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Capers

Vegetables · Pickled & preserved

Capers

Small pickled flower buds of the caper bush, adding salty, tangy bursts to sauces, salads and fish.

Also called: caper berries, kapari

21 recipes with it

Photo: James F. Carter, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-2.5)

What it is

Capers are the unopened flower buds of a Mediterranean shrub, preserved in brine, vinegar or salt. They are pea-sized or smaller (nonpareil are the tiniest). Caper berries are the larger, stalked fruit of the same plant. They are not related to green peppercorns, which look similar.

Capparis spinosa

How it’s used

  • Puttanesca and other pasta sauces
  • Chicken or fish piccata
  • Tartare sauce, remoulade and salsa verde
  • Scattered on smoked salmon and salads
  • Fried crisp as a garnish

Characteristics

Taste
Salty, sour and slightly mustardy.
Texture
Small, firm buds that pop.
When cooked
Rinse salt-packed capers well; they crisp and open like flowers when fried in oil.
Sold as
cured
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Mainly a seasoning, Used as a garnish

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate after opening, keeping capers covered in their liquid; salt-packed capers keep in a cool cupboard.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
23 kcal
Protein
2.36 g
Carbohydrate
4.89 g
Fat
0.86 g
Fibre
3.2 g
Sugars
0.41 g

USDA FoodData Central: Capers, canned.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with capers

See all 21

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