# What is the difference between salted and brined capers? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/salted-vs-brined-capers/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Food · Updated: 2026-10-13 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* Both are the same unopened flower buds of the caper plant, preserved two ways. Capers packed in salt keep a firmer texture and a more floral, purely caper flavour but need soaking or rinsing first; capers in brine or vinegar are softer, tangier and ready to use after a quick drain. Caperberries are the plant's fruit, larger and seedy, and best for nibbling. Capers are tiny things with big personalities. One small jar changes a tomato sauce, a salad or a plate of roasted vegetables. But the jar you buy matters, because the way they are preserved changes both flavour and texture. ## What capers are According to [Wikipedia's caper entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caper), capers are the unopened flower buds of the caper bush, picked while still dark olive green and then preserved in salt or in a salt and vinegar solution. The same source notes that their sharp flavour develops as the buds are processed, and the smallest buds are usually the most prized. Caperberries, on the other hand, are the fruit of the same plant: bigger, on long stems, and full of little seeds. They are usually pickled. ## Salted capers Salted capers are packed in coarse salt. On the Sicilian island of Pantelleria, which is famous for its capers, the protected IGP capers are preserved in sea salt only, cured in stages, according to [Italian Wikipedia's entry on Cappero di Pantelleria](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappero_di_Pantelleria). What we notice in the kitchen: - **Flavour:** floral, mustardy, clearly caper-ish, without a vinegar edge. - **Texture:** firmer, with a bit of bite. - **Preparation:** they need rinsing and usually a short soak. Put them in a bowl of cold water, leave them for a while, change the water once or twice and taste one. When it tastes pleasantly salty rather than like a mouthful of sea, they are ready. Salted capers are the ones we reach for when capers are the star: a caper and lemon pasta, a salsa verde, caponata, or a simple tomato salad. ## Brined capers Capers in brine or vinegar are the more common supermarket jar. - **Flavour:** tangier and sharper, with the vinegar coming through. - **Texture:** softer. - **Preparation:** drain them, and rinse them if you want less vinegar. That is all. They are perfect for everyday cooking, where a sharp note of acidity is welcome anyway: tossed through pasta, stirred into a sauce at the end, scattered over roasted potatoes. There is nothing second-best about a jar of capers in brine. It is simply a different ingredient. ## Using them in cooking - **Add capers towards the end.** Long cooking dulls their perfume. In tomato sauces, stir them in during the last stretch. - **Taste before salting.** Even rinsed capers bring salt. Season the dish after they go in. - **Chop them for dressings and sauces** so their flavour spreads more evenly. ## Fried crisp capers Our favourite trick. Rinse capers and dry them very well on a cloth, then fry them in a little hot olive oil until they burst open like tiny flowers and turn crisp. Lift them out onto paper. Scatter over pasta, salads, roasted cauliflower, eggs, or anything that needs a salty crunch. Brined capers work well; salted ones need a proper soak first. Stand back a little when they go in, as they spit. ## Caperberries Caperberries are larger, milder and more like a little pickle. Serve them with drinks next to olives, on an antipasto board, or sliced into a salad. They are less useful as a seasoning because of their size and seeds. See [aperitivo snacks](https://zestasy.com/wiki/aperitivo-snacks/) for company. ## FAQ ### Can we swap salted capers for brined ones in a recipe? Yes. Soak salted capers well, or rinse brined ones if you want them milder. Then taste the dish and adjust the salt and acidity. ### How do we store opened capers? Brined capers keep in the fridge in their liquid. Salted capers keep in their salt in a cool cupboard or the fridge. Use a clean spoon each time. ### What size of capers should we buy? Small capers are more delicate and spread evenly through a dish; larger ones are meatier and better for frying or for eating whole. Both are good. ## Sources - [Wikipedia: Caper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caper) - [Wikipedia (Italian): Cappero di Pantelleria](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappero_di_Pantelleria) ## Related - [What is caponata?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-caponata/) - [Which vinegar should you use for what?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/which-vinegar-for-what/) - [What is Italian salsa verde?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/italian-salsa-verde/) - [How do you make spaghetti aglio e olio that isn't greasy?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/aglio-olio/) - [What snacks do you serve for an Italian aperitivo at home?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/aperitivo-snacks/) - [All Food answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#food)