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5 Best Substitutes for Caper in Mediterranean Cooking

5 Best Substitutes for Caper

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If you run out of capers, choose your substitute based on the desired tang, texture, or both. Green olives and dill pickles closely mimic the briny pop in cooked dishes and salads. Lemon zest salt works when texture is not needed.
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Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Sauce Accents, Substitutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Green Olives Use 1:1 by volume, chop if recipe calls for whole capers. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
  • 1 tablespoon Dill Pickle Finely chopped. Use equal volume to capers. Rinse if brine is too sweet. Add just before serving to keep crunch.
  • Lemon Zest Salt Mix ½ teaspoon zest with ¼ teaspoon salt per 1 tablespoon capers. Stir in at the end to keep brightness. No texture.
  • Nicoise Olives Use 1:1 by volume, chop if smaller pieces needed. Reduce other salt slightly.
  • 0.5 tablespoon Pickled Jalapeños Chopped. Use half the amount of capers. Rinse if pickling liquid is too sharp and adjust heat gradually.

Method
 

  1. Choose green olives for cooked sauces needing a savory punch or dill pickles for salads and both raw and cooked dishes.
  2. Chop green olives or nicoise olives if recipe calls for smaller pieces. Finely chop dill pickles or jalapeños as needed.
  3. Rinse dill pickles or pickled jalapeños if their brine tastes too strong or sweet to reduce excess salt or heat.
  4. Use green olives or nicoise olives at a 1:1 volume ratio, dill pickles at 1 tablespoon per 1 tablespoon capers, and pickled jalapeños at ½ tablespoon per 1 tablespoon capers.
  5. Mix lemon zest salt by combining ½ teaspoon zest with ¼ teaspoon salt per 1 tablespoon capers and stir in at the end without cooking.
  6. Adjust salt and acidity after adding substitutes, as brine levels vary. Taste test before serving to balance flavor.

Notes

Drain dill pickles before use to prevent watery dishes or overly salty results.

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