Caponata on Crostini

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A delicious oven-baked caponata made from red onion, celery, carrots, garlic, capsicum, eggplant, olives and dried herbs served on crostini. A wonderful way to use seasonal fresh vegetables.

A platter of toasted bread slices topped with mixed roasted vegetables, pine nuts, and fresh basil leaves, arranged on a patterned serving tray.

I was lucky enough to be taught this recipe for Caponata on Crostini when we were on holiday in Sicily in 2023. We had the wonderful chef Gloria Fabbri come to our holiday house. She showed us how to make Cannolis, Pasta Timbale alla Norma and Caponata. While they were all so incredibly tasty, my favourite was the Caponata.

This dish is full of vegetables cooked in a red wine vinegar and sugar that give it its characteristic sweet-and-sour flavour. For more eggplant recipes, be sure to check out my Lamb and Eggplant Baps, Slow Cooker Beef Red Curry, or my Falafel Burger.

Four adults stand in a kitchen behind a counter with assorted dishes, including caponata on crostini, pastries, and vegetable platters, smiling at the camera.

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Ingredient notes:
Step by step instructions:
Recipe FAQs:
Storage:
Related Recipes:
Caponata on Crostini

Ingredient notes:

Assorted vegetables, pine nuts, two bottles of oil, a jar of olives, and garlic cloves arranged on a kitchen counter with a white tile backsplash.

Eggplant: Also know as aubergine, this is one of the most important ingredients! This vegetable not only has a great texture for eating, but it also soaks up the delicious flavours.
Kalamata olives: These add a salty, briny balance to the sweet and sour notes. Leave them out if you don't like olives.
Red wine vinegar: This is essential for the sweet-and-sour that defines this traditional Sicilian dish.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.

Step by step instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. In a large ovenproof casserole dish, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook, stirring for 10-15 minutes until softened and translucent.

Chopped red onion, garlic, carrots, and celery are arranged in sections inside a white mixing bowl.

Chopped red, yellow, and green bell peppers being sautéed with diced onions, carrots, and celery in a large pot on a stove.

Add the red and yellow capsicums, eggplant and olives to the pan. Drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and stir to coat. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the Italian herbs, red wine vinegar and sugar. Stir to combine.

A pot filled with chopped eggplant, bell peppers, celery, and sliced black olives, being cooked together on a stovetop.

A close-up of a bowl filled with chopped eggplant, bell peppers, olives, and herbs, showing a colorful mixed vegetable medley.

Cover with the lid, then transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour. After 1 hour, sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and cook uncovered for a further 10 minutes.

A close-up of a vegetable stew with chopped peppers and eggplant, topped with a handful of uncooked pine nuts.

A close-up of a mixed vegetable dish with diced eggplant, bell peppers, carrots, olives, and pine nuts in a white bowl.

Stir through and serve on crostini with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

A platter of toasted bread slices topped with a vegetable mixture sits in front of a green pot containing more of the same mixture on a countertop.

I like to garnish each crostini with a piece of fresh basil.

Several pieces of toasted bread topped with diced roasted vegetables and fresh basil leaves are arranged on a patterned serving platter.

Recipe FAQs:

What is the best way to serve caponata?

Traditionally it's served as an antipasto on crostini, but you can also enjoy it as a side dish with grilled meats, tossed through pasta, or even on pizza.

Can caponata be made ahead of time?

Yes! Caponata actually tastes better the next day once the flavours have had time to meld. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Storage:

Store your caponata in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy leftovers on freshly baked crostini, stirred through freshly cooked pasta or as a side dish with your favourite grilled meats.

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Caponata on Crostini

Yield: Serves 20 as a starter

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

A delicious oven-baked caponata made from red onion, celery, carrots, garlic, capsicum, aubergine, olives and dried herbs served on crostini.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 red onion, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red capsicum, diced
1 yellow capsicum, diced
2 eggplants, cubed
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, diced
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
2 tsp Italian red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
70g pine nuts

To serve

Crostini or crackers
Balsamic Glaze

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
In a large ovenproof casserole dish, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat.
Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook, stirring for 10-15 minutes until softened and translucent.
Add the red and yellow capsicums, eggplant and olives to the pan. Drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and stir to coat. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle over the Italian herbs, red wine vinegar and sugar. Stir to combine.
Cover with the lid, then transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and cook uncovered for a further 10 minutes.
Stir through and serve on crostini with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Notes

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze in an airtight container for later.
This makes a large recipe so you could halve it.
To make the crostini, thinly slice a baguette, brush with oil and bake for 15 mins until crispy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 78Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 21mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya