Name: Easy Caponata (quick and without tomatoes)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 large eggplant, cubed; 1 large yellow onion, sliced; 2 small (or 1 medium) red bell pepper, sliced; 2 small (or 1 medium) yellow bell pepper, sliced; 3 cloves of garlic, chopped; 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar; 3/4 cup olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp brown sugar; About 1/4 cup fresh oregano, or 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves; 1 tsp chili powder (optional)

Sweet and sour, with lots of olive oil, this caponata is my favorite vegan eggplant recipe.

Maybe this caponata recipe is a bit different from the ones you’re used to: I skip the tomatoes and the celery, only using eggplants, bell peppers, garlic and onions. If you were looking for a caponata without tomatoes, you just found it.

How to make it

Some bake the eggplant first, some bake everything together for hours: I keep mine simple.

sliced bell peppers, oregano leaves, sliced onion, chopped garlic and an eggplant

Cube your eggplant, take the seeds of your bell peppers if there’s any and slice them. Peel and cut the onion into half-moon slices and chop the garlic cloves. Gather the remaining ingredients before you start and clean the oregano leaves if using it fresh.

Start by frying garlic and onions with olive oil for 2 minutes on high heat. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for half an hour, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent from burning at the bottom.

It’s done when eggplant cubes are soft. Thirty minutes are usually enough for me!

Wait for it to cool a bit before serving – unless you rather have it hot. I always cook my caponata in advance, as I prefer it at room temperature or cold. After one day or two, the taste is even more amazing.

How to store it

After cool, store it in an airtight container, in your fridge. It’s good for 2 to 3 weeks if stored right (it never lasted over 2 weeks here).

Will caponata freeze well? Hum, I don’t think so. The texture of the vegetables may change, so I wouldn’t risk it. But if you did, and it turned out ok, let me know!

flat lay of two toasts topped with caponata

a plate full of caponata with a stack of bread on the background

Tips for getting the perfect caponata

If you prefer yours less sweet, use half the amount of sugar the recipe asks for;
Don’t forget to stir, or it may burn on the bottom and that can make your caponata tastes bitter;
You can substitute fresh oregano for its dried version. In this case, 1 1/2 teaspoon should be more than enough.
I like my caponata with a LOT of olive oil: dipping bread into it is the best part. If you rather make it with less olive oil, use only 1/2 cup;
I cook with less salt, so maybe for you only 1 tsp of it is too little. Taste for salt and add more if needed;

caponata over a sourdough toast held with caponata on the background

Serve them with crostini (you can make it with a baguette bread), or on a delicious sourdough bread toast. By morning, have it along with a coffee lemonade, or a refreshing juice like this ginger one.

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Yield: 4-6 people