Caper Berry Overview: 11 Ways to Use Caper Berries

A caper berry, sometimes spelled caperberry, is the oblong-shaped, seed-filled fruit of the caper bush (Capparis spinosa, also known as Flinders rose), a perennial plant from the Mediterranean. Capers, the small, edible, unopened buds of the same plant, appear on the caper bush before the berries. Compared to capers, caper berries are larger and stemmed, with a shape more similar to olives.

Retailers sell earthy green caper berries preserved in salt, vinegar, and water brine. You can enjoy the berries as a snack or incorporate them into various recipes.

Brined caper berries have an acidic, tangy flavor similar to canned capers, though they are milder in taste. A high concentration of mustard oil in unripe caper berries gives them a distinctively pungent smell.

Although caper berries and capers both come from the same bush, there are some key distinctions between these two ingredients:

• Appearance: Caper buds resemble tiny, dark-green pearls about the size of corn kernels. A caper berry is roughly the size of an olive, with its attached stem giving it a resemblance to cherries.
• Flavor: Capers have a more intense, saltier flavor than caper berries. Additionally, caper berries contain many seeds, adding crunch to their texture. Conversely, capers do not contain seeds.
• Harvesting time: Harvesters pick capers, the unopened flower buds of the caper bush, in the early spring before they open up into pinkish-white flowers with striking purple stamens. If the flower opens fully and falls off the vine, a caper berry will bloom in its place.

There are many tasty ways to put a jar of caper berries to use, including:

1. 1. Dressings and aiolis: Add chopped caper berries to any dressing, aioli, or condiment. Simple ingredients like fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt bring out its uniquely piquant and briny flavors.
2. 2. Grilled meats: Cut the rich, fatty flavors of grilled meat dishes, like lamb, chicken, and pork, with whole or diced caper berries.
3. 3. Lemon chicken piccata: The bright notes of caper berries provide a salty counterpoint to the crispy, lemony breaded chicken piccata. Learn how to make lemony chicken piccata.
4. 4. Martinis: Garnish a Gin or Vodka Martini with a caper berry in place of the cocktail’s traditional green olives for a variation on the classic. Try making your own Vodka Martini at home, whether you like it stirred or shaken.
5. 5. Pasta: Stir chopped caper berries into your favorite creamy or spicy pasta sauces to add deeper dimensions of savory flavor. Incorporate the berries into spaghetti puttanesca for a peppery variation on the classic caper and olive sauce. Learn how to make puttanesca sauce.
6. 6. Pizzas: Garnish your homemade pizza with caper berries, anchovies, and other classic toppings for a briny Italian bite.
7. 7. Roasted vegetables: Upgrade roasted cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and other hearty vegetables with chopped caper berries for an infusion of acidic, peppery flavors.
8. 8. Smoked and cured fish: The salty flavor of caper berries perfectly complements smoked salmon or lox in a brunch bagel spread. Learn how to make smoked salmon.
9. 9. Salads: Swap olives for caper berries in a simple Greek salad, or add the pungent berries to a classic Niçoise salad. This traditional French salad pairs capers with potatoes, haricots verts, hard-boiled eggs, and tuna.
10. 10. Tapenades: Add tangy caper berries to a briny olive tapenade for an interesting pungent flavor. Spread the berries atop crostini for a tangy, crunchy snack or appetizer.
11. 11. Tartar sauce and rémoulade: Perfect for dressing decadent fish dishes, home cooks can make tartar sauce or rémoulade using caper berries, mayonnaise, chopped pickles, mustard, and other flavorful ingredients.

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