Delightfully crunchy Fried Capers add a pop of briny, crispy goodness when sprinkled over salads, pasta, fish, chicken, and more! It’s a 2-ingredient garnish you’ll want in your kitchen at all times.
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Capers are an integral part of many Italian recipes, like chicken piccata and spaghetti alla puttanesca, although their briny and salty flavors can jazz up all kinds of meals. Frying capers in oil, however, takes this to an entirely different level!
In this Fried Capers recipe, the salty, olive-like flower buds are drained, then quickly deep fried in vegetable oil until they’re light, crispy, and golden. Their strong pungent flavor quickly disappears, leaving you with a nutty and briny garnish that’s perfect for all kinds of meals!
Crispy capers are a must-have topping on lamb lettuce wraps and Greek nachos, as well as a long list of other Mediterranean-style meals. They can also enhance the simplest of dishes, like lox and bagels for breakfast. You’ll discover endless uses for them, as well as how easy they are to fry and store.
What are capers?
Capers (capparis spinosaare) are the edible flower buds of the caper bush. This bush thrives in hot, dry climates, often along rocky coastlines in countries like Italy, Spain, France, and Greece.
The flower buds are harvested and cured in vinegar, brine, or salt. From there, these tiny flavor bombs are commonly used as a zesty, lemony seasoning or garnish on a wide range of Mediterranean and Italian recipes.
What do fried capers taste like?
Fried capers offer a punch of elevated flavor compared to their raw, cured counterparts. The frying process tones down their natural pungency while maintaining the briny, tangy dimension. Frying also adds a subtle nuttiness and nice crunch to add more texture and dimension to all kinds of dishes!
Ingredients
- Small capers – Jarred capers are readily available in the condiment or pickle aisle at most grocery stores and specialty food stores.
- Oil – You need to use oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, sunflower, and avocado oil.
How to fry capers
First, drain and pat the capers completely dry with paper towels.
Pour the fryer oil into a small saucepan and heat it over high heat until it shimmers.
Once the oil is hot enough, add half of the capers to the saucepan and fry until they’re golden and crispy.
Transfer the first batch of fried capers to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining capers, and you’re done!
Tips and tricks
- Always pat the capers dry before frying. If you skip this part, the excess moisture can cause the capers to pop and splatter when they make contact with the hot oil.
- To test if the oil is hot enough, drop one caper into the saucepan. If it sizzles right away, the oil is ready.
- Frying the capers in small batches will help them fry evenly and crisp up.
- The capers will infuse the fryer oil with a bold, briny flavor, so don’t toss it! Instead, you can use it in salad dressings, as a finishing oil for pasta and seafood, or as a dipping sauce for crusty bread.
How to use crispy capers
Deep fried capers come with plenty of uses and will always kick your meals up a notch! These are just a few ways to use them:
- Sprinkle them over salads for a pleasant pop of crunch and flavor. They complement simple leafy green salads, Caesar salads, and heartier salads, like warm German potato salad and Mediterranean tuna chickpea salad.
- The capers add a delightful contrast in flavor to simple pasta dishes, such as lemon pasta, spaghetti aglio e olio, carbonara, and tuna pasta.
- Use them as a garnish for roasted vegetables, like brussels sprouts, broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, or carrots.
- Garnish grilled, pan-seared, or baked fish, such as salmon, sea bass, cod, and halibut.
- Finish saucy seafood dishes, like seafood stew, shrimp piccata, and mussels marinara with a handful of fried capers.
- Use them to jazz up creamy dips, like hummus, tzatziki, baba ganoush, and smoked salmon dip.
Storing
Allow the fried capers to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container or ziplock bag. Store the crispy capers at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! To air fry the capers, pat them dry and toss them in 1 to 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil until they’re coated. Cook them in a 400°F air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes or until they’re crispy and golden, shaking the basket halfway through.
The liquid is typically brine or a mixture of vinegar and brine. It’s used to preserve the capers and retain their unique tanginess and salty flavor profile.
It’s up to you. Rinsing the capers can help control their saltiness and acidity. However, rinsing isn’t always necessary because the frying process helps remove the excess brine and offsets the intense flavor.
More must-try condiments and garnishes
- Quick Pickled Onions
- Italian Gremolata Sauce
- Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Quick Pickled Cabbage
- Olive Tapenade
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Full Recipe
Easy Fried Capers
Equipment
- Frying Pan
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup small capers (drained and patted dry)
- Vegetable (canola or avocado oil, to fill a small saucepan ¼ inch deep)
Instructions
- Be sure to pat the capers dry well with paper towels, otherwise they will pop and explode when added to the hot oil.
- Add the oil to a small saucepan until it is ¼ inch deep.
- Heat the oil over high heat, until shimmering. To test if the oil is ready, add a caper. It should sizzle immediately. If it doesn’t, the oil isn’t hot enough.
- Add half the capers to the pan and fry until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the capers with a slotted spoon and spread on a paper towel lined plate.
- Repeat with the remaining capers.
- Capers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
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