Capers are condiments that add flavor to your dish. If you add it to salads, meat, pasta, or fish, it will add a salty taste and is similar to Greek and Italian cuisine.
If in serving food you run out of capers or there is no stock in the kitchen, you can use one of the best substitutes for capers below.
Best Capers Substitutes
When you run out of capers, there are many substitutes that you can use in your cooking. One of the substitutes for capers is green olives, these are good and taste spicy. If you want to try something new, you can also experiment with thyme seeds, nasturtium, or add pepper to your dish.
Ok, let’s just see what are the best substitutes for capers for your cooking.
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1. Green Olives
If you have a bottle of green olives, this is probably the best substitute for capers in your cooking. Green olives can easily mimic how capers taste.
This use of green olives is the same size as using capers. So the dose is the same as you use capers. So, it is very easy to use in dishes that require capers. For example in chicken piccata, chopped green olives can be the best substitute
2. Thyme
Furthermore, what can replace capers is thyme. The taste is similar to capers and it can make food more savory. But to be able to produce the same aroma and taste it takes time. So, using thyme should be sooner or at the beginning of making the dish.
So, thyme is a good substitute for capers in dishes that need to be cooked for a long time, because thyme takes a long time to release its aroma. For example in cooking casseroles and sauces.
3. Kalamata Olives
In addition to green olives, you can also use kalamata olives as a substitute for capers in your cooking, but the color is not the same as capers. This is the same as using green olives as well which is a 1:1 ratio.
Using kalamata olives can give a savory and delicious dish like the one added to puttanesca pasta.
4. Nasturtium Seeds
Furthermore, a substitute for capers is Nasturtium seeds, not many know of using this as a substitute. It can imitate spicy taste. You can use Nasturtium Seeds in dishes such as pasta, or salads. The ratio is the same as you use the capers themselves.
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5. Pickles
Pickles have a strong flavor from the brine. It can be a great substitute for capers if you don’t care about the color of the dish. For example you can use car dill or cucumber in salads or in antipasto or other dishes that call for capers.
Cut the pickles into cubes and add them to your recipe in a 1:1 ratio.
6. Artichoke Hearts
Marinated Artichoke Hearts are another great substitute for capers in your cooking. The taste is earthy, goes well with chicken and fish and is rich in fiber.
Take Artichoke Hearts and cut them into quarters, add them to your fish, chicken or pasta. To replace capers with Artichoke Hearts for this dish there is no perfect ratio, you can experiment yourself according to taste.
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7. Mustard Greens
If you don’t like pickles instead of capers, there are many other options, you can use mustard greens, when cooked the mustard taste will be spicy, soft and light.
Saute the mustard greens as a garnish or chop it with a pinch of salt to replace the capers in your recipe.
8. Lemon & Peppercorns
Furthermore, the best substitutes for capers are lemons and peppercorns. Lemon zest and fresh black pepper when combined make the best substitute for capers. You can add lemon and black pepper according to your taste. Please experiment little by little when preparing your dish.