Simple Burrata Caprese Salad is a fun twist on the Classic Caprese Salad. This recipe features creamy burrata cheese, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, and a drizzle of homemade sweet balsamic glaze. This salad is super simple, fresh, light, and delicious!
Tomatoes are at their peak in the summer, but I find that it’s easy to find delicious juicy tomatoes all year round nowadays. In fact, just like onions, garlic, and potatoes, we always make sure that we have tomatoes in our house. So as you can imagine, tomato salads are on our menu at least a few times a week every week.
The other way I love to use fresh tomatoes is in this simple Panzanella Salad.
You may have had a Caprese salad before which is just slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, and this recipe is a fun twist on this simple and tasty salad. And you may have guessed it by now, but I love Caprese salad.
Plus, I’ve been obsessed with burrata cheese lately, it’s as good as a fresh ball of high-quality mozzarella cheese if not better! I normally use it to make this refreshing Burrata Salad, but it’s also great with pasta, on pizza, and other salads. And then I thought why not make a burrata Caprese salad to combine my two favorite things: Burrata and a Caprese style salad.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super Simple – You only need a few simple ingredients to make this impressive salad, and it’s ready in just 5 minutes! I’m not kidding! It won’t take you longer than that.
- Serve it as a main or a side – This salad can be filling enough to be served as a vegetarian meal for lunch or a light dinner, it’s also great if served as a side. It’s bright and can definitely add color to your holiday table! Definitely a side dish to consider making on Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- Versatile Recipe – Change it up the way you like! Have olives you want to use? Add them in! Don’t like balsamic reduction? Use high quality balsamic vinegar. No fresh basil leaves? Use pesto.
Ingredients In Burrata Salad
Here’s what you need to make this salad recipe:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Burrata: The star of the show! A creamy soft cheese made with cow’s milk. Burrata can be found in most grocery stores nowadays, it’s known for its creamy consistency and is often used in the same way fresh mozzarella is used. If you can’t find burrata, you can use mozzarella balls instead.
- Tomatoes: Burrata and tomatoes are the 2 stars of this dish, so you have to make sure that you get ripe and delicious tomatoes. Basically, the best ones that you can afford (if home grown, that’s even better!). If your tomatoes are too juicy/watery, you can drain the slices on a colander for 5-10 minutes before arranging on the platter.
- Basil leaves: Use fresh basil leaves, or substitute with homemade basil pesto.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Because this salad is so simple with just a few ingredients, I will say it again, use the best quality ingredients that you can afford. A cold pressed extra virgin olive oil will elavate this dish from good to amazing!
- Balsamic: You can either use a baslamic reduction that is store-bought or homemade (I will tell you how to make your own at the bottom of this post). Or you can simply use balsamic vinegar if that’s what you have available.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To season the salad and bring out the flavors.
How To Make Burrata Caprese
- Slice the tomatoes into ¼ inch thick slices. Arrange on a plate or a serving platter. I added a few sliced cherry tomatoes just for the aesthetics. Seaon with salt and pepper.
- Place the burrata ball in the middle, if you’re using several smaller burrata balls then you can arrange differently.
- Place a fresh basil leaf on every tomato slice.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar or reduction. And serve!
Tip!
When using small burrata balls, feel free to leave them whole and allow your guests to cut right into it themselves. Seeing that creamy center for the first time is an experience in itself!
How to Make Homemade Balsamic Glaze
You can make a balsamic reduction in a small saucepan by bringing 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil then simmering until reduced by half. To sweeten it, you can add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup, this will balance the tang.
Using a thicker syrupy glaze isn’t at all necessary, but looks quite nice and tastes even better! So if you don’t want to do this, by all means, just drizzle some balsamic vinegar on your salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad is best served immediately, as leaving it to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours will make it soggy. But good news, this salad is super easy to make and it’s ready in no time. What you can prep ahead is slice and drain the tomatoes, wash and dry basil leaves, and make the balsamic reduction. Assemble and dress the salad right before serving for best results.
Caprese is usually served as a light meal or a side salad or appetizer. When serving, make sure that each portion includes a slice (or more) of tomato, cheese, and fresh basil.
Often paired with tomatoes, burrata is also perfect with arugula, pesto, or prosciutto. Try it on a pizza, with grilled chicken, or with a pasta dish.
Burrata is meant to be enjoyed cold. When cooked, it will lose its delicate, smooth, and creamy consistency which makes this cheese so special. Save the burrata to be served cold/at room temperature, and use a different cheese for melting.
Burrata cheese is packed with protein with a fat content of around 20%. Very similar to fresh mozzarella cheese, it’s packed with calcium and vitamins B1 and B2 which makes it a healthy cheese to consume.
What To Serve With Caprese Salad
Serve this Burrata Caprese as an appetizer with a basket of Fresh Breadsticks, some extra virgin olive oil for dipping, and a glass of good-quality Italian wine.
For an Italian-inspired feast, make Chicken Cacciatore to serve as the main dish. Or keep it vegetarian with this delicious Pasta Alla Norma which is an eggplant Italian pasta dish, or try it with Penne Arrabiatta.
Don’t forget dessert! Make this easy Italian Tiramisu, or try this fun Oreo Tiramisu for something that’s a little unusual.
Save this recipe for the next time you see fresh burrata cheese sold at your grocery store, and make this delicious salad to share with the people you love.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Burrata Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 4 ripe medium tomatoes
- 1 large burrata cheese ball or 4 small ones
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes into ¼ inch thick slices. Arrange on a plate or a serving platter. I added a few sliced cherry tomatoes just for the aesthetics. Seaon with salt and pepper.
- Place the burrata ball in the middle, if you’re using several smaller burrata balls then you can arrange differently.
- Place a fresh basil leaf on every tomato slice.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar or reduction. And serve!
Notes:
- You can make a balsamic reduction by bringing 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil then simmering until reduced by half. To sweeten it, you can add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or honey, or maple syrup, this will balance the tang.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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