14 Simple Substitutes For Capers

Looking for some great but simple alternatives for capers? You're going to love these options!

I've combined the 14 best substitutes for capers in this article.

Need a short answer quickly? The best substitutes for capers are chopped green olives, chopped kalamata olives, lemon juice, pickles or pickled onions, green peppercorns, nasturtium seeds, anchovies, artichoke hearts, wine, and vinegar.

Jump To

• What are Capers?
• Best Substitutes For Capers
• 1. Green Olives
• 2. Pickled Jalapeno Peppers
• 2. Black Olives
• 4. Caper Berries
• 5. Lemon
• 6. Lime Juice
• 7. Pickles or Pickled Onions
• 8. Green Peppercorns
• 9. Fresh Thyme or Dried Thyme
• 10. Artichoke Hearts
• 11. Anchovies
• 12. Red Wine or White Wine
• 13. Vinegar
• 14. Nasturtium Seeds
• What Do Capers Taste Like?
• Health Benefits Of Capers
• What Are Caper Berries vs Non-Pareil Capers?
• Popular Caper Recipes
• FAQs
• Conclusion
• You Might Also Like...
• Comments

While these buds have a unique flavor that is difficult to replicate, you can still substitute capers with chopped green olives or chopped pickles for a similar tangy and briny taste in your recipes.

Read along to discover those alternatives more in-depth in this post.

Best Substitutes For Capers

Just a quick note that the effectiveness of these replacements for capers may vary based on the recipe and how capers are used.

Let's explore 14 simple substitutes for capers:

1. Green Olives

Capers are the perfect addition to add saltiness, acidity, and savory flavors to your dishes, and if you're running low, you can sneakily substitute them with chopped green or Kalamata olives, maintaining the briny taste without the slight bitterness of capers, using one olive for every two capers due to their size difference. 

Overall, from all the alternatives, I think green olives are a good substitute for capers.

How To Use: If substituting green olives for capers, chop the olives into very small pieces. Green Olives are often used in sauces, pasta, pasta salads, pizzas, salads, and casseroles.

Capers vs Olives

Capers and olives are both Mediterranean staples, but they bring different flavors to the table. Capers are briny and tangy, adding a zesty kick, while olives offer a rich, salty and savory taste that's perfect for complementing various dishes.

2. Pickled Jalapeno Peppers

If you don't have capers on hand, pickled jalapeno peppers can be a flavorful substitute. They bring a similar tangy but spicy kick to your dishes, providing a unique twist.

Just take care to adjust the quantity based on your preference for heat.

How To Use: Cut them very small into a caper-like size and add to your favorite dishes. Jalapenos work well in casseroles, savory muffins, pizzas, pastas, burgers, grilled meats, dips.

• Related: Creamy Jalapeno Popper Dip

2. Black Olives

If you don't have capers, black olives work as a solid replacement. They give a similar briny kick and add a touch of saltiness and bitterness, making them a good alternative in recipes.

Just play around with the amount to find your desired flavor. 

How To Use: Similar to green olives, depending on the recipe, you may need to chop them small close to caper-sized pieces. Black olives are often used in sauces, pastas, pizzas, salads, casseroles.

4. Caper Berries

What are Caper Berries?

Caper berries and capers are both derived from the caper plant, but they differ in size and flavor. Caper berries are larger and also have salty but less bitter taste, than briny capers. 

How To Use: Cut them into quarters or chop them finely. Use caper berries in dishes involving grilled meats, dressings, pastas, roasted veggies and salads.

5. Lemon

Lemon and capers both contribute tangy flavors to dishes, but they offer different flavor profiles. Lemon adds a bright and citrusy acidity that will bring freshness to a dish, while capers provide a briny and slightly salty taste.

To compensate for the lack of bitterness that capers deliver, add a fresh crack of black pepper to the dish with lemon. 

How To Use: As lemon juice. Lemon can be substituted for capers in most of the dishes that call for capers.

6. Lime Juice

Limes make a decent substitute for capers, although they have a slightly stronger bitterness. Use lime juice in moderation to avoid overpowering the dish.

Instead of capers, replace them with an equal amount of freshly-squeezed lime juice in recipes.

How To Use: You can also enhance salads, sandwiches, and fish dishes by garnishing them with whole limes or freshly-grated lime zest or peel. To add a burst of flavor without the sodium content of capers, drop fresh lime slices into your favorite drinks like margaritas or mojitos.

7. Pickles or Pickled Onions

If you don't have capers, you can use pickles, gerkins, cornichons instead (dill pickles are great here). They bring a tangy and briny flavor to your dishes, although the texture may differ. Just adjust the amount to match the taste you're looking for.

Pickled red onions are also great substitute as well as they provide a similar tangy and slightly sweet flavor to your dish. Just take care in quantities as the texture and intensity may vary.

How To Use: To substitute pickles and pickled onions for capers, chop these finely and add them to the dish. Both of these are best to use in salads, pasta, meat dishes, roasted vegetables, casseroles, and in some sauces.

8. Green Peppercorns

Green peppercorns (in brine) make a great substitute for capers. They have a similar appearance but with a milder peppery flavor and less spiciness.

How To Use: You can use them straight from the jar or pickle your own, and they work well in a variety of dishes like poultry, fish, vegetables, and soups.

Black peppercorns could work too if you have exhausted all your options. 

9. Fresh Thyme or Dried Thyme

Fresh or dried thyme can be a suitable substitute for capers. Thyme has quite a distinct pungency with hints of mint, bitterness and lemon, and adds a pleasant aroma to dishes.

How To Use: Use it in slow-cooked dishes and sauces, but avoid using it in recipes where capers play a prominent role. Thyme works well in braised and roasted meats, vegetables, fish, soups, stocks, and marinades.

• Related: Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Chicken Thighs

10. Artichoke Hearts

You can use artichoke hearts as a substitute for capers, which you can buy pickled or marinated.

Besides their brininess, artichoke hearts also bring an earthy flavor that adds complexity to your dish.

How To Use: Simply drain and quarter them before adding to dips, chicken, fish, or pasta recipes, adjusting the amount to your preference.

• Related: Spinach Artichoke Dip

11. Anchovies

If you're out of capers, anchovies can work as a substitute, although they have a distinct fishy flavor. Their saltiness and umami can add a punch to your dish, especially with a squeeze of lemon.

How To Use: When replacing capers with anchovies, I’d recommend making an anchovie paste (similar to caesar salad dressing) and add to salads, sauces, dips to achieve that missing umami taste. Use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming the taste. 

12. Red Wine or White Wine

If you're out of capers, red or white wine can be a suitable substitute with its fruity and acidic taste. However, wine lacks the briny and lemony notes of capers.

How To Use: To replace caper vinegar brine, combine one part red or white wine with two parts caper brine and simmer over low heat until the liquid evaporates. Use this reduced wine mixture as a replacement in sauces, dressings, marinades, or other recipes.

13. Vinegar

Vinegar is a less popular but still an option for substituting capers. Vinegar is more acidic and lacks the lemony taste of capers.

How To Use: To make the vinegar more suitable, add additional seasonings. Opt for white wine, red wine vinegar and use the same quantity as you would capers in the recipe.

To counterbalance the vinegar's sharpness, a pinch of sugar can replicate the subtle briny flavor of capers. For added depth, incorporate fresh herbs such as thyme or parsley.

14. Nasturtium Seeds

Just like capers, nasturtium seeds are not the most popular ingredient in your pantry. However, if you happen to find them, these fiery seeds can be a remarkable substitute.

How To Use: Simply pickle them with vinegar, garlic, and dill, and store them in the refrigerator until needed. Replace capers with an equal amount of nasturtium seeds for a zesty twist.

FAQs

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