Capers are tiny, briny flower buds that add bold flavor to any dish. Learn how to use capers in everyday cooking, from sauces and salads to soups. They’re also packed with antioxidants that support liver health and brain function.
“You had me until capers!”
“I don’t like capers!”
“What can I substitute capers with in this recipe?
Those are just some of the comments I get when I mention that capers are in a recipe! I just can’t understand why people don’t like it because I love snacking on them.
This deep dive into capers is my way of making you fall in love with them!
Originally published on May 28, 2023, at 5 pm. Click here to see why this recipe was updated.
😋 What do capers taste like?
Capers have a very distinct, tangy, salty taste with a pleasantly firm texture that gives way to a juicy burst of flavor! Since they are stored in brine, every bite is packed with that signature punch. I always describe them as the ingredient that makes you stop and say, “What IS that flavor?”
It’s briny like an olive, tangy like a pickle, but with a floral quality that’s completely unique to capers. My long-time readers will not be surprised when I say that I am one of those people who eats them straight from the jar! Yes, just like that, standing at the kitchen counter. If you’ve never tried one on its own, I dare you to!
But if bold and straight-from-the-jar isn’t your thing, try cooking them first. Heat softens their sharpness, which you can taste as a background note. It will flavor the meal perfectly without overpowering the dish!
That intensity makes them perfect for salad dressings, compound butter, risotto, remoulade, pesto, hummus, aioli, and so much more.
🥄 Caper uses in cooking: tips and techniques
Capers are one of those ingredients that can feel intimidating at first! But, once you know these simple tips and techniques, you’ll be adding them to everything!
- How much do you typically use? Depending on the recipe volume, you should be able to use about 1 Tbsp. If it’s a large salad, add about 2 Tbsp. If you are using it in a marinade, add a little more.
- When do you add them? Normally, it’s added at the end of the recipe, unless stated otherwise.
- Do you rinse them first? This is a question I have heard many times. You don’t really need to rinse it. However, to lessen the salty, briny flavors, rinse it.
- Do you ever chop them or keep them whole? Ideally, you want to keep them whole because they will burst with flavor when you bite into it. Some chefs will chop it into marinades to maximize flavors.
- What do they pair best with? Capers are great in salads, dressings, marinades, flavored butters, pastas, and so much more.
- Can I use the caper brine? Absolutely! You would be throwing away “liquid gold” if you dump the brine. Add a splash to salad dressings, marinades, or pasta sauces for an extra layer of tangy flavor. In fact, you can use that brine to pickle vegetables, tomatoes, or cucumbers.
🌾 Where do capers grow?
The caper bush (Capparis spinosa) grows wild in the Mediterranean region. This is normally around the continents of Europe, parts of Western Asia, and Africa. It’s famously grown in Italy, where it can even be foraged in the wild.
Capers love a dry climate all year round, so they love Spain and Portugal too. They can tolerate drought conditions, too, so they are a highly sought-after crop.
🌿 Types of capers
- Capucines
- Capotes
- Caper berries
- Grusas
❤️ My Favorite Recipes Using Capers
Chermoula Sauce
Ready in 5 minutes | Vegan, Gluten-free
Look at that deep, vibrant green color of this sauce! There is no way you can resist it. This sauce comes together in 5 minutes using mostly fresh herbs. Harissa adds spice to the sauce, and capers bring all the flavors together! It evens out the strong flavors of herbs and seamlessly blends the spice into it.
No one will complain about the capers in this recipe, I guarantee it!
Lentil Salad
Ready in 11 minutes | Instant Pot Recipe | Vegetarian (with vegan options) | Gluten-free
This is an iron-packed, protein-packed lentil salad that takes just 11 minutes in the Instant Pot.
But how do capers fit into this recipe? Capers, among other benefits (see all their benefits below), are packed with Vitamin C. As many vegans know, to help absorb the non-heme iron in any recipe, it’s good to consume iron and Vitamin C together.
It might seem redundant to add olives and capers in this recipe, but trust me, it works so well.
Mushroom Bruschetta
Ready in 30 minutes | Vegan, Vegetarian | Pantry ingredients
Have you met a bruschetta without capers? Neither have I!
Tomatoes get all the attention in it (rightfully so), but capers make tomatoes taste so much better! Bread will even out all the strong tang in bruschetta and give this appetizer a perfect blend of fusion flavors.
I love to make it for Mother’s Day brunch because moms love this Italian classic. What special occasion will you make it for?
Mushroom Salad
Ready in 12 minutes | Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free
I know a few people who will not give mushrooms a second look. They don’t like the texture, flavors, and consider it difficult to cook with.
However, when I made this recipe for one of them, they were pleasantly surprised. What they realized is that capers are a powerhouse of flavors. They can take something as bland as mushrooms and turn it into a Chef-kiss meal.
If you know someone who doesn’t like mushrooms, make this salad for them. These mushrooms are a great side dish or a delicious addition to salads. Personally, I like to eat it by itself.
💪 The Health Benefits of Adding Capers to Your Diet
Capers are one of those rare ingredients that are good for the organs as well as your emotional health. Check out what Capers can do for you.
Packed with polyphenols
One of the biggest benefits of capers is that they are packed with polyphenols. What are polyphenols? They are naturally occurring compounds in foods that help prevent cancer. Source: Oxford University Press.
Capers have a huge dose of Quercetin, which is a powerful compound. Quercetin is a part of the flavonoid polyphenols. Quercetin is our ally in the fight against free radicals. We all know that free radicals can damage DNA and weaken and/or kill cells. Capers will help fight these damaging effects! Source: Mount Sinai.
Just by consuming 1 Tbsp of capers a day can go a long way in helping you get rid of free radicals. They have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making them invaluable.
Good source of Vitamins
Capers are a good source of vitamins and minerals. They provide vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting. Vitamin K helps make the protein called Prothrombin, which helps in blood clotting.
Capers have a small amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), and Vitamin B3 (Niacin). These vitamins are important for skin and hair health. Iron helps in the formation of red blood cells.
Even though these vitamins and minerals are not in large amounts, they help the body run efficiently.
Source: Harvard.edu and Natural Medicines.
Packed with calcium and iron
Did you know that just 1 Tbsp of capers has about 3.4mg of calcium? Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. I bet you will be consuming more capers from now on!
Capers also have trace amounts of iron in them. One tablespoon has about 0.15g of iron in it. That may not be much, but every little bit helps. Consume it with vitamin C-rich foods like this berry Greek yogurt bowl to help maximize absorption.
Source: USDA.gov (change the portion amount to 1 Tbsp)
High in fiber, low in calories
Get your fiber in without getting in too many calories. 1 tablespoon has about 0.3g of fiber and about 2 calories.
So, go ahead and add 2-3 Tbsp of capers to your salads or in pastas! You are getting nothing but the good stuff in it.
Source: University of Rochester.
Lowers blood sugars
A randomized, double-blind placebo study by PubMed shows that capers have a component that can help lower blood sugars.
There is more research needed as to why exactly capers help lower blood sugar, but the fact is that capers are great for type 2 diabetes. Please consult with your doctor if you are taking diabetes medicine.
Improves liver health
In yet another 12-week PubMed study, it is shown that capers can help reduce Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFL). The participants in this study noticed significant weight loss and BMIs.
Anything bitter in taste will always help with liver health. So, things like dandelion, milk thistle, and arugula will go a long way in the bettering of your liver.
Source: The Chopra Center and PubMed studies mentioned above.
Other benefits of capers
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Good for bone health
❓ Got Caper Questions? I’ve Got Answers!
Translated from French, nonpareille (nonpareil) means having no equal or “non-parallel”. On caper bottles, this means that they are the smallest size of capers. There is no other equal in size. So, when you purchase nonpareille capers, you are buying capers that are about 7mm in size.
Caperberries are larger and sometimes have the stem still attached. They look more like green olives and not like capers. Nutrition-wise, they have the same profile. Caper berries are a little saltier, but the taste difference is negligible. Small capers are what you commonly see in grocery stores.
Capers can be bought from your local grocery store or big box stores. Where possible, get the organic wild capers. I have seen them on (Affiliate Link) Amazon, too.
Capers will not survive in areas where the temp is below 18°F (-7°C). So, if you live in areas with winters, this crop will not grow there. When you have mature buds, it’s ready to harvest. For more information on growing them, check out this guide by Gardeners’ Path.
“To store them, I simply keep them in the jar they come in. If they are unopened, I store them in the pantry, which is cool and dark. If they are opened, I keep them in the refrigerator, ensuring they are fully covered with their brine.” – Gen La Rocca, Chef and Owner of Two Cloves Kitchen
Brined capers can last a long time, so don’t be afraid to get a big jar.
I am a little hurt that you would ask this question, but I will answer it. Substitute it with a combination of salt and lemon. Olives are the most obvious substitute. But there are other options. You can either keep the salt-lemon combination solid or dissolve it in warm water. It will depend on the recipe’s texture. For example, the liquid version will be great for soups, while the solid version would be great for bruschetta.
Yes, they are vegan-friendly because they are harvested from plants. Specifically, they are harvested from the flower buds of a caper bush.
Technically, they are salty, so you MUST consult your doctor if they are right for you. Capers are packed with iron, Vitamin C, calcium, fiber, and a host of other benefits that I cover in detail below.
💬 Final thoughts on cooking with capers
- Packed with polyphenols
- Good source of vitamins
- Has calcium and iron
- High in fiber, low in calories
- Lowers blood sugars
- Improves liver health
If you are the person who hates the taste of capers, try just 1 or 2 capers a day. Then, work your way to 2-3 Tbsp a day. Your body will thank you.
Capers are one of my favorite ingredients because they add bold, briny flavor to almost any dish. They are also packed with impressive health benefits and are incredibly versatile in the kitchen. If you’ve been on the fence about capers, I hope this guide convinced you to give them a real chance!
💌 Sharing is caring
Don’t be shy; chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your thoughts on cooking with capers. Share it on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.
Version 1
From time to time, I will go through old recipes to update the content. Sometimes, I update just the images, and sometimes, I give the recipe a complete makeover.
This time, I did minor updates in the text and added a little more information to the post. As I do more research on capers, I would like to add more of what I have learned about them.
I didn’t know caper berries were different from capers, cool knowledge bomb! I also didn’t realize all the perks of capers, I’ll definitely be using them more often!
Thank you, Damara. They are so eay to incorporate into meals.
I didn’t know that capers could have a lot of benefits! I’m impressed with this post. It gives so much valuable information!
Thank you, Janeil
I love capers. They’re so salty and delicious, and they’re a great way to add a little zest to any dish.
Thank you, Jane
I usually use capers if I can disguise them in salad dressings etc, but I had to try your mushroom bruschetta with capers recipe and wow! the health benefits also amazed me thank you for that!
Thank you so much Claud. Capers are delicious and they make everything taste so good. That mushroom bruschetta is my all time favorite way to eating capers.
I LOVE capers so I need no convincing to use them in every recipe possible but this is some great info to explain to the haters! 😉
Thank you, Gina
I never knew that capers were a natural source of Quercetin! That’s huge and may just be the game changer for me.
Thank you, Shelby. Quercetin is their biggest asset, so I try to eat it everyday.
I had no idea these little briny bursts of deliciousness would be so good. Thanks for all the valuable information.
Thank you, Elizabeth. I want people to love capers as much as I do.
This is a brilliant post for people to consider capers! I am a caper fan and I usually used it on our family meal rotation, especially for salad or pasta.
Thank you, Sharina. I love it on pastas and sandwiches.
I didn’t know that capers could bring a lot of benefits until I discovered your post! I’m truly impressed and excited to incorporate capers into my recipes going forward.
Thank you, Janice. I try to eat 1-2 Tbsp a day of capers.
Wow!! Who knew that capers were so good for you!
I LOVE them, like eat them straight from the jar love them! I am like Bridget Jones and her branston pickle 😉 but with capers!
So it is so good to know that they have so many benefits!
We have them with a lot of dishes! So yummy in a cream sauce for a pop of acidity and salt. Or fried and added to pasta (Although I guess that negates some of the health benefits!)
But I am excited to try your lentil salad as that sound amazing.
Awww, Thank you so much Claire. I am so happy to hear that. I have eaten olives and capers right out of the jar, lol! The lentil salad is my favorite too.