Capers are the pickled flower buds of a Mediterranean shrub called the Capparis spinosa. They’re typically preserved in a salt and water brine or packed in a mixture of brine and vinegar. Some fancier capers are cured in salt. They’re slightly vegetal and sweet, and forwardly acidic, tangy, sour, bitter and salty. Capers can brighten up everything from eggs to antipasti. They add complexity and a lip-smacking punch to tons of chicken and fish dishes (we see you, tartar sauce). They also work wonders in salad dressings, sauces, veggies and pastas.
The best part? Capers keep indefinitely as long as they stay submerged in their own brine, so grab a jar at the store the next time you see one. Until then, here are nine substitutes for capers to use in a pinch.
1. Green olives
They’re salty, they’re acidic, they’re savory, they’re buried somewhere in your fridge—what more can you ask for? Cut them down to caper-like size to hide your secret swap (we won’t tell). Black or Kalamata olives can also bring a pop of brine, but with less caper-like bitterness. Due to the difference in size, substitute one olive for every two capers.
2. Lemon
What a difference a squeeze of fresh lemon makes. You’ll get a similar acidity and zip. Add a few cracks of freshly-ground black pepper to the lemon juice for some bite and bitterness. Because lemon is intensely sour and acidic, substitute for capers by using your taste as a guide.
3. Pickles
Dill pickles are a worthy swap, even if their signature crunch is a little more intense. If you don’t mind veering away from that dark green color scheme, pickled red onions offer the same vinegary jolt in a pretty pink package. Cut the pickles into caper-sized pieces and sub in equal amounts.
4. Green peppercorns
Visually, this substitute for capers is a solid doppelganger. Green peppercorns are less spicy and intense than black peppercorns, so you can use them without worrying they’ll throw off the dish. Use them straight from the jar, or pickle your own in water, salt and lemon. Sub green peppercorns for capers in equal amounts or use as a garnish.
This herb has a distinct pungency and offers a caper-esque bitterness and notes of lemon. Add it early on (use less of dried or ground thyme than you would fresh) so the flavor has a chance to show off. The aroma isn’t too shabby, either. Substitute thyme for capers in slow-cooked dishes and sauces, but not in dishes where capers are the star.
6. Caper berries
Caper berries are what you get if you let those Mediterranean flower buds grow instead of turning them into capers prematurely. They’re bigger in size and milder in taste, but they’re a decent replacement. Since these are similar to olives in size, we’d suggest substituting one caper berry for every few capers.
7. Artichoke hearts
Buy them pickled or marinated. Aside from brininess, there’s also an earthy quality to artichokes that’ll add additional complexity to whatever you’re making. Drain and quarter these before adding to chicken, fish or pasta dishes, and measure to taste.
8. Anchovies
OK, fish and capers are pretty different. But they’re loaded with salt and umami, which can be just the ticket when you’re in a bind, especially with a spritz of lemon to round it out. Go easy on the anchovies, unless you really want to up the fishy flavor. A little goes a long way.
9. Nasturtium seeds
We know, if you don’t have capers it’s pretty unlikely you’ll have nasturtium seeds. But these peppery seeds are an uncanny substitute for capers. Pickle them yourself in a small jar with vinegar, garlic and dill. Leave it in the fridge until you need it (it’s likely sooner than you think). Replace capers with nasturtium seeds in equal amounts.
Pickles. Dill pickles are a worthy swap, even if their signature crunch is a little more intense. If you don't mind veering away from that dark green color scheme, pickled red onions offer the same vinegary jolt in a pretty pink package. Cut the pickles into caper-sized pieces and sub in equal amounts.
Capers are un-ripened flower buds from the capparis spinosa grown in the Mediterranean. After picked, they are sun dried and preserved then brined or cured in salt ready to eat. Capers are described as tasting like a green olive but with a salty and lemon zest.
Capers aren't everyone's cup of tea, so feel free to leave them out even though they do add a briny bite to the dish. Or, if you don't have capers but do have meaty green olives in the pantry, you can chop them small and add them to the dish.
These are the salted and pickled unopened flower buds of Capparis spinosa, the caper bush, a perennial plant in the caper family (Capparidaceae, closely related to the cabbage family) found wild throughout the Mediterranean and other areas (but whether it is native to the area or just naturalized is not clear).
Capers are commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine, particularly in seafood dishes such as baked fish and pasta sauces such as puttanesca sauce. But they also add a briny, savory, lemony hit to all kinds of dishes, including signature caper recipes like chicken piccata.
They compliment each other, but have very different flavor profiles, and are not, in my experience, interchangeable. Anchovies have a smokey, salty, nutty depth, not unlike worcestershire sauce, but more dense, and concentrated. Capers, on the other hand, have a briny, tart, pickled taste.
Intensely salty and acidic, capers taste sort of like a green olive, but with lemony undertones and a big more tang. While you may be likened to munch on olives from a charcuterie board, capers are better eaten combined with other ingredients to dial back their robust flavor.
Capers contain a variety of antioxidants, which play an important role in limiting oxidative stress and may even help to reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer. Capers are also a source of: Vitamin A. Vitamin E.
Quercetin can also help stabilize the cells that release histamine in the body and thereby have an anti-inflammatory and antihistamine effect,” according to Mount Sinai.
Capers that are dry-packed in salt are prized for their intense flavor, but usually are found only in specialty shops. They also must be rinsed very well before using. Brine- or vinegar-packed capers also can be rinsed, but it isn't essential.
Made with white wine, butter, capers, and extra virgin olive oil, our piccata sauce brings the robust and bold flavor of capers, with a lemony background for a fantastic finish. Served with spaghetti, let's cook this dish together!
The plant is best known for the edible flower buds (capers), used as a seasoning or garnish, and the fruit (caper berries), both of which are usually consumed salted or pickled. Other species of Capparis are also picked along with C. spinosa for their buds or fruits.
Capers have a lot in common with olives, including where you'll find them in the grocery aisles, so you'll find capers in one of two places: The pickles and olives aisle. The international foods aisle (search near Italian and Mediterranean foods)
Are capers related to olives? They have quite a few similarities in taste, use, and region of origin, but olives and capers come from completely different plants. Olives grow on olive trees and capers grow on caper bushes. However, the two are prepared similarly, in salty brines to give them that bold, savory flavor.
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