A classic Caprese salad hardly needs improving, but burrata makes a compelling case. With its delicate mozzarella shell and luscious creamy center, burrata transforms this simple summer favorite into something truly special. Add ripe tomatoes, fragrant basil, flaky salt, along with plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and your best extra virgin olive oil, and you have a salad that lets exceptional ingredients speak for themselves.
Why You'll Love This Creamy Burrata Caprese Salad
- Peak summer on a plate. Ripe heirloom tomatoes, fragrant basil, and creamy burrata celebrate the very best flavors of the season.
- Restaurant-worthy with almost no effort. With just a handful of quality ingredients and no cooking required, this elegant salad comes together in about 10 minutes.
- Perfect for any occasion. Serve it as a light lunch on a hot day, an elegant first course, or a colorful side alongside grilled meats, seafood, or crusty bread.
- A recipe where quality shines. This is the perfect opportunity to use your best extra virgin olive oil. With so few ingredients, every flavor has a chance to stand out.
My Walk of Discovery
Every summer, the first vine-ripened tomatoes from my childhood backyard garden were something to look forward to. I'd walk outside, pick one still warm from the sun, brush off the dust, sprinkle it generously with salt, and eat it right there in the garden. A perfectly ripe tomato doesn't need much else to be absolutely delicious.
As fresh mozzarella became easier to find in American grocery stores, those garden tomatoes found a new companion. Add basil, a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, and suddenly a simple tomato salad became the classic Italian Caprese we all know and love.
Then came burrata.
Although burrata has been made in Italy's Puglia region since the 1920s, most Americans didn't discover it until the late 1990s and early 2000s, when it began appearing in specialty shops and restaurant menus. The first time I cut into one, that creamy center spilling onto the plate was unforgettable. It wasn't replacing mozzarella. It was introducing me to a whole new way to enjoy one of my favorite summer salads.
Today, when heirloom tomatoes are at their peak, this is the Caprese I reach for. Just ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, creamy burrata, flaky salt, a good grind of fresh black pepper, and the best extra virgin olive oil you have. No distractions. Just a handful of beautiful ingredients doing what they do best.
Burrata Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 vine ripened Heirloom tomatoes preferably a variety of colors
- 2 balls fresh burrata
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves left whole if small, torn if large, or sliced thinly
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Fruity peppery extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Prepare the tomatoes
- Slice the tomatoes about ¼-inch thick and arrange them in an overlapping pattern on four salad plates or one large serving platter.
Add the Burrata
- Cut each burrata ball in half and nestle the halves among the tomatoes so every serving gets plenty of that creamy center.
Season
- Sprinkle the tomatoes and burrata with kosher salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Don't be shy with the seasoning. It brings out the tomatoes' natural sweetness and makes every ingredient taste more vibrant.
Finish the Salad
- Scatter the fresh basil over the top, then drizzle lightly with your best extra virgin olive oil. With only a handful of ingredients, quality really matters.
Serve
- This salad is best enjoyed as soon as it's assembled, while the tomatoes are at room temperature and the burrata is perfectly creamy.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Choose ripe, in-season heirloom tomatoes for the best flavor and color. If tomatoes are refrigerated, let them come to room temperature before serving.
- Bring the burrata out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before assembling the salad so the creamy center is at its best.
- Tear or chiffonade the basil just before serving to keep it fresh and aromatic.
- Finish with a good-quality, fruity extra virgin olive oil. With so few ingredients, every one counts.
- Assemble the salad just before serving. Burrata is at its creamiest and tomatoes at their juiciest when enjoyed fresh.
Nutrition
Ingredients and Why They Matter
Burrata
Burrata may look like fresh mozzarella, but once you cut into it, you'll discover its luxurious secret. A delicate shell of fresh mozzarella surrounds a rich, creamy filling of shredded mozzarella and cream, creating a cheese that's wonderfully soft, luscious, and perfect for showcasing simple summer ingredients.
Originally made in Italy's Puglia region, burrata was once difficult to find in the United States. Today, it's available in many supermarkets and specialty cheese shops, making it easy to turn an everyday Caprese into something truly memorable.
Tomatoes
This is one recipe where quality really matters. Choose ripe, vine-ripened tomatoes, preferably heirlooms when they're in season. Their natural sweetness, vibrant color, and juicy texture are the heart of the salad. If tomatoes aren't at their seasonal best, save this recipe for another day.
Fresh Basil
Fresh basil adds the unmistakable aroma and peppery, slightly sweet flavor that makes this salad unmistakably Italian. Tear or gently chiffonade the leaves just before serving for the freshest flavor.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
With so few ingredients, your olive oil becomes part of the seasoning, not just a finishing touch. Choose a fresh, fruity extra virgin olive oil with a pleasant peppery finish. A quality olive oil ties the tomatoes, basil, and burrata together beautifully.
Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Don't underestimate these two ingredients. Flaky salt enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes, while plenty of freshly cracked black pepper adds a subtle bite that perfectly complements the creamy burrata and fruity olive oil.
Tips for Success
🍅 Wait for tomato season.
This is a recipe where the tomatoes matter. Make it when vine-ripened, locally grown, or heirloom tomatoes are at their peak. When tomato season is over, let this recipe rest until next summer. The anticipation makes that first Caprese of the season even more special.
🧀 Serve at room temperature.
Take the burrata out of the refrigerator about 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Cold cheese mutes both its creamy texture and delicate flavor.
🫒 Use your best extra virgin olive oil.
With so few ingredients, the olive oil matters. Look for a fresh, fruity oil with a peppery finish. It's one of the stars of the dish, not just a garnish.
🧂 Season confidently.
Ripe tomatoes love flaky salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Don't be shy. Proper seasoning is what makes every bite come alive.
FAQs
You can, but I wouldn't. This isn't a recipe where the tomatoes play a supporting role, they're the star of the show. Heirloom tomatoes are my first choice because they're juicy, sweet, and full of flavor. If you can't find them, choose the best vine-ripened tomatoes you can.
Roma tomatoes are excellent for sauces because they're meaty and have fewer seeds, but they're simply not juicy or flavorful enough for a Caprese salad.
And if truly great tomatoes aren't available?
Wait.
This is one of those recipes that's worth making when tomatoes are in season. The first bite of a sun-ripened summer tomato is worth every month you waited.
Because I want the tomatoes to be the star.
When tomatoes are perfectly ripe and in season, they don't need much more than flaky salt, freshly cracked black pepper, fragrant basil, creamy burrata, and a generous drizzle of great extra virgin olive oil. Those simple ingredients allow the natural sweetness of the tomatoes to shine.
If you enjoy balsamic vinegar, use it! Just choose a well-aged traditional balsamic and add only a few drops. It should complement the salad, not overpower it.
For me, though, the best Caprese is all about celebrating the tomatoes.
es! Different colored tomatoes don't just look beautiful on the plate, they each bring their own flavor and personality.
Red tomatoes are the classic choice, offering a balanced sweetness and acidity.
Yellow and orange tomatoes tend to be sweeter and lower in acidity, making them a great choice if you prefer a milder flavor.
Green heirloom tomatoes (when fully ripe, like Green Zebra or Cherokee Green) have a bright, slightly tangy flavor.
Purple and black heirlooms, such as Cherokee Purple or Black Krim, are often richer, earthier, and slightly smoky.
For the most colorful and flavorful Caprese, I love using a mix of heirloom varieties. Every slice adds a little something different, making the salad as beautiful as it is delicious.
Think about the finished dish. For a Caprese salad, you want large, round slices that are easy to layer with the burrata and show off the tomato's beautiful colors and seed pattern. Slice the tomatoes crosswise, from side to side, rather than from stem to blossom end. Aim for slices about ¼-inch thick so every bite has the perfect balance of tomato, basil, and olive oil.
Yes, but only partially. While you can slice the tomatoes and have the basil and burrata ready, assemble the salad just before serving. Burrata releases moisture as it sits, and tomatoes are at their best when freshly sliced.
No, if you can avoid it. Refrigeration dulls the flavor and can make tomatoes mealy. Store ripe tomatoes at room temperature and refrigerate only if they're becoming overripe.
No. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the creamy center softens and develops its full flavor.
No. This is one recipe where fresh mozzarella or burrata really matters. Part-skim, low-moisture mozzarella is made for melting on pizza and baked dishes. It has a firmer texture and a much milder flavor.
Fresh mozzarella and burrata are soft, creamy, and packed in water to preserve their delicate texture. That's exactly what makes a Caprese salad so refreshing and delicious.
If you can't find burrata, fresh mozzarella is the perfect substitute. Just skip the low-moisture block cheese for this recipe.
No.
😂
Seriously, no.
Fresh basil is one of the defining ingredients in a Caprese salad, and dried basil simply isn't a substitute here.
Crusty bread to soak up the olive oil, grilled chicken, grilled steak, seafood, or simply enjoy it as a light lunch with a glass of chilled white wine.
Brian says
Perfect summer dish!
Linda Omura says
I have to get some of that Burrata Cheese. Makes the Caprese look delicious!
LindySez says
Girl, it is creamy deliciousness...