• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Somebody Feed Seb
  • Home
  • VEGANUARY
  • MAINS
    • MEAT & POULTRY
    • FISH & SEAFOOD
    • PASTA
    • RISOTTO
    • SALADS & BOWLS
    • SOUP
    • VEGETARIAN
    • VEGAN
    • BUDGET
  • SOURDOUGH
    • ACTIVE STARTER
    • DISCARD
  • DESSERTS & BAKES
    • CAKES & TORTES
    • TARTS & PIES
    • CHEESECAKE
    • COOKIES, BISCUITS, BARS
    • DESSERTS
    • SMALL BAKES
  • BREAKFAST
  • SIDE DISHES
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT ME
  • CONTACT
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » MAINS » VEGETARIAN

    Sicilian Caponata Melanzane (Aubergine Caponata)

    Published: December 29, 2020 · Updated: August 6, 2022 by Ieva · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    A Sicilian ratatouille with aubergine, peppers, salty capers and sweet sultanas topped with melting strings of mozzarella! Served on fluffy couscous, this is one of those meals that we keep coming back to. A flavoursome vegetarian dish that’s packed with vegetables, our Sicilian Caponata Melanzane with Mozzarella is an adored weekday dinner recipe of ours!

    Take Me To:
    • Agrodolce Sauce For Aubergine Caponata
    • Is Aubergine Underrated?
    • Ingredients and Substitutes
    • How To Choose Aubergine?
    • Method
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Recipe Card

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!

    Agrodolce Sauce For Aubergine Caponata

    Sicilian Caponata is cooked in agrodolce sauce. Agrodolce means sweet and sour in Italian. With capers and lemon providing the sour and sultanas and honey bringing the sweet, this tomato sauce is full of flavour.

    Is Aubergine Underrated?

    In my opinion, aubergine is highly underrated. Yes, sure, on its own it can be bland and slimy if overcooked, but as soon as you put it with other ingredients, it is an amazing vegetable to use in vegetarian dishes:

    • It’s full of nutritional fibre.
    • Contains a good amount of vitamins B1 and B6.
    • It’s like a blank canvas that you can pump full of flavour.

    This time, we are using aubergine in a delicious Italian-inspired vegetable caponata.

    Vegetable Caponata with mozzarella served on a bed of couscous with a sprig of basil.

    Ingredients and Substitutes

    • aubergine: also known as eggplant. More on choosing the best aubergine below.
    • bell pepper: choose your favourite colour, or add a mixture to maximise the colour vibrancy of this Sicilian ratatouille.
    • red onion: can be replaced with brown onion or shallots.
    • garlic.
    • capers: use small capers. Capers are bursting with sharp vinegary flavour, so you ideally want to use small little pearls that make into each bite and not overpower other flavours. Our favourite varieties of capers are surfines and capucines.
    • sultanas: can be replaced with raisins.
    • tinned chopped tomatoes.
    • red wine: can be substituted with 2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
    • honey: clear runny honey.
    • mozzarella: a ball of fresh mozzarella is optional in this recipe and is not traditionally added to Caponata Melanzane, but we think it does wonders to the dish!
    • basil: leaves only, stalks discarded.
    • couscous: white or wholewheat. It can also be replaced with bulgur wheat.
    • stock: we used a vegetable stock cube mixed with 225ml of water.
    Capers, pepper, aubergine, gralic, sultanas and couscous on a wooden chopping board.

    How To Choose Aubergine?

    There are a couple of things to look for when choosing aubergine in the shop. The good thing is, that aubergine normally comes without any packaging, so you should be able to see, touch and feel it before buying it.

    • Colour: look for aubergine with deep purple skin colour; dull faded skin may indicate that the aubergine is past its “best before” date.
    • The texture of the skin: fresh aubergine has a smooth and shiny surface.
    • Firmness: if you can, give your aubergine a gentle squeeze – it should not feel too soft. When you press a ripe aubergine, the skin should quickly spring back to its original shape.
    • Check for bruises.

    Method

    Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan. Cut your aubergine into rough cubes. Then deseed and slice a pepper. Peel your red onion and cut it into eight wedges.

    Spread the aubergines, peppers and onions in a single layer on a large baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Then put in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes. The vegetables should soften and start to brown slightly.

    All the chopped and sliced vegetables on a baking tray.
    Roasted vegetales on a baking parchment lined tray.

    In the meantime, finely slice your garlic cloves. Weight out sultanas and capers. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant. Then add sultanas, capers, a teaspoon of honey and red wine.

    If you don’t have any red wine, substitute with 2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Stir for 30 seconds, then tip in chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off and set it aside. This is your agrodolce sauce.

    Drain the mozzarella ball and tear it up into 8 pieces. When the vegetables are cooked, add them to the agrodolce sauce, stir to coat and turn the heat on to medium-high. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

    Vegetable Caponata in a frying pan.

    In the meantime, boil a kettle of water. Add couscous to a bowl, and crumble in a stock cube. Add boiling water and cover with a plate. Leave to stand for 5 minutes. If you wish to make the meal gluten-free, make some quinoa instead. But note that quinoa takes longer to cook.

    Stir the basil into the tomato sauce, then place the mozzarella pieces on top and cover with a lid for a minute for the cheese to melt.

    Fluff the couscous up with a fork, and divide between two bowls. Top with aubergine caponata with mozzarella and some reserved basil on top. Perfect served with a glass of red wine!

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I Make This Sicilian Ratatouille Vegan?

    Absolutely! You can replace honey with agave nectar, brown sugar or maple syrup. Instead of mozzarella, dot the Vegetable Caponata with vegan cream cheese once you served it in bowls. Or you can simply skip it altogether!

    What’s A Good Substitute For Couscous In Order To Make This Sicilian Caponata Gluten-Free?

    Use quinoa or rice instead. Both white and brown rice works well with it! Or you can even try it with a creamy polenta mash!

    Recipe Card

    Sicilian Caponata with Mozzarella in a pale pink bowl with a spoon and red wine next to it.

    Sicilian Caponata Melanzane

    A Sicilian ratatouille with aubergine, peppers, salty capers and sweet sultanas topped with melting strings of cheese! Served on fluffy couscous, this is one of those meals that we keep coming back to. A flavoursome vegetarian dish that's packed with vegetables, our Caponata with Mozzarella is an adored weekday dinner recipe of ours!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine Italian, Sicilian
    Servings 2 portions
    Calories 664 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 aubergine cubed
    • 1 pepper deseeded and sliced
    • 1 large red onion cut into 8 wedges
    • 2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
    • 20 g capers
    • 40 g sultanas
    • 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
    • 50 ml red wine or 2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 125 g mozzarella ball
    • 10 g basil
    • 150 g couscous
    • ½ vegetable stock cube
    • 225 ml hot water

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan. Spread the aubergiens, peppers and onions in a single layer on a large baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Then put in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes. The vegetables should soften and start to brown slightly.
    • In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Then add sultanas, capers, a teaspoon of honey and red wine. Stir for 30 seconds, then tip in chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off and set aside.
    • Drain your mozzarella ball and tear it up into 8 pieces. Strip the basil leaves off the stalks (reserve the pritiest leaves for presentation).
    • When the vegetables are cooked, add them to the tomato sauce, stir to coat and turn the heat on to medium-high. Cook for 5 minutes.
    • In the meantime, boil a kettle of water. Add couscous to a bowl, crumble in a stock cube. Add boiling water and cover with a plate. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
    • Stir the basil into the tomato sauce, then add mozzarella and cover with a lid for a minute for the cheese to melt.
    • Fluff the couscous up with a fork, divide between two bowls. Top with caponata with melting mozzarella and some reserved basil on top.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 664kcalCarbohydrates: 113gProtein: 35gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 1206mgPotassium: 1536mgFiber: 17gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 765IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 153mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword Aubergine and Pepper Ratatouille, Aubergine Ratatouille, Aubergine Ratatouille Recipe, Caponata, Caponata Recipe, Eggplant Ratatouille, Mediterranean Vegetable Ratatouille, Ratatouille, Ratatouille Recipe, Sicilian Aubergine Ratatouille, Sicilian Caponata, Sicilian Caponata Recipe, Sicilian Egplant Ratatouille, Sicilian Ratatouille, Sicilian Ratatouille Recipe, Vegetarian Ratatouille
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Pin for Pinterest.

    More VEGETARIAN

    • Butternut Squash Quiche With Sour Cream
    • Vegetarian Glamorgan Sausages (Welsh Leek Sausages)
    • Pasta Napoletana
    • 5-Ingredient Tomato Puff Pastry Tart

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sue

      January 12, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      The combo of flavors here is amazing, and you’ve made it look so beautiful!

      Reply
      • Ieva

        January 12, 2021 at 5:50 pm

        Thanks, we sure think it’s delicious! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Liza

      April 20, 2021 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      What a flavorful recipe! We love the combination of the oven-roasted aubergine (we call it eggplant) and peppers with all the other tasty ingredients over a bed of couscous. Sooo delicious!

      Reply
      • Ieva

        April 20, 2021 at 10:00 pm

        It is, Liza! I love Italian food!

        Reply
    3. Farah

      October 17, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      This looks amazing! Eggplant and mozzarella are a match made in heaven, and the veggie mix looks so hearty and delicious. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Ieva

        October 17, 2021 at 9:31 pm

        You are most welcome 💗

        Reply
    4. Andrea

      December 02, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve never had caponata like this. It looks and sounds amazing!

      Reply
      • Ieva

        December 03, 2021 at 7:31 am

        That’s brilliant! Mozzarella definitely makes this caponata stand out!

        Reply
    5. nancy

      December 20, 2022 at 6:05 pm

      5 stars
      this eggplant recipe is super creamy and delicious to make on a cozy day!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Ieva lookinf at Seb, both smiling.

    Hi, I am Ieva – the face behind this blog. I live in North Wales with my husband Seb and our golden retriever Sawyer. It’s safe to say that I live and breathe food: from researching and reading about food to creating new recipes and growing vegetables to use in my cooking.  The great thing is, Seb appreciates all the good meals that are also essential at his worst ‘hangry’ moments! Somebody HAS to feed Seb…

    More about me →

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
    • Torta Pasqualina: Italian Spinach Pie for Easter
    • Perfect Easter Roast: Apricot Stuffed Leg of Lamb
    • Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder

    Trending Recipes

    • Irresistible No-Bake Biscoff Cheesecake (6 Ingredients)
    • Fried Tenderstem Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon (Garlic Broccolini)
    • Sticky Crispy Chicken Bao Buns
    • Homemade Chinese BBQ Sauce Recipe (Char Siu Sauce)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Somebody Feed Seb