Crockpot Caponata – Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free & Vegetarian Recipe
Crockpot caponata is one of my favorite comfort foods. Served over brown rice pasta this is like having spaghetti and red sauce, only so much better! Using the crockpot to make this recipe takes out the work of watching and regularly stirring a sauce as it simmers for ages to develop a deep rich flavor.
Just chop the vegetables, toss them in the slow cooker and stir it once halfway through. It only takes a few additional minutes of hands-on cooking at the end to boil up some pasta to make this delicious meal.
While crockpot caponata includes several of Adam’s “not so favorite” ingredients, he still enjoys the dish once everything is combined. If you have never been a fan of eggplant, you might be surprised at how it melds with all of the other ingredients to become something special.
Crockpot caponata ingredients ready to cook – note it came right up to the top of the 4qt crockpot, it cooks down, but I probably should have used our larger crockpot.
Cooking Notes
As with most of my non-baking recipes, the quantities of ingredients in this recipe are a starting place. The recipe as written creates a nicely balanced dish, but if you have an extra bell pepper or a few whole tomatoes which need to be used up before they go bad, feel free to toss them in, just make sure to taste and adjust seasonings (including the honey) as needed before serving.
In the recipe, you may also note the ability to use canned or fresh tomatoes. I find a greater variation in the acidity level of fresh tomatoes, so you will want to taste the sauce and adjust the honey accordingly. If you do use canned tomatoes, save the tin and you can make this decorative plant pot as a bonus!
When you are planning the time you will need for this to cook, decide if you would like your vegetables to maintain some integrity, or if you would like them to be meltingly soft. I like the crockpot caponata both ways although they really do feel different, so you might want to experiment to see what you and your family prefer. (And note that these can be cooked on low for a full day cook and on high for a half day cook if you want this for lunch or get a later start on dinner than planned.)
Crockpot caponata at the end of the cook time.
One additional note on the size of the slow cooker. You should be able to fit this into a 4qt slow cooker, but it will be just barely. If you are adding extra veggies and/or you have slightly larger looking eggplant, I suggest you use a larger crockpot.
Serving Suggestions
While this recipe is cooked without any added oil, the dish really sings when you add a little bit of extra decadence. I like to top it with either a drizzle of olive oil and some nutritional yeast to keep it dairy-free, or I will grate pecorino romano on top if we have some in the house.
I usually serve the crockpot caponata over gluten-free pasta, but it is also fantastic over rice, polenta, or served in a bowl with a hunk of bread for dipping. Based on your diet and taste preference, you might also want to serve this over another cooked grain like barley, millet, or quinoa.
I served this meal over brown rice pasta, with cooked sausage, and topped with grated pecorino romano, the toppings are not vegetarian or dairy-free, but see my notes to keep it dairy-free while still adding an extra touch.
While the dish is packed full of veggies and really doesn’t need more to make it a complete meal, if you feel like your plate needs a little something more, I would suggest adding a green salad with oil and vinegar dressing (or a squeeze of lemon juice) to the side. The contrast of the fresh vegetables in the salad with the silky sauce is delicious.
Make ahead notes
This is a great make ahead sauce. It freezes and reheats well and the recipe is easy to double using a larger slow cooker. I like to freeze extra sauce in amounts sized for a four-person serving so I can move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before, then just toss it in a pan to reheat the following day for dinner. Making extra crockpot caponata and freezing is also a great way to preserve the bounty of summer when tomatoes and eggplants are plentiful in gardens, at farmers markets and on sale at the grocery store.
Crockpot Caponata
Equipment
- Slow Cooker (minimum of 4qt, but larger will work)
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplant, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, minced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp kosher or large grain sea salt
- ⅓ cup kalmata olives, pitted and chopped
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients as noted above and add everything to a slow cooker (you can use a 4qt one like I did and it will be a tight fit, feel free to use a larger one, especially if your eggplant are on the bigger side). Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Stirring the caponata after a few hours to ensure everything is mixed well.
- If you prefer to have some integrity left in the vegetables, aim for the lower end of the cook time. If you would rather have your vegetables meltingly soft, go for the longer end of the cook time.
- Once the cook time is complete, add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over pasta, rice, polenta, or in a bowl with a piece of crusty bread for dipping. This recipe loves a little extra dash of fat, consider drizzling on some extra-virgin olive oil when plating or grating some pecorino romano or parmesan cheese on top.
