Summer Squash Caponata

By David Tanis

Published July 9, 2019

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Iah Pinkney
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(356)
Comments
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Caponata, a sweet and sour vegetable dish of Sicilian origin, is usually made with eggplant, but this version is made with zucchini and yellow squash, and dotted with capers and olives. Served at room temperature, caponata often graces the antipasto table at restaurants, but it can also be a main course or a side dish. At home, it can top crostini, a perfect accompaniment to drinks. For a picnic, serve it with good canned tuna and hard-cooked eggs.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

  • Extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 ½ pounds medium green zucchini, cut into ¾-inch cubes

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 ½ pounds yellow summer squash, cut into ¾-inch cubes

  • 1 large onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)

  • 6 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)

  • Pinch of red-pepper flakes

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 3 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons medium capers, rinsed, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes and drained

  • 24 green olives, such as Castelvetrano or Cerignola, for garnish

  • 6 hard-boiled eggs (9-minute), for garnish

  • Italian parsley leaves, for garnish

  • Basil leaves, for garnish

  • 12 (½-inch) slices Italian or French bread, toasted

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

20 grams carbs; 112 milligrams cholesterol; 188 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 9 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 669 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour ½ inch olive oil into a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add enough zucchini to cover bottom of pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Let zucchini sizzle and brown slightly. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Continue cooking zucchini and summer squash in batches, adding oil to the pan as necessary.

  2. Step 2

    In the same skillet, cook the onions over medium-high heat, stirring, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add celery and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and transfer onion mixture to bowl with zucchini.

  3. Step 3

    To the bowl, add red-pepper flakes, sugar, vinegar and capers. Toss gently together. Taste and adjust, making sure the seasoning is bright, with a balanced sweet-sour flavor. Leave for 10 to 15 minutes and taste again. (If time permits, let the flavors marry for an hour or more before serving. The caponata may be refrigerated for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature to serve.)

  4. Step 4

    Transfer mixture to a large platter. Top with olives and hard-cooked eggs, halved or quartered. Garnish with parsley and basil leaves. Serve at room temperature with toasted bread for making crostini.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
356 user ratings
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Comments

Joanne Weaver

Every summer I cook up something similar...a pan of sweet onions, zucchini, gold bar squash, garlic sauteed in olive oil. Sometimes in slices, sometimes in a dice. With lots of dried basil and oregano. A splash of vinegar, hot pepper flakes. Eat it all week, hot, warm, room temp. May add pasta, mushrooms, chick peas, toasted walnuts, feta for a casserole. Even better if you let it sit for awhile. Oh, and I always cook the onions first to flavor the pan.

Shawn N.

For years I have dreaded the annual arrival of squishy vegetable season. The unholy trinity of zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant. People would always say, "you just don't like it because you haven't had it pickled/fried/done by me/baked in a cake/sauteed in a twinkie". Even bacon did nothing to redeem it. But finally, this recipe has restored my faith in summer squash and the genius of chefs. This was fantastic. I will never again flee from zucchini.

Chris

not being fond of the flavor of cooked celery I substitute fresh fennel

Lesley

I was all set to make this for a second time. I asked my husband to pick up the zucchini. When i was about to begin i discovered he had bought cucumbers instead! I switched out the zucchini for eggplant , leaving the black peel on.,and combined them with the summer squash and i added some julienned red pepper. It was very pretty! I ended up using the quantities from the eggplant carbonara recipe for the vinegar, wine, sugar, tomato paste etc. it was delicious!

Tisround

Chopped up about a tablespoon of banana peppers that went well.

Karen in Montreal

This is really delicious ! I already loved zucchini, in its more typical and subtle forms. But this tastes só bright and interesting, à nice change! I added a handful of golden raisins, to up the ‘sweet and salty’ factor.

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