Green olives are unripe olives with a firm texture and tangy flavor, often used in Mediterranean cuisines, while capers are pickled flower buds with a sharp, tangy taste, ideal for adding a burst of flavor to various dishes. Both ingredients are briny and can sometimes be substituted for each other in recipes.
Green olives are unripe olives picked before they mature and typically cured in brine, resulting in a tangy, slightly bitter flavor. They are firm in texture and come in various sizes and shapes, often stuffed or pitted.
Capers are the unripe flower buds of the Capparis spinosa plant, pickled in brine or packed in salt. They offer a sharp, tangy, and slightly floral taste that is distinctive and often used to add a burst of flavor to dishes.
Green olives are larger and have a firmer, meatier texture compared to the small, pea-sized capers. While both are salty and briny, green olives have a milder bitterness, whereas capers offer a more intense tanginess. Green olives are fruits from the olive tree, and capers are flower buds, yielding a difference in flavor complexity.
In Mediterranean dishes like Greek salads, tapenades, and pasta puttanesca, green olives add a subtle bitterness and a firm texture. They are also great for garnishing and adding to antipasti platters. Capers are best used in dishes like chicken piccata, pasta alla puttanesca, and as a garnish for fish. They bring a piquant flavor that can enhance the taste profile of lighter dishes without overpowering them.
Chopped green olives can be added to sauces and dressings like vinaigrettes, remoulade, or tapenade for texture and a balanced, briny flavor. Capers provide a bright acidity and saltiness to sauces and dressings, working well in items like tartar sauce, salsa verde, or a lemon caper butter sauce for seafood.
Green olives can be incorporated into dishes like Moroccan tagines, chicken marbella, or olive-studded meatballs, providing a hearty and rich depth to the dish. Capers offer a burst of flavor in meat and poultry dishes such as veal or chicken piccata, or as an addition to a lemon-herb sauce for roasted chicken.
Both green olives and capers are low in calories and contain some micronutrients.
| Nutrient | Capers ( per 100 grams ) | Green Olives ( per 100 grams ) |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 0.86g | 15.32g |
| Fiber | 3.2g | 3.3g |
| Sodium | 2960mg | 1556mg |
| Protein | 2.36g | 1.03g |
| Calories | 23 | 145 |
| Carbohydrates | 4.89g | 3.84g |
They can be used to substitute for each other to a certain extent, but they offer different textures and flavor intensities. Use less capers than olives due to their stronger flavor.
Yes, capers can be used in tapenade, but the end result will be tangier and saltier than using green olives.
Both are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties, though they should be consumed in moderation due to their high sodium content.
Start with a smaller amount of capers than the recipe calls for olives, and adjust to taste due to the stronger flavor of capers.
In dishes where the texture of green olives is essential, such as in some salads or antipasti, substituting with capers may not give the desired result.
