Caprese salad is always a win, but swapping regular mozzarella for fresh burrata changes the game entirely. If you’ve never had it, burrata looks like a standard ball of mozzarella on the outside, but the inside is packed with an incredibly rich, milky cream. The moment you tear it open, that creamy center oozes out and essentially blends with the tomato juices and olive oil to create its own luxurious dressing.
This tomato burrata salad takes about 15 minutes to throw together, requires zero cooking, and looks absolutely stunning on a platter. It is the ultimate effortless summer side dish.
Ingredient Needed For Tomato Burrata Salad Preparation
- Fresh Burrata Cheese: Look for this in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. It usually comes in a small plastic tub filled with water to keep the delicate cheese pouches safe.
- A Mix of Fresh Tomatoes: You’ll want both large heirloom tomatoes and a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes. Mixing different shapes, sizes, and colors (like red, yellow, and orange) gives the salad a gorgeous contrast and a deeper flavor profile.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Just a splash of standard balsamic to toss with the cherry tomatoes. No need to stress about buying an expensive, syrupy balsamic reduction here, regular vinegar works beautifully.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Grab a good quality bottle for that rich, fruity finish.
- Basil Pesto: A few spoonfuls to inject a punch of garlicky, nutty, herbal flavor. Store-bought works perfectly fine, or you can whip up a quick batch from scratch.
- Fresh Herbs: A generous handful of fresh basil, fresh mint, or a combination of both.
- Flaky Sea Salt & Fresh Black Pepper: Flaky salt is highly recommended here because it adds a delicate, crunchy texture that plays beautifully against the soft cheese and juicy tomatoes.
Step-by-Step Guide For Preparation
- Prep the Tomatoes: Grab a serrated knife (a small bread knife or tomato knife is perfect here because it slices clean through the skin using a gentle sawing motion without squishing all the juices out). Cut your large heirloom tomatoes into thick slices and arrange them flat across a serving platter.
- Dress the Cherry Tomatoes: Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and toss them in a small bowl with a splash of balsamic vinegar, a quick drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Once they’re coated, scatter them right over the heirloom slices.
- Tear the Burrata: Take your ball of burrata and gently tear it into bite-sized chunks using your hands. Nestled these creamy pieces right into the bed of tomatoes on your platter.
- The Finishing Touches: Use a spoon to dollop small pools of pesto all over the salad. Drizzle the entire platter with another splash of olive oil, hit it with a final sprinkle of flaky sea salt and cracked pepper, and scatter your fresh basil and mint leaves across the top.
Pro-Tips For Preparation
- The Peach Twist: If you happen to have juicy, perfectly ripe peaches sitting on your counter, use them! Swap out one of the heirloom tomatoes for a sliced peach. The combination of sweet stone fruit, tangy balsamic, and creamy cheese is absolutely unbelievable.
- Make-Ahead Strategy: This salad is definitely best served immediately while the tomatoes are at room temperature. However, if you need to prep for a dinner party, you can fully assemble the tomatoes and cheese on the platter up to an hour in advance and keep it in the fridge. Just hold off on adding the fresh herb leaves until the absolute last second so they don’t wilt or turn brown.
Pair this bright, vibrant platter with some crusty grilled bread to soak up all that leftover creamy tomato juice, or serve it alongside some pineapple smoothie . It is pure sunshine on a plate.
