Cool and refreshing, this burrata salad is a delicious take on the classic Caprese salad. Instead of mozzarella, this recipe takes a fresh piece of burrata and surrounds it with chopped tomatoes, leafy greens and a flavorful pesto dressing that perfectly compliments the creaminess of the cheese.
What is Burrata?
If you’ve never had burrata before, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the mild, creamy flavor that brings out the taste of the vegetables and pesto dressing.
Burrata is a sack of mozzarella filled with cream and shredded pieces of mozzarella. It is often made from cow’s milk, but some varieties come from the milk of water buffalo. When you slice it open, the delicious, buttery cream oozes out onto your plate.
It makes a great salad and appetizer ingredient, but you can enjoy it by itself if you’re a cheese lover. You can try it instead of regular mozzarella for a cool, creamy take on classic Italian dishes or as a topping for crostini.
What is Burrata Salad?
What is burrata salad, anyway? This appetizer or side dish uses fresh ingredients like tomatoes and burrata cheese with greens and features the colors of the Italian flag. This light, summery dish is the perfect complement to homemade pasta, grilled steak or a fresh charcuterie board.
You can serve it at the start of an Italian-inspired meal or enjoy it by itself on a spring afternoon or hot summer day. Just make sure you serve it as soon as possible, as burrata salad is best when it’s fresh.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- a mix of greens – like arugula, baby spinach, baby red and/or green lettuce, radicchio etc. (you can use spring mix)
- cherry tomatoes
- burrata cheese – one large burrata at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving
For the Pesto Dressing:
- fresh basil leaves
- garlic clove
- raw pine nuts
- extra-virgin olive oil
- lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- salt and pepper
How to Make it
For the Pesto Dressing:
- Combine. Combine the basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Drizzle. While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
- Season. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
To Assemble the Salad:
- Arrange greens and cheese. Place the greens mix and cherry tomatoes on a large serving plate. Add the burrata to the center of the salad.
- Drizzle. Drizzle with the pesto dressing.
- Serve. This salad can be served as an appetizer for 4 people (cutting the burrata into pieces) or side salad for 2.
Tips
- You can tear the burrata into pieces or simply cut it open and let the delicious cream soak into the salad.
- You might not easily find burrata at your local grocery store, but you can grab a DIY cheese kit to make it at home, order it online or check out the nearest gourmet food store.
- In a pinch, you can replace the pesto dressing with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a last-minute appetizer/side salad but if you have a few extra minutes on hand to make the dressing, it’s worth it!
Storage
This salad should be served and consumed immediately. Once the cheese is cut open, it is not recommended to store it for later.
The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
I love the creaminess of the cheese when you slice it open combined with the basil pesto dressing. Did you enjoy this burrata salad? Let me know in the comments below and please share the recipe!
Burrata Salad
Ingredients
For the Pesto Dressing:
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 clove garlic - chopped
- 3 tablespoons raw pine nuts
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper - to taste
For the Salad:
- 4 cups mix of greens like arugula, baby spinach, baby red and/or green lettuce, radicchio etc. - (you can use spring mix)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - quartered
- 1 large burrata cheese - at room temperature for 30 mins.
Instructions
For the Pesto Dressing:
- Combine the basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
- Add salt and pepper, to taste.
To Assemble the Salad:
- Place the greens mix and cherry tomatoes on a large serving plate. Add the burrata to the center of the salad. Drizzle with the pesto dressing.
- This salad can be served as an appetizer for 4 people (cutting the burrata into pieces) or side salad for 2.
Equipment
Notes
- The nutrition information for this recipe does not include the pesto dressing because it is too hard to determine how much dressing each person will use, if at all.
- If you don’t have time to make the pesto dressing, you can drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Hungry for more? Check out How to Make a Mango-Pineapple Smoothie
This is the best burrata salad! It’s fresh and creamy and my husband and I love it with the pesto dressing.
So glad you both enjoyed it. Thanks Sarah!