Burrata Caprese Salad (2024)

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Author:

Kimber Matherne

Published:

April 9, 2024

Modified:

April 10, 2024

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This Burrata Caprese Salad is a fresh and impressive appetizer to serve at your next dinner party! It features juicy bites of tomato layered with fresh basil and burrata cheese, then drizzled with olive oil and balsamic glaze for the perfect fresh salad that is extra quick and easy to make.

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Easy Burrata Salad

I love any fresh, healthy, and simple salad. And this Burrata Caprese Salad is an all-time favorite.

This tomato and burrata salad is made with bite-sized pieces of fresh tomato topped with dollops of burrata cheese, fresh basil pieces, olive oil, and balsamic glaze.

It’s all of your favorite classic Caprese Salad ingredients made into a delicious and impressive salad.

Enjoy this salad on its own as a light lunch or as a delicate side dish or appetizer. It’s perfect for spring and summer and the best way to elevate lunch, or impress your dinner guests!

Why I LOVE this recipe!

Simple – This fresh salad is ready to enjoy in no more than 15 minutes.
Minimal Ingredients – Just 7 ingredients required!
Impressive – Serve up for guests at your next get-together and you’re guaranteed to impress.
Delicious – I mean, what’s not to love here? This combination of flavors is amazing!

What is Burrata?

Burrata is a semi-soft Italian cheese that’s made up of a thin, fresh mozzarella cheese wrapper that’s filled with a mixture of fresh mozzarella curds and cream.

You can find burrata at most grocery stores now if you look in the nice cheese section. Sometimes this will be by the deli instead of with the shredded cheeses.

Recipe Notes

This tomato and burrata salad recipe is as simple as promised! Just a reason it is so easy—- for a family friendly meal.

In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make burrata tomato salad to get the absolute best and most delicious results.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Tomatoes – I use a combination of beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to make this salad have more color and texture!
Basil Leaves – Basil is key to the perfect burrata Caprese. Use fresh basil sliced into smaller pieces for even distribution.
Burrata Cheese – I highly recommend using burrata if you can get your hands on some! The flavor, texture, and decadence is unmatched. If you can’t find burrata or you’re working with a lower budget, you can swap it out for fresh mozzarella or even ricotta in a pinch.
Flakey Salt – Adds a tasty little crunch and brings out all of the fresh flavors of your tomato and burrata salad. I use Maldon Sea Salt that I buy on Amazon.
Olive Oil and Balsamic Glaze – A generous drizzle of each brings the flavors of this salad together perfectly! Make sure to get balsamic glaze, not vinegar. The glaze is reduced and much sweeter and thicker than vinegar.

Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.

Recipe Variations

If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!

Peach and Burrata Caprese – Sweeten up your salad with the addition of fresh or grilled sliced peaches.
Beet Burrata Caprese – Try adding some chopped and roasted beets for a flavor twist and some added color and texture.
Burrata Heirloom Tomato Salad – Make your salad extra fancy by just using chopped heirloom tomatoes. They’re slightly more expensive, but so tasty, especially when they are in season during the summer!

Recipe Step by Step

I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make burrata caprese salad.

Cut the large tomatoes into 1-1.5-inch chunks and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Combine those on a large plate or small platter.

2. Break the burrata open, tear into bite-sized pieces, then drop them over the top of the tomatoes.

3. Roll the basil leaves together, then slice thinly. Sprinkle that over the top of the cheese and tomatoes.

4. Finish your salad with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze, and a generous layer of flakey sea salt, then serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Cut the tomatoes evenly – This is key to a uniform salad. I recommend cutting the beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes into 1-1.5-inch chunks, then chopping the cherry tomatoes in half. This smaller size ensures that you get a little bit of every flavor in each bite!
Choose good quality ingredients! Since this recipe is made with very few ingredients, it is essential that you choose good quality ones! This helps to create the best possible flavor.
Serve immediately – While you can store leftovers in the fridge, this salad is the best at peak freshness.

Recipe Short Cuts

If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!

Prep the tomatoes in advance – While I don’t recommend storing them too long, you can get slightly ahead with prep by chopping/slicing the tomatoes and storing them in the fridge for a day or two. That way they’re ready to go when you want to assemble your salad!
Assemble the salad ahead of time – To get way ahead with prep, you can put the whole salad together up to 12 hours before you plan to serve it. Simply mix it up in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. To help preserve the freshness, you can leave off the oil and balsamic glaze and add those just before serving!

What to Serve with Tomato and Burrata Salad

This fantastically delicious salad can serve as a light main course, a salad course, or pair with a main dish as a side.

It has classic fresh flavors, so it will pair well with many of your favorite traditional or Italian side dishes.

Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.

Main Dish Ideas

Baked Italian Chicken – Enjoy a light and fresh meal with a helping of burrata caprese salad next to this Baked Italian Chicken. It’s tender, savory, perfectly crispy, and garnished with fresh tomatoes.
Easy Italian Sausage Tortellini – Create a mouthwatering meal with this Italian Sausage Tortellini made in a skillet! Tender cheese tortellini mixed with Italian sausage and veggies in a velvety tomato sauce.
Chicken Pizzaiola – Who doesn’t love a pizza-inspired recipe to really satisfy your cravings? This Chicken Pizzaiola features juicy chicken breasts drenched in a creamy tomato sauce, then topped with pepperoni and cheese.

Side Dish Ideas

Pesto Roasted Veggies – Enjoy a fresh spread of flavor with these Pesto Roasted Veggies. A colorful combination of red onion, bell pepper, broccoli, yellow squash, and zucchini squash tossed in pesto sauce.
Garlic Bread – You can never go wrong with the classic that is Garlic Bread. This recipe starts with a loaf of French bread topped with butter and mayonnaise, parmesan, garlic, and the perfect blend of herbs.

Burrata Salad Leftovers

If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! This saves well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.

To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:

in the refrigerator for 1-2 days

Leftover Recipes

Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!

Burrata Bruschetta -Toast slices of baguette or crusty bread and top them with the leftover burrata and caprese salad mixture. Drizzle with balsamic glaze or a touch of olive oil and garnish with fresh basil.
Pasta with Burrata -Toss the burrata and caprese salad with cooked pasta (like spaghetti or penne) for a creamy, flavorful pasta dish. Add some extra olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
Burrata Pizza – Use the burrata salad as a topping for pizza. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on pizza dough, then add the burrata mixture on top. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.
Burrata Panini – Make a gourmet panini by placing the burrata caprese salad between slices of crusty bread along with some pesto or grilled vegetables. Grill until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melty.

Recipe FAQ’s

What does the Italian word Caprese mean?

Caprese literally transaltes to “Salad of Capri”, which doesn’t really indicate anything about what exactly a salad of Capri is made of. However, the word Caprese has taken on a new meaning referring to a dish traditionally featuring tomato, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic glaze.

Are burrata and mozzarella the same?

Nope! While both are semi-soft Italian cheeses, they actually are different. Mozzarella is its own thing while burrata is a decadent cheese made up of a mozzarella pouch filled with soft cheese curds and cream.

Is burrata better than mozzarella for Caprese?

That depends on your preferences! The flavor and texture of burrata is delicious, BUT if you’re working with a lower budget, mozzarella might be the best option for you. Either is delicious!

More EASY Salad Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!

You can check out all of my easy salad recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.

Italian Grinder Salad
Arugula Pear Salad
Italian House Salad
Spring Chopped Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
Antipasto Salad
Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad