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Caper

A caper is an unopened flower bud, usually pickled and used to add a sharp, briny flavor to sauces, salads, and fish dishes.

Caper — illustrative ingredient image

About Caper

A caper is the unopened flower bud of the caper bush, usually preserved before use. Commercial capers are commonly brined, salted, or pickled in vinegar, and they are sold as small whole buds graded by size.

Capers contribute a sharp, salty, acidic, and briny flavour to sauces, salads, fish dishes, pasta, pizzas, and spreads. They have a firm, slightly crunchy exterior and a tender interior, with colour usually olive green to grey-green.

They may be rinsed, drained, chopped, fried, or used whole. Larger preserved buds can be firmer, while smaller ones are often chosen when a delicate appearance or more even distribution is wanted; preparation changes their saltiness, texture, and presentation.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where caper appears

9 linked foods

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Main dishes

Sides

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for caper

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

caper

English

caper in vinegar

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Caper nutrition & diet

Caper nutritional value

Capers, canned

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
23kcal
Protein
2.4g
Carbs
4.9g
Fat
0.9g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use the edible flower buds in their sold form, distinguishing brined, salted, vinegar-pickled, rinsed, drained, or cooked preparations. Record the liquid retained and whether stems or caperberries are included, since these are different forms and should not be substituted in a reference.

Compare the right form: Match to caper flower buds, specifying brined, salted, pickled, rinsed, drained, or cooked form and excluding caperberries.

Diet considerations

Capers are plant-derived flower buds, but prepared products may contain vinegar, salt, preservatives, or flavorings. Compatibility changes when combined with fish, meat, dairy, egg, or cereal-based sauces and coatings; carbohydrate patterns generally depend on the surrounding recipe and portion.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Capers, canned ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .