From above, a shallow bowl of glossy aubergine-purple eggplant and ruby cherry tomatoes nestled among creamy white beans, topped with a swoosh of white whipped ricotta, torn basil and mint, fennel fronds, lemon zest, and a drizzle of emerald olive oil, with toasted bread angled alongside.

Slow Cooker Eggplant, Fennel & White Bean Caponata with Whipped Ricotta

Name: Slow Cooker Eggplant, Fennel & White Bean Caponata with Whipped Ricotta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 260 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 large (about 14 oz) eggplant cut into 1-inch cubes; 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved; 1 small fennel bulb thinly sliced; fronds reserved for garnish; 1 can (15 oz) canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed; 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced; 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced; 1/3 cup Castelvetrano or green olives pitted and torn; 1 tbsp capers drained; 1 lemon zest finely grated and half juiced; 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil torn; 2 tbsp fresh mint torn; 1/2 cup ricotta; 2 tbsp plus extra for serving Parmesan finely grated; 1/3 cup white wine; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 4 slices toasted sourdough or grilled bread; 3 tbsp plus extra for finishing extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp plus more to taste kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper

Silky eggplant stew with whipped ricotta and herbs.

Category Main Course

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 240 minutes

Style Italian

Technique Slow Cooking

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily recipe · July 07, 2026

A little about this dish

This slow-cooker Italian-inspired dish leans summery and elegant: silky eggplant is layered with burst cherry tomatoes, fennel, cannellini beans, olives, lemon, and a splash of white wine for a lighter, more sunlit take on rustic braises. A swirl of whipped ricotta added at the end makes it feel luxurious without getting heavy, while basil and mint keep the flavors bright and seasonal.

Ingredients (for 2)

Eggplant — 1 large (about 14 oz) — cut into 1-inch cubes
Cherry tomatoes — 2 cups — halved
Fennel bulb — 1 small — thinly sliced; fronds reserved for garnish
Canned cannellini beans — 1 can (15 oz) — drained and rinsed
Yellow onion — 1 small — thinly sliced
Garlic — 3 cloves — thinly sliced
Castelvetrano or green olives — 1/3 cup — pitted and torn
Capers — 1 tbsp — drained
Lemon — 1 — zest finely grated and half juiced
Fresh basil — 1/2 cup loosely packed — torn
Fresh mint — 2 tbsp — torn
Ricotta — 1/2 cup
Parmesan — 2 tbsp plus extra for serving — finely grated
White wine — 1/3 cup
Tomato paste — 1 tbsp
Crushed red pepper flakes — 1/4 tsp
Toasted sourdough or grilled bread — 4 slices
Extra-virgin olive oil — 3 tbsp plus extra for finishing
Kosher salt — 1 tsp plus more to taste
Black pepper — 1/2 tsp

Preparation

Step 1 — 🍆🧂⏳

Optional: Lightly salt the eggplant cubes and let them sit in a colander for 15 minutes, then pat dry. This helps improve the texture.
Step 2 — 🥣🍷🫒

In the slow cooker, whisk together the white wine, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Step 3 — 🍅🧄🫘

Add the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, fennel, onion, garlic, cannellini beans, olives, and capers. Toss gently so everything is evenly coated.
Step 4 — 🍲⏰🔥

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the eggplant is tender and silky. Stir once halfway through if you can.
Step 5 — 🧀🍋🥄

While the stew cooks, whisk the ricotta with Parmesan, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil until smooth and fluffy.
Step 6 — 🌿🧂👅

Taste the cooked eggplant mixture and adjust with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Fold in half the basil and half the mint.
Step 7 — 🥣🍆🧀

Spoon the eggplant mixture into shallow bowls and top each with a generous dollop of whipped ricotta.
Step 8 — ✨🌿🫒

Finish with the remaining basil and mint, reserved fennel fronds, extra Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and more lemon zest if you like.
Step 9 — 🍞🍽️😋

Serve right away with toasted sourdough or grilled bread on the side for scooping.

A final fox tip

This is inspired by Sicilian sweet-salty caponata, but softened into a luxurious summer braise with beans for substance and whipped ricotta for contrast. For a vegan version, skip the ricotta and Parmesan and finish with lemony almond cream or thick plant-based yogurt. For extra wow-factor in photos, serve in wide white bowls and let the ricotta look artfully swirled rather than fully mixed in.