If you're not already cooking with capers, now's the time to start! Read on to learn about these flavorful little balls, and find 10 of my best capers recipes.
I’ve always loved capers, but lately, I’ve been cooking with them like crazy. It doesn’t seem to matter what I’m making – pasta, eggs, a salad, or toast. These little guys always seem like the perfect finishing touch. Salty, briny, vinegary, and pungent, capers give any dish a tangy burst of flavor. What are Capers?You might be wondering, “What are capers, anyway?” Well, these green, pea-sized balls are actually pickled flower buds! They come from a plant called capparis spinosa, or more simply, the caper bush (check out this page to learn more about it!). Before they start to blossom, the buds are picked and soaked in brine or packed in salt. You can find them near the olives or pickles in most grocery stores. You might see another type of capers next to the caper buds on the supermarket shelf: caper berries. They are larger, about the size of a small olive. The pickled berries have a similar flavor to the buds, but their texture is seedier and tougher. Jack and I have loved eating caper berries on our trips to Italy, but at home, I most often cook with the smaller, more tender buds. If I have caper berries on hand, I might add them to an appetizer board or toss them into certain salads. But for most of my capers recipes, the buds are the way to go. Favorite Capers RecipesSo now you know what capers are…what do you do with them? The options are endless! Blend them into salad dressings or pesto, toss them into pasta or scrambled eggs, or pile them onto avocado toast. Have fun experimenting with using capers in your cooking! If you’re looking for a place to start, you can’t go wrong with one of these delicious capers recipes:
Radish Salad with Radish Green Pesto
Niçoise Salad
Cauliflower Steaks with Lemon Salsa Verde, page 145 of Love & Lemons Every Day
Best Potato Salad
Vegan Carrot Lox
Easy Macaroni Salad
Best Egg Salad
Homemade Caesar Dressing
Caesar Salad
Green Goddess Dressing
Tomato Bruschetta
More Favorite Plant-Based IngredientsLove capers? Use one of these ingredients to punch up the flavor in your favorite plant-based dishes next: Serves 4 to 6 Capers and olives add briny, salty flavor to this fresh tomato bruschetta.
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