Burrata Caprese Salad
Fresh burrata, fragrant basil leaves, and sweet summer tomatoes make the perfect summer salad. My burrata caprese recipe is done in less than five minutes and is incredibly easy to make.
Serve this twist on the classic caprese salad with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the perfect appetizer or side dish for eating al fresco all season long.
Craving caprese? Try my 5 Ingredient Caprese with Cherry Tomatoes, Marinated Mozzarella Balls, this Caprese Salad with grilled ripe peaches, or yummy Chicken Caprese Sandwich with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese.
Let's Make a Caprese Salad with Burrata and Juicy Tomatoes
Teaching food blogging classes brings me into contact with people from all corners of the globe. It's hilarious how often we discover we have so much in common.
Recently, I was chatting with a student about her content strategy and she mentioned that in the summer, her audience struggles with the overwhelming abundance of tomatoes. It cracked me up because it sounds just like summer in the south. Ripe tomatoes are a staple
We have fried green tomatoes, tomato sandwiches, and even tomato pies... can you believe it? I may not eat the pies, but trust me, it's a thing! They're everywhere in the summer.
Once I had my hands on a basketful of beautiful, juicy heirloom tomatoes, I knew I needed to bring this classic Italian salad to y'all. Serve this up as part of a light lunch or as one of the prettiest appetizer platters at any dinner party.
This post may contain Affiliate Links. Please see my Full Disclosure Policy for more details.
Jump to:
- Let's Make a Caprese Salad with Burrata and Juicy Tomatoes
- Why You'll Love this Burrata Caprese Recipe
- Equipment
- Ingredients
- Let's Talk Creamy Burrata Cheese
- A Little about Heirloom Tomatoes
- How to Make Burrata Caprese Salad
- Variations and Substitutions
- Expert Tips
- Storing your Caprese Salad
- Recipe FAQs
- More Summer Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love this Burrata Caprese Recipe
- Takes less than 10 Minutes to Make - if you were looking for something that comes together in a few minutes yet looks so well put together it might as well have been done by a chef, this is your stop!
- Made with Simple Ingredients - you'll get the best results by using good quality ingredients. Every single one shines in this salad!
- It's the Ultimate Summer Salad - we are smack dab in the middle of tomato season, honey! We don't need to turn on any hot stoves or ovens, stand over any pots, this is as fresh and easy as a recipe can get!
Equipment
- Sharp Knife and a Good Cutting Board
- A Pretty Oval Platter for serving.
Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Burrata Cheese - this creamy cheese is like fresh mozzarella on steroids, y'all. It's a soft Italian cheese ball that literally bursts with creaminess.
- Large Heirloom Tomatoes - to be considered an 'heirloom' tomato, the variety of heirloom must have existed for more than half a century! They're bred for flavor instead of uniformity, unlike most commercial tomatoes, and each variety has a different flavor. I love learning about these funky, beautiful-ugly tomatoes, they are so unique and a delish addition in any dish.
- Fresh Basil Leaves - My basil goes absolutely bananas in the summer, so if you have one yourself I suggest pruning that baby and making this salad with plenty of their leaves. Also, are we sure the heart-shaped herb in Wakanda isn't some sort of basil? Because my genovese basil makes the biggest heart-shaped leaves I've ever seen!
- Olive Oil - you want to use a fruity extra virgin olive oil, the best olive oil you can find. If you have been to a specialty shop or an olive orchard where they press their own, that is the perfect thing to use, especially because that flavor doesn't stick around for long.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Let's Talk Creamy Burrata Cheese
What is it? Burrata is a semi-soft Italian cheese that tastes just like mozzarella...probably because it's made of fresh mozzarella. It has a decadent, creamy center filled with cream and cheese curds called stracciatella (strands of mozzarella), giving it that luscious, ooey-gooey creamy texture.
Where can I find it? Fresh burrata cheese can be found at many grocery stores now; I bought a container of them at Costco! You'll usually find burrata in the refrigerated cheese area, near the fresh mozzarella. Burrata is a fresh cheese that's stored in a brine, so look for a container filled with liquid with a big ole cheese ball inside.
A Little about Heirloom Tomatoes
I love finding heirloom tomatoes at my nearby farmer's market. These beautiful tomatoes have a short season and are mostly found at local markets and in the garden, not so much at supermarkets (only at certain high end ones)... but their flavors are worth the hunt.
Unlike hybrid commercial tomatoes, they are naturally bred and vary wildly. They're the OG tomatoes, with ridges and sizes and a variety of colors and flavors from sweet to savory to even smoky.
Want to learn more about how to choose, store, and about the different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, check out this guide on Oh My Veggies.
How to Make Burrata Caprese Salad
Step 1 | Lay out your tomato slices on your platter or plate. I used heirlooms because they have a great flavor profile that's different from your average grocery store tomato, along with some sweet cherry tomatoes.
Step 2 | Add in your basil. I cut some of mine in a chiffonade -- I just rolled the leaves up and sliced them thinly --then place them all over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with flaky salt and pepper at this point.
Step 3 | Place a ball of burrata on top of the tomatoes and basil. Tear the burrata ball apart to release all the cheese curds and cream inside.
Step 4 | Before serving, give your tomato burrata salad a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze on top of the burrata, if you like.
Variations and Substitutions
- Caprese Skewers - Thread cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls, and fresh basil leaves onto skewers for a fun and easy-to-eat appetizer.
- Avocado Caprese - Add sliced avocado to your platter for a creamy and delicious twist, and dress with a lemon vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar.
- Caprese Pasta Salad - Toss cooked pasta with fresh mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette for a satisfying and flavorful pasta salad.
- Add in some Avocado - this easy salad loves taking on different flavors and I really love adding avocado to it.
- Can't find burrata? - fresh mozzarella is a the go-to in a traditional caprese salad.
Expert Tips
- The key to a delicious caprese salad is using ripe, juicy tomatoes. Look for tomatoes that are vibrant in color, fragrant, and slightly soft to the touch. If you can, choose heirloom tomatoes for their sweet, complex flavor.
- Burrata cheese is the star of the show in this salad, so be sure to choose a high-quality cheese that's fresh and creamy. Look for burrata that's made from fresh mozzarella and cream and avoid any that look dry or have a sour smell.
- Choose bright green basil leaves that are free from brown spots or wilted edges.
- Be sure to season your salad generously! Salt is your friend, honey!
- Burrata is not something you can prep ahead of time. Keep it in its container in the fridge until about 30 minutes before serving, it's best served closer to room temperature.
Storing your Caprese Salad
Don't let those leftovers hang around for too long, they'll last a day in an airtight container. Trust me, after a day or two, that salad starts to go from crisp and delicious to just plain...unpleasant.
Burrata is best stored as a ball in its brine, otherwise it'll congeal, solidify, and lose its creaminess.
And those fancy tomatoes? They can't handle the pressure of being sliced for too long. So do yourself a favor and enjoy those leftovers ASAP for maximum flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Mozzarella cheese has a firmer texture while burrata is soft and creamy, made from mozzarella shreds and cream.
Burrata cheese has a rich, tangy flavor while mozzarella is mild and slightly salty.
Burrata is also highly perishable and should be consumed within a few days while mozzarella has a longer shelf life.
Burrata doesn't bode well outside of its brine. While the tomatoes can be sliced and stored a day ahead of time, the burrata needs to be stored in its brine.
Heirloom tomatoes are different from regular tomatoes in that they are open-pollinated and have been cultivated for many generations. They come in a wide range of colors, sizes, and flavors, and have a more complex taste than regular commercially grown tomatoes.
Heirloom tomatoes are not genetically modified, and are often grown using organic methods.
They are also more fragile than regular tomatoes and have a shorter shelf life.
More Summer Recipes
Click here to subscribe SWEET TEA & THYME’S NEWSLETTER for free and fresh recipes right into your inbox!
To pin this recipe and save it for later you can use the Pin button on the recipe card, the sharing buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above.
Tag me @sweet_tea_thyme on Instagram to share your remakes with me, I love looking through your photos!
Enjoyed the recipe? Leave a 5 star rating and comment below to let me know. I appreciate ya!
📖 Recipe
Burrata Caprese
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe heirloom tomatoes
- Handful of fresh basil leaves freshly torn apart
- 2-4 balls fresh burrata cheese packed in brine
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- With a sharp chef's knife or serrated knife, cut the tomatoes into ¼ inch thick slices (either vertically or horizontally). Arrange the slices onto a platter.
- Add the basil leaves to the platter, sprinkle the flaky sea salt and black pepper over the tomatoes, then take the burrata cheese out of the brine and place them on top of the tomatoes.
- When serving, slice open the burrata to expose the insides. Drizzle the olive oil over the platter of caprese salad and serve immediately.
Notes
Tips for the Best Heirloom Tomato Burrata Caprese
- The key to a delicious caprese salad is using ripe, juicy heirloom tomatoes. Look for tomatoes that are vibrant in color, fragrant, and slightly soft to the touch. If you can, choose heirloom tomatoes for their sweet, complex flavor.
- Burrata cheese is the (co) star of the show in this salad, so be sure to choose a high-quality cheese that's fresh and creamy. Look for burrata that's made from fresh mozzarella and cream and avoid any that look dry or have a sour smell.
- Choose bright green basil leaves that are free from brown spots or wilted edges.
- Be sure to season your salad generously. Tomatoes love salt! If ½ teaspoon isn't enough for you, add more.
- Burrata is not something you can prep ahead of time. Keep it in its container in the fridge until about 30 minutes before serving, it's best served closer to room temperature.
