This Grilled Caponata with Balsamic Vinaigrette is a summer vegetable dish inspired by caponata, the classic Sicilian sweet-and-sour vegetable stew.* Here, the vegetables shine without the need for heavy tomato sauce or copious amounts of olive oil. It is a versatile dish, delicious at all temperatures.
After seeing this year’s crop of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, garlic, bell peppers, and tomatoes at the local farmers’ market, I recalled tasting caponata on a recent trip to Italy, where cooks masterfully combined these vegetables with fragrant olive oil into colorful dishes. Caponata originated in Sicily but now cooks throughout Italy are adding whatever other vegetables are at hand, sometimes potatoes, celery, carrots, cheese, and various herbs, giving the dish its novel character. Herbs vary from cook to cook, but basil, parsley, and thyme are among the most ubiquitous.
Caponata ingredients are similar to those in ratatouille, except for the addition of vinegar and sugar, which give caponata its characteristic agrodolce taste. See how these two dishes differ: https://www.threefarmsisland.com/sicilian-caponata-and-french-ratatouille-are-they-the-same/
In developing this recipe, my goal was to create a flavorful yet light dish that avoids the heaviness and richness of traditional stewed caponata, while maintaining an elegant, spiral appearance. Here is what I did:
Grilled caponata vegetables
I followed classic caponata recipes for the basic ingredients.
- Eggplant: Either globe or Asian eggplant works well in this recipe. For uniform slices required in a spiral presentation, Asian eggplants are preferred; however, they are not always in season. If only globe eggplant are available, slices can be cut to fit as necessary.
- Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash: Any thin-skinned squash will work.
- Onions and garlic: Generally, any sweet onion will add a savory flavor. I use red onions in this recipe which are less bitter, but Vidalia or white onions will work as well. In traditional caponata, the use of garlic varies widely from recipe to recipe. The caponatas I ate in Italy were quite garlicky, but the amount used can be adjusted to taste.
- Red bell peppers: Ideally, large red peppers are available for cutting into round pieces. Since I found only small red peppers, I cut them into strips, which I grilled and coiled to fit the other vegetables during final assembly.
- Tomatoes: Firm and meaty-textured, Roma tomatoes are ideal for this recipe because they retain their integrity when cooked. In this recipe, tomatoes are not grilled but inserted between the roasted vegetables just before the final oven baking. They create a light sauce for the other veggies.
- Balsamic vinegar: In traditional caponatas, red wine vinegar provides acidity. In this recipe, aged balsamic vinegar, which is less acidic than conventional vinegars, adds a mild sweetness with a delicate caramel-molasses accent and tangy flavor to the grilled vegetables. Some traditional recipes also include capers and olives to add acidity, which I omitted from the dish, but prefer serving alongside.
- Granulated sugar: Most caponatas flavored with red wine vinegar are sweetened with sugar, which may be omitted depending on the sweetness of the balsamic vinegar used in the vinaigrette. I softened the acidity of the balsamic vinaigrette with a few spoons of sugar. Some recipes also use raisins to add sweetness to caponata.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: A good quality, fruity olive oil adds lusciousness to caponata. This recipe calls for half the amount of olive oil used in traditional recipes but retains the caponata’s rich taste.
- Fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley, are ubiquitous in caponatas. Sometimes thyme is added. Fresh herbs provide an aromatic finish to the dish.
- Salt and pepper: All cut vegetables are seasoned with salt after cutting to flavor and extract moisture, but most of the salt is wiped away as they are dried before being coated with oil and grilled. Thus, no additional salting is needed. Pepper is added after grilling.
Since I planned to arrange the vegetables concentrically around the baking pan, I bought vegetables of similar diameters so that they could be cut into uniform slices, simplifying the later spiral assembly. But when only larger vegetables were available, I trimmed and fitted them into the baking dish as necessary.
I used ½ pound (227 g) of each vegetable, a head of garlic, and a bunch each of basil, parsley, and thyme. This recipe provides vegetable quantities for a balanced dish, but substitutions with other vegetables are acceptable as long as the total amount remains the same.
I cut the vegetables into uniform, round ¼ inch (0.6 cm) pieces to create a rainbow-colored arrangement of vegetables. I avoided small or thin pieces, which would burn on the grill.
Sliced and salted vegetables
Caponata is a rustic dish that can be prepared in several ways. The easy, farmhouse method is to chop the vegetables, combine them in a pot, and stew for over an hour with a glug of olive oil or tomato puree, until they are soft. In this approach, vegetables, especially eggplant, act like sponges, absorbing a significant amount of oil and producing a uniformly tasting, hearty, and succulent stew, which is great for fall and winter, but too heavy for summer.
Other recipes suggest frying vegetables separately, which maintains their integrity, shape, and flavor. Vegetables cook at different rates and absorb different amounts of oil, which can be better controlled by cooking separately.
Since lightly oiled vegetables absorb less oil than fried ones, and my goal was to lighten the classic caponata, I grill all the vegetables separately instead of frying them. Charring vegetables on a very hot grill partially cooks them, imparts a delightful smoky flavor, softens them, and reduces the cooking time in the oven. Then, the grilled vegetables are arranged in a spiral pattern in a baking dish, glazed with balsamic vinaigrette, and baked for an additional 25 minutes in the oven (half the time specified in traditional recipes) to allow the flavors to meld.
This is a simple recipe that can be prepared in advance and tastes better the next day. No special cooking skills are required. Slicing vegetables uniformly and grilling separately takes slightly more time than the one-pot stewing method, but from start to finish, cutting the vegetables takes about 20 minutes.
In terms of equipment, a mandolin with a hand guard, a sharp knife, and a charcoal grill are required. If the vegetables are cut into round pieces, a grill basket is helpful to keep the vegetable pieces from falling through the grill’s grates. Of course, you can skip outdoor grilling and char the vegetables on the stove in a cast-iron grill pan. Stove-top grilling produces a lovely caponata but without the smoky flavor.
This Grilled Caponata with Balsamic Vinaigrette is now part of my summer meal rotation. It is a versatile and delectable way to enjoy fresh vegetables, which, when grilled, retain their texture and color. The light char adds a smoky flavor which pairs well with the balsamic vinaigrette. The vegetables are silky, and their flavors meld perfectly into an irresistible, tangy, and briny dish.
I serve this caponata as a side dish with grilled chicken and steak, in omelets, and over ricotta as bruschetta. It is a perfect addition to an antipasto or salad buffet because it tastes best at room temperature. Caponata can also be served over rice or pasta. But my favorite way of enjoying caponata is with a crusty piece of bread, assorted olives, Italian cheese, and a glass of wine. A perfect snack or start to a summer dinner!
If the time is short, the vegetables in this Grilled Caponata do not need to be arranged in concentric circles in the baking pan, as I did. The vegetables can be placed as grilled or chopped into small pieces, then layered over sliced tomatoes in a caponata casserole and glazed with balsamic vinaigrette before final baking. This Grilled Caponata with Balsamic Vinaigrette will be succulent whether arranged in spirals or as a casserole.
Grilled caponata with balsamic vinaigrette
For the caponata:
2 zucchini, uniform size (about ½ pound, 227 g)
2 summer squash (about ½ pound, 227 g)
4 eggplant, globe or Asian (about ½ pound, 227 g)
2 red bell peppers, large
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
½ tablespoon large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
For balsamic vinaigrette
½ cup (118 ml) aged balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup (158 ml) extra virgin olive oil
For garnish
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, shredded and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
½ tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Preparing balsamic vinaigrette: In a small bowl or blender, whisk or process vinegar, mustard, sugar, garlic, fresh herbs, salt and pepper until combined. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Drizzle in the olive oil in a slow stream while whisking or blending until the dressing is emulsified, about 15 seconds. Alternatively, combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to mix. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Balsamic vinaigrette
Preparing vegetables:
Eggplant: Remove the stem end and peel thin strips of skin around the eggplant. Slice with a mandolin or a very sharp knife into ¼-inch (0.6 cm) slices. (I used a mandolin to cut the eggplant crosswise into even slices. Caution: When using a mandolin, please use a hand shield to avoid finger cuts.) Lay the slices on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with salt on both sides. (Salting helps extract bitter juices, increasing sweetness.) Set aside for one hour.
Zucchini and Summer Squash: Remove the stem end and cut crosswise into ¼-inch (0.6 cm) slices. Lay, rack, and salt the squash as you do the eggplant. Set aside for one hour.
Onions: Carefully slice the onions into ¼-inch (0.6 cm) rings horizontally. To keep the onion layers together, lay the onion slices on a flat surface and pierce them with a toothpick so they cook without separating. Spread the onions out on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and set aside.
Red peppers: Wash and trim bell peppers, discarding the stem end and removing core and white membrane. If the peppers are large, cut them into rounds; if they are small, cut them into rings, salt and set aside.
Tomatoes: Cut into ¼ inch (0.6 cm) slices and set aside. Tomatoes are not grilled, but when assembling caponata before baking, insert tomato slices between layers of grilled vegetables before transferring them into the baking dish.
Combine minced or grated garlic cloves with thyme and basil and set aside.
Oiled vegetables, ready for grilling
Prepare Grill and Grilling vegetables: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for preparing a gas or charcoal grill. Preheat on medium-high heat for 15 minutes.
When ready to grill, pat the vegetable pieces dry with a paper towel, discard any accumulated juices, and brush them lightly with olive oil on both sides. Lay pieces flat in a grill basket without overcrowding and grill on one side for 1 minute before turning over.
Grilling summer squash in a basket
(Monitor the grill carefully. Vegetables may take shorter or longer to char depending on the heat of the grill and the thickness of the vegetable pieces.) Check for grill marks. Once lightly charred, turn over and grill the other side for an additional minute. (Grilled vegetables are partially cooked on the grill but will finish cooking in the oven.) Remove the basket from the grill and transfer the vegetables to a rimmed baking sheet.
Grilled caponata vegetables
Preparing baking dish: Brush oil on the bottom and sides of the baking dish. Spread 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette over the bottom of the baking dish. Top with garlic-herb mixture.
Assembling the caponata and final baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Arrange grilled vegetables in a repeated pattern of tomato, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and red pepper. (I wound the pepper strips into coils before layering with the other vegetables.) Nestle vegetable rounds in a spiral along the outside edge of the pan. Once the outer circle is completed, repeat with a second circle fitted snugly against the outer circle. Then fill in the middle with as many vegetable rounds as fit. Fill gaps with additional rounds.
Assembled caponata
With a pastry brush, glaze vegetables with balsamic vinaigrette. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate overnight.
Baked caponata
One hour before serving, remove the dish from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature. Garnish with fresh basil or other herbs if desired.
Serve at room temperature.
Serves 6-8
Serving caponata
Caponata ricotta bruschetta with assorted olives
*https://www.deliciousitaly.com/sicily-food-wine/stories-of-sicilian-caponata
Photo credits: All photos: Slava Johnson
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