The Best Simple Caper Berries Substitutes

Looking for an alternative to Caper Berries? You’re in the right place! Keep reading for my favourite simple Caper Berries substitutes.

What are Caper Berries?

Caper Berries are the edible fruit from the Caper Bush. They are preserved in either salt or vinegar and eaten in their delicious pickled form. The flavour is slightly floral with a salty briney tang.

Capers are the actual flowers from the caper bush. The flowers are smaller and have a milder flavour.

Simple Caper Berries Substitutes

1. Olives

While olives tend to be stronger and of course more ‘olive-y’ they will work in most cases where caper berries are used. Green olives are a closer match than black.

2. Gerkins or Cornichons

Diced cornichons or gerkins or even dill pickles will provide a little burst of punchy flavour that can work well to replace your caper berries.

3. Capers

If you do happen to have regular capers (the flowers), they can be used to replace the caper berries. You’ll need more because their flavour is less intense.

4. Roast Almonds or Pinenuts

If your recipe calls for fried caper berries to add as a crispy topping to a dish, roast nuts will provide a similar textural and flavour highlight.

5. Feta

This is taking things in a completely different direction but crumbled feta can provide a salty tang to replace your caper berries.

6. Fresh Herbs

Again, this is taking things in a completely different direction but torn fresh herbs like basil, flat leaf parsley or tarragon will add a different aromatic flavour highlight to replace the floral notes of your caper berries.

7. Preserved Lemons

Another left field idea, but diced preserved lemon flesh will add a tangy freshness to your dish in a similar manner to caper berries. As preserved lemon tends to be super salty, start with less and add more as needed.

8. Sea Salt Flakes

If you don’t have any of the above, a good sprinkle of sea salt flakes will go some way to making up the salty flavour burst of your caper berries.

How to Store Caper Berries

In an airtight container in your pantry. Once a jar of pickled capers is open I keep them in the fridge.

Caper Berries Flavour Pairings

Anchovy & Caper Berries
Fish & Caper Berries
Olive & Caper Berries
Tuna & Caper Berries
Cream & Caper Berries
Dill & Caper Berries