What Are Capers? How to Use Them (and 3 Dishes Chefs Love)

Capers are the smallest ingredient on the pass with the biggest attitude. One spoonful turns a flat butter sauce into something bright and savoury, and wakes up a tired salad. The short answer: capers are the unopened flower buds of the caper bush, picked by hand and cured in brine or salt. That cure is where the sharp, lemony, olive-like punch comes from. Here's how to buy them, use them and store them, plus three dishes worth putting on your menu this week.

What are capers, exactly?

The caper bush (Capparis spinosa) grows wild across the Mediterranean, from Spain to Morocco and Turkey. Its buds are picked before they bloom, then cured, because raw they're bitter and inedible. Size matters: the smallest buds (often called nonpareil) are the most delicate, while larger buds are meatier and bolder. Both have their place.

Capers vs caperberries

• Capers: the flower bud. Small, intense and made for sauces, dressings and garnishes.
• Caperberries: the fruit that forms once the flower blooms. Olive-sized, on a long stem, with a milder flavour and crunchy seeds.
• Use them for: capers go in the dish; caperberries sit beside it, on mezze boards, antipasti platters and cocktail garnishes.

Brined or salted?

Most kitchens use brined capers. They're ready to go after a quick drain. Salt-packed capers have a firmer bite and a more floral flavour but need a 10–15 minute soak before use. Whichever you use, drain and pat them dry before frying, or they'll spit and won't crisp.

How chefs use capers

• Fry them: 60 seconds in hot oil and they burst open like tiny crisp flowers. Scatter them over fish, burrata or roast cauliflower.
• Chop them: into tartare sauce, salsa verde, gribiche and potato salad.
• Melt them: into brown butter with lemon. It's the fastest pan sauce in the business.
• Balance them: capers bring the salt, so season the dish after they go in.

3 dishes to make with capers

1. Salmon with lemon, brown butter and capers. Sear a salmon fillet skin-side down until crisp. In the same pan, brown a knob of butter, then add a spoonful of drained capers and a squeeze of lemon. Spoon it over the fish and finish with dill.

2. Chicken piccata. Flatten chicken breasts, dust them in flour and pan-fry. Deglaze the pan with stock and lemon juice, add capers, and swirl in cold butter until glossy. It's a bistro classic that suits a busy lunch service.

3. Pasta puttanesca. Cook garlic, chilli and anchovy in olive oil, then add tomatoes, olives and capers and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss with spaghetti. It's bold, fast and made almost entirely from the pantry.

Tip: for mezze boards, add a few Fragata Caperberries next to olives and cheese. They look great and taste lighter than capers.

How to store capers

Unopened jars keep in a cool, dry cupboard. Once opened, refrigerate and keep the capers covered in their brine, because exposed capers dry out and turn soft. Always use a clean spoon. For high-volume kitchens, a larger jar such as Royal Arm Capers in Brine (960G) keeps the cold section stocked through a busy week.

Where to buy capers in Dubai

At Addtocart.ae we stock Fragata Capers Big Size (99G) for home kitchens, Royal Arm Capers in Brine from Spain (960G) for restaurants and caterers, and Fragata Caperberries (350G) for boards and garnishes. Browse more in our Condiments & Dressings range.

Order in Dubai and across the UAE

Restocking a Mediterranean kitchen or just want salmon night to taste like a restaurant? Order on Addtocart.ae for delivery across the UAE, or talk to our team for kitchen and trade orders: WhatsApp +971 50 9115128 or call +971 4 3388216.

Frequently asked questions

What do capers taste like?
Salty, tangy and slightly lemony, a bit like a green olive with a sharper finish.

Do I need to rinse capers?
For brined capers, a quick drain is enough; rinse them if you want less salt. Salt-packed capers should be soaked for 10–15 minutes.

What's the difference between capers and caperberries?
Capers are the unopened flower buds; caperberries are the larger fruit that grows after flowering, milder and served whole on the stem.

How long do opened capers last?
Several months in the fridge, as long as they stay covered in brine and you use a clean spoon.