What are Capers + 10 Caper Recipes

If you're not already cooking with capers, now's the time to start! Read on to learn about these flavorful little balls, and find 10 of my best capers recipes.

I’ve always loved capers, but lately, I’ve been cooking with them like crazy. It doesn’t seem to matter what I’m making – pasta, eggs, a salad, or toast. These little guys always seem like the perfect finishing touch. Salty, briny, vinegary, and pungent, capers give any dish a tangy burst of flavor. What are Capers? You might be wondering, “What are capers, anyway?” Well, these green, pea-sized balls are actually pickled flower buds! They come from a plant called capparis spinosa, or more simply, the caper bush (check out this page to learn more about it!). Before they start to blossom,…

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How to Make Veggie Noodles

Learn how to make veggie noodles with carrots, cucumber, kohlrabi, and more! They're super fun and flavorful - you won't miss the pasta one bit.

Did you know that you can make veggie noodles out of cucumber, carrots, kohlrabi, and more? We’ve all heard of zucchini noodles by now, but lots of other vegetables can transform into curly, colorful noodles too! Making these veggie noodles is one of my favorite summer cooking projects. It doesn’t require the stove or the oven, so unlike baking, it won’t heat up the whole house. It’s also a great way to showcase peak-season summer produce. But most importantly, it’s fun! There’s something mesmerizing about watching a humble root veggie turn into vibrant vegetable noodles. You can make vegetables noodles…

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Easy Black Bean Burger

This chipotle black bean burger recipe comes together in under 30 minutes! Make it once, and it'll have a permanent place in your regular rotation.

This black bean burger recipe is going to be your new best friend. The hearty patties are charred on the outside, tender in the middle, and packed with bold, smoky flavor. But that’s not all. They’re also easy to make! You won’t need to haul out the food processor or dirty 3 pans to whip them up. Nope – this black bean burger recipe comes together in one bowl in under 30 minutes, cooking time included. Lately, Jack and I have been cooking the burgers outside on the grill, but they come out just as well in a cast-iron skillet…

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Nicoise Salad

You won't miss the tuna in this vegetarian spin on a Niçoise salad! Olives, artichokes, capers, and lemon vinaigrette fill it with bright, briny flavor.

I first fell in love with Nicoise salad when Jack and I visited the city where it originated: Nice, France. While we were there, I ordered it everywhere we went. There’s something about the combination of crisp summer veggies, bright lemon vinaigrette, and briny olives and capers that I find absolutely irresistible. As an added bonus, hard boiled eggs and potatoes make it hearty enough to be a meal on its own. And in the summer, anytime I’m eating salad for dinner, I’m happy. If you’re familiar with traditional Niçoise salad, you know that it’s made with tuna. Of course,…

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Socca Recipe

Have you ever tried socca? This gluten-free chickpea flatbread hails from Nice, France, and it makes a delicious appetizer, side dish, or light meal.

When Jack and I visited Nice, France, I ate two things as much as I could: Niçoise salad and socca. If you’re not familiar with socca, it’s a savory chickpea pancake with crisp, golden brown edges and a moist interior. It’s popular throughout southern France and northern Italy, and once you try it, you’ll see why. Chickpea flour and olive oil give it a rich, nutty flavor, and its crispy edges are so tasty that you won’t be able to help reaching for a second slice. Served plain, it makes a delicious appetizer, side dish, or snack, but with the…

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51 Easy Picnic Food Ideas

Looking for new picnic food ideas? You're in the right place. With recipes for sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more, we've got something for everyone!

It’s picnic season! Your blanket’s ready, your cooler’s out, and you can’t wait to get outside. Now, all you need is good picnic food to take with you. In my experience, the best picnic food ideas aren’t just delicious – they’re simple, too. They’re dishes that you can make ahead knowing that they’ll still taste great when you’re ready to eat. They’re easy to pack in a cooler or a bag, and you only need a few utensils to serve them. No utensils? Even better! Jack and I don’t have any big travel plans this summer, but we are anticipating…

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Caprese Sandwich

I love to make this Caprese sandwich recipe for summer picnics. Stuffed with basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella cheese, it's simple and delicious.

I could eat this Caprese sandwich for lunch every day in the summer. It’s essentially a classic Caprese salad between bread. I layer on juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. The combination is super simple, but in the summer, you can’t beat it. Tomatoes and basil are both at their best, and they fill this Caprese sandwich with flavor. The tomatoes are sweet, tangy, and juicy. The basil is fresh and fragrant, with a hint of spice. Add rich mozzarella and a drizzle of fruity olive oil to the mix, and you have a perfect (especially picnic-perfect!)…

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Radish Salad

If you like radishes, you'll LOVE this radish salad recipe! It uses them two ways - roasted and raw - and has a bright radish green pesto on top.

I immediately thought, “Radish salad!”, when I opened our CSA box a few weeks ago and found a heap of gorgeous radishes inside. Often, radishes play second fiddle in green salads and noodle bowls, but at this time of year, when they’re extra-crisp, piquant, and even a little sweet, they deserve to be the star of the show. This radish salad recipe puts them front and center. I use the roots two ways – roasted and raw – and dollop a bright, nutty radish green pesto on top. Instead of adding a bed of greens, I bulk this salad up…

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Best Veggie Burger

If you make one veggie burger recipe, it has to be this one. These burgers have a wonderful savory flavor and hearty texture. They're grillable, too!

Say hello to the BEST veggie burger recipe! Of course, that’s just my opinion, but once you try it, I think you’ll agree. For one, these patties are grill-able! And if you’d rather be spending time in the sun than in the kitchen, you can even make them a day or two in advance. But that’s not all. This veggie burger has an amazing meaty texture and savory, smoky flavor. It’ll keep its shape when it’s stuffed inside a bun, and it’s delicious with fancy fixings or with good old ketchup and mustard. Unlike many packaged veggie burgers, its incredible…

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Italian Chopped Salad

This chopped salad recipe is exactly what I want to eat in spring and summer. It may be light and healthy, but it's still packed with bold flavor.

Who else loves chopped salad? I’m a huge fan of all salads, but chopped salad has to be one of my favorites. Because the ingredients are, well, chopped, you can get a little bit of everything in each bite, so it’s extra-flavorful and fun to eat! Speaking of fun, this chopped salad recipe comes from my friend Gaby’s new book What’s Gaby Cooking: Eat What You Want. If you’re not already familiar with Gaby’s blog and Instagram, you absolutely should be. Her recipes aren’t entirely vegetarian, but her California-style cooking is always packed with fresh produce. Her new book is…

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Bright Spring Salad

I'll be making this spring salad recipe all season long! Simple, bright, and delicious, it's the perfect way to showcase the season's best produce.

When the weather warms up in the spring, there’s nothing I crave more than this spring salad. Light, bright, and packed with spring’s best produce, it’s a perfect example of why eating seasonally is so exciting. This spring salad recipe is almost entirely veggies, but because each one is at its snappiest, sweetest, or softest right now, you don’t have to do much to turn them into a tasty dish. Toss them with a zesty dressing, sprinkle on a little cheese, and add a handful of nuts for crunch. With just a few minutes of effort, you’ll have made a…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.