Burrata Caprese

insalata caprese con burrata

I cannot resist a caprese salad. But I am going to upgrade it, to a burrata caprese! Traditionally a caprese is made with mozzarella cheese, but I am replacing that with the luxurious and decadent and creamy burrata cheese. This dish exemplifies all that is great about Italian food – taking only a few quality ingredients to make an exceptional dish, letting each flavor shine and show off its natural beauty.

The combination of creamy burrata and juicy, fresh tomatoes creates a delightful texture balance that is sure to please all palettes. Adding the fragrant basil provides an irresistible herbal note while the addition of the extra virgin olive oil adds a depth and richness that ties everything together perfectly.

Burrata caprese salad looks very impressive and colorful but is super quick and easy to put together!

Ingrdients

• Burrata cheese
• Good-quality ripe tomatoes
• Basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt

Mozzarella vs Burrata

Both mozzarella and burrata are semi-soft, fresh cheeses made from the stretched curds of cow’s milk, or sometimes water buffalo, mozzarella di bufala.

Mozzarella’s history is much older than burrata’s and has been produced in Southern Italy since the 12th century. It’s in the category of pasta filata cheeses, meaning pulled cord, because the curds are stretched and spun during the process. This forms that distinct stringy texture in the final product that makes tearing and shredding mozzarella by hand so easy and satisfying.

Fresh mozzarella has a milky, delicate flavor and texture, but still holds its shape when sliced.

Burrata is a piece of mozzarella that is formed into a casing or pouch and filled with a mix of cream and mozzarella shreds, stracciatella. Burrata is very soft and delicate and best eaten fresh and with minimal accompaniment.

Burrata didn’t start being produced until the mid 1900s. One year in Andria, in the Puglia region, a cheesemaker was enduring a great amount of snowfall, making it difficult to transport his products. He decided to use the mozzarella as a pouch to preserve the cream and mozzarella pieces inside. Now the burrata from Andria has been recognized as an IGP, Indicazione Geografica Protetta (Protected Geographical Indication) product, which means it can only be produced in designated provinces in the Puglia region.

Tomatoes

This is not a salad to use bland or unripe tomatoes. Splurge a little bit for a vine or heirloom tomatoes. Make sure they are juicy and ripe. Go to the farm stand or farmer’s market. You want them to smell like tomatoes! If you don’t know that smell, find a garden or farm that is growing tomatoes and start sniffing! Ask permission first; I’m aware that rogue, tomato-sniffing home cooks might set off red flags.

Basil

I don’t recommend using dried basil. Fresh basil really is a must for this dish. No need to chop or slice the leaves. Leave them whole in their naturally beautiful form!

Olive Oil

A good quality extra virgin olive is needed for this burrata caprese. The rich olive flavor completes the Mediterranean feel, and it is important to use an olive oil that you enjoy the taste of on its own.

Kosher Salt

Salt brings out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and their juiciness. I like kosher salt because it has a coarse grain with no additives or iodine. It is also perfect for seasoning meats and vegetables and is great for baking because it dissolves quickly in liquid.

Flaky sea salt would also work!

Step by Step

This Italian salad is all about presentation. The ingredients mostly speak for themselves. You could throw them on a plate, and they would look good. But let’s not do that.

Use a nice plate or platter, rather than a bowl. Arrange the tomato slices on the plate, they can overlap. It can look as wild and rustic or uniform and orderly as you like. You are the artist.

---

How to core and slice a tomato

• To remove the core, insert the point of a small paring knife next to the core angled towards the middle of the tomato.
• Insert the knife about 2cm, more or less depending on the size of the tomato. Cut in a circular motion around the core. It should pop out like a small cone.
• Place the tomato on its side to begin slicing. Use a serrated knife for smooth cuts. Make 1cm slices.

---

Give the tomatoes a healthy sprinkling of kosher salt.

Sprinkle basil leaves over the tomatoes.

Place the burrata ball in the center of the plate and gently pull it open slightly with your thumbs to expose the oozy middle of the soft cheese.

Drizzle the top with extra virgin olive oil and another little sprinkle of salt over the cheese. Optionally you can also add a little bit of fresh cracked black pepper. 

Tips and FAQs

Variations

• add other fresh herbs like oregano or chives
• substitute mozzarella di bufala for the burrata
• add other in-season fruit like ripe peaches, strawberries, or watermelon
• try using different varieties and sizes of ripe tomatoes

Burrata Caprese Recipe

More Recipes

Mascarpone and Tomato Sauce

Broccoli Asparagus Soup

Italian Pumpkin Soup

Calabrese Easter Cookies