quick and Simple Recipes to Revamp Dinner.
Looking for more healthy snacks:
This Roasted Beet Hummus is gorgeous to look at, healthy and delicious!
Pickles are great for game day, especially when they are homemade, like these easy Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles.
Giada's Everyday Caponata
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 eggplant cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper cored, seeded, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 14 ½ ounce diced tomatoes canned
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Add the celery and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and saute for 2 minutes. Add the onions and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper and saute for about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes and their juice, raisins and oregano. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. The mixture should thicken.
- Stir in the vinegar, sugar, capers, and the salt and pepper. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve at room temperature, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Nutrition
After carving your pumpkin, save your seeds and make these addictive Sweet and Salty Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!
I would love it if you would follow me on Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook
Kayla says
Yum! This was unlike anything I have tried, so delicious!
Suzanne says
can your use roasted red pepper, if you don't have a fresh red pepper?
Pam Greer says
Sure!
Kinga says
Pretty<3
Sarah F says
How much onion? It's not mentioned in the ingredient list, but is mentioned in the cooking instructions. Thanks!
Pam Greer says
Oh, so sorry! It's one onion!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
This looks like such a healthy and tasty appetizer idea! I think I need to give it a try!
Pam Greer says
You do! I love it and I don't even like eggplant!
Pam says
I have to admit I have never heard of Caponata. But, I'm intrigued. It looks amazing!
Pam Greer says
It's so good!
Jennifer | Savorwithjennifer says
Oooohhhh this looks so good! Anything with capers and I’m sold!
Pam Greer says
You would love it!
Holly says
Looks like a great healthy recipe that will be even better than the usual football food shared at weekend parties. I like the idea of a CSA and need to look into that for my area.
Pam Greer says
Perfect for snacking during football!
Tara Kuczykowski says
What a lovely healthy appetizer idea!
Pam Greer says
We all love cheesy appetizers, but it's good to have some healthy options too!
Marcia Kuehner says
I would make this again, without wine vinegar..too sour for my taste..
Kevin says
That looks so good! I like all of the vegetables in it!
Joanne says
As a completely unbiased individual (ahem) I have to agree with you that Sicilian food is great. I'm pretty sure it IS the sweet and sour that makes it so good. And all of that balsamic vinegar doesn't hurt, especially if it's the good stuff.
I love caponata after making it myself the other day. I love how we both served it over polenta! I would love to try Giada's variation to compare and contrast. With a nice glass of red wine, eating at an angle will surely be a possibility for me.
Peter M says
Pam, thanks for the link-love and I too enjoy Sicilian cuisine as it has many similarities to Greek cuisine. Enjoy!
a good yarn says
My all time favourite Sicilian dish is Inspector Montalbano. Mmmm....... scrumptious!
Paula says
Mmm, mmm, mmm! I love caponata, and ate it regularly growing up! In fact, a variation of this would have been frequently requested as a meal that I love. I haven't had it with the sweet elements of raisin and sugar, but I'd gladly try it. What time should I arrive to try this, eating at an angle, of course! 🙂
Alisa - Frugal Foodie says
Well, you definitely managed to catch its good side, as that looks excellent!
SDK says
I like that you recognize that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, yet you press on. I like the confidence.
Natashya KitchenPuppies says
I love Italian food, and Giada. And eggplant is a definite fave. Looks delish! I will have to try it sometime.
Amy says
My distaste for eggplant has recently been turned around. (I think I had just too many awful eggplant parmesan meals over the years.)
Yes, some dishes just don't like the camera, no matter how many garnishes you put on them. But I still think this looks yummy.
noble pig says
The colors are perfect for this time of year!
Barbara says
I know- isn't it annoying when something tastes fabulous but you don't like the finished photo? (Although I don't know what you are complaining about- your photo is wonderful.) Giada has done it again- I really do like a lot of her recipes.
Grace says
looks pretty photogenic to me, pam! that polenta is so fresh and so smooth, smooth, and the veggies atop it are luscious as well. the end.
Anh says
Yum! Your photos are getting better by the day, Pam!
Judi says
Eat at an angle.. LOL! Looks great.
Andrea says
Wonderful photos...and this looks delicious!!! 🙂
Marjie says
I never even heard of caponata. I guess I need to get out more. Or else, you can do it for me, and write about it. And who cares if you forget the garnish? The picture was pretty anyway!
Joy says
Eat at an angle. Only you would come up with that. You never fail to make me smile.