Grilled Eggplant Caponata Recipe
This Sicilian recipe for Eggplant Caponata is simple, easy and full of summer flavor! Serve it as a healthy vegan appetizer over crostini, or as a delicious side dish, or turn it into an eggplant salad served over greens and grains.
How to Make the Best Grilled Eggplant Caponata
Eggplant caponata is a classic Sicilian dish that celebrates the best of summer produce. This grilled version takes the traditional recipe and gives it a delicious smoky twist by charring the eggplant and peppers on the grill. The result is a deeply flavored, slightly sweet and tangy appetizer that’s perfect for warm-weather entertaining.
What makes this caponata special is the combination of textures and flavors—tender grilled eggplant, sweet roasted red peppers, briny capers, and aromatic fresh basil, all brought together with a simple balsamic dressing. It’s incredibly versatile: serve it as a bruschetta topping on crusty grilled bread, spoon it over grilled fish or chicken, or toss it with pasta for a light summer meal.
The beauty of caponata is that it actually tastes better after sitting for a while, making it an ideal make-ahead dish for parties and gatherings. Just hold off on adding the fresh basil until right before serving to keep those bright, herbaceous notes vibrant.
Grilled Eggplant Caponata
This Sicilian recipe for Eggplant Caponata is simple, easy and full of summer flavor! Serve it as a healthy vegan appetizer over crostini, or as a delicious side dish, or turn it into an eggplant salad served over greens and grains.
Ingredients
Grilled Vegetables
Caponata Dressing
For Serving
Instructions
Grilling the Vegetables
- Heat grill to medium-high heat.
- Slice eggplant into ⅓ inch thick rounds and brush both sides with olive oil.
- If making crostini, slice baguette into ½ inch thick disks. Brush both sides with olive oil.
- Once grill is hot, grill eggplant slices, 4-5 minutes on each side, until noticeable grill marks appear, turning heat to medium if necessary. Stack eggplant in a bowl and cover tightly with foil so they steam and cook through.
- Grill the red pepper on all sides over medium high heat until lightly charred and tender. Place with the eggplant under the foil.
- Grill the baguette slices. If making this ahead, wait until close to serving time to grill the bread. Alternatively you can bake the bread on a sheet pan in a 375°F oven until crisp.
Assembling the Caponata
- Uncover the eggplant and let cool, then dice into small ⅓ inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Dice the bell pepper.
- Add the finely minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, capers, and salt. Taste and add more salt if necessary, remembering the bread will dilute some of the salt.
- Right before ready to serve, stir in the basil ribbons. To make ribbons, stack the basil leaves uniformly. Roll up from point end to stem end. Thinly slice the roll.
- Serve the grilled baguette alongside the eggplant caponata or place a tablespoon or two on each piece of bruschetta, garnishing with more basil.
Notes
- The caponata can be made ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving and add the fresh basil just before serving.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of honey to balance the balsamic.
- This dish is naturally vegan and low-carb when served without the bread.
