Burrata Caprese Salad (Easy Italian Summer Recipe)

My burrata caprese salad is one of my all-time favorite Italian summer recipes. Juicy ripe tomatoes layered with creamy burrata, fragrant fresh basil from the garden, the best extra-virgin olive oil, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze from Modena.

It is ready in 5 minutes, requires zero cooking, and is one of those dishes that genuinely impresses every single time. A beautiful no-cook appetizer, light lunch, or summer side dish.

If you love simple Italian summer dishes, you will also want to try my Quick and Easy Italian Tomato Salad and this classic Panzanella Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad - both are perfect starters for any Italian meal.

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Jump To

• Why You'll Love This Burrata Caprese Salad
• What is a Caprese salad?
• What ingredients are in burrata caprese?
• How to make burrata caprese salad?
• Expert tips to make tomato Caprese with fresh burrata:
• Variations for burrata caprese:
• What to serve with Caprese appetizer?
• How to store Italian caprese salad?
• Some other salad recipes to enjoy:
• Best Italian Burrata Caprese Salad Recipe
• FAQs

This burrata caprese is the ultimate summer salad. Fresh tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese, fragrant basil, and sweet balsamic glaze make it irresistible.

If you're a fan of traditional Caprese salad, get ready to be blown away by the creamy and luxurious twist that burrata cheese brings to this simple and tasty dish. This Burrata Caprese recipe takes the classic combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and luscious mozzarella cheese to a whole new level! This is an easy no cook Summer dish you will love.

Why You'll Love This Burrata Caprese Salad

As soon as it is summer, I am enjoying everything tomatoes! When tomatoes are at their peak, I am making this simple tomato salad or this tomato sauce on repeat.

I couldn't wait to share one of my all-time favorite summer salads, a CAPRESE! It is made with sweet and juicy tomatoes, fresh basil right from my garden, and my absolute favorite, BURRATA! Yes, I do get a little excited about burrata! Don't you?

• 5 minutes, no cooking - slice tomatoes, add burrata, drizzle, done. It is the easiest impressive dish I know.
• Show-stopping presentation - the colors of the Italian flag on a platter: red tomatoes, creamy white burrata, vibrant green basil. It is beautiful every single time.
• Naturally gluten-free - and easy to make for any crowd, any occasion.
• Scales up or down effortlessly - double it for a party platter, or make a single serving just for yourself.
• Endlessly customizable - the base recipe is perfect on its own, but you can add grilled peaches, watermelon, avocado, or toasted nuts to take it in a completely different direction.

What is a Caprese salad?

A traditional Italian salad, Caprese is made with mozzarella (buffalo or burrata, like I used here today), ripe and juicy tomatoes, and basil leaves.

The simple salad gets a drizzle of very good quality extra-virgin olive oil, and some sea salt. We added on a drizzle of balsamic glaze, but that is not how it's typically made.

Made in the colors of the Italian flag: red, white, and green! This is not a traditional version, as it's made with burrata, and does have a touch of balsamic glaze. If you want to make a classic Caprese, use regular mozzarella. But I highly recommend the burrata version: it is DELICIOUS!

We eat this all year long. Let's get onto this really simple Italian recipe!

What ingredients are in burrata caprese?

• Burrata: Burrata is the star of this recipe, but you could also use Buffalo mozzarella, or regular mozzarella. Burrata is similar to mozzarella, it has a mozzarella shell, but has a creamy stracciatella filling. Check out your local markets, as I'm finding burrata now in every place I shop. Look in the cheese sections. Of if there's an Italian market or cheese shop near you, you'll for sure find it there.
• Tomatoes: I used beefsteak tomatoes, but you could use heirloom tomatoes, tomatoes on the vine, Roma, Campari. Even cherry or grape tomatoes would be fine, not traditional, but you could use them if that's what you have on hand. IF you're like my in-laws in Italy that have tomatoes all summer long in their garden, lucky you, use them!
• Fresh basil leaves: I have fresh basil in my garden still growing. You could find even a little fresh basil plant to keep in your kitchen. Fresh basil is key to this recipe! You can't make this without basil, so there is no substitute. No dried basil. Gently tear them with your hands or even leave the leaves whole.
• Extra-virgin olive oil: I do mention this all the time, the better the quality of the extra-virgin olive oil, the better the results will be. You aren't using a lot for this recipe, so even investing in a very small excellent quality olive oil is so worth it! You will be dipping your bread right in it as we Italians do!
• Balsamic vinegar glaze: If you can get a hold of a balsamic vinegar reduction glaze made in Modena that is IGP, please do try it! It's not traditional to add balsamic to a Caprese, but it does add this delicious touch of balsamic flavor.
• Sea salt or flaky salt: Very simple seasoning of just some salt. Use a sprinkle of flaky salt if you have some on hand. It adds a little salty crunch to every bite, which makes it even more amazing!

How to make burrata caprese salad?

Here are the steps to make this really easy Italian antipasto recipe. Full printable recipe can be found below:

• Step 1: Gather up all your ingredients. There aren't that many, so this is super quick to make!

Prep the tomatoes:

• Take the burrata cheese container out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature (in the brine)while you prep the tomatoes.
• Rinse and dry the tomatoes.
• Step 2: Slice tomatoes. Rinse and dry the tomatoes. With a sharp knife, cut tomatoes about ¼ inch thick disks.
• Step 3: Arrange tomatoes on a serving platter or dish.

Add burrata:

• Step 4: Add burrata to tomatoes. Remove burrata cheese from the brine, gently pat dry. Cut the burrata into thick pieces and place on top of the tomatoes. You could also place it whole in the middle of the tomatoes and cut in the middle to expose the creamy stracciatella filling.

Add on the toppings:

• Step 5: Add salt, oil, glaze, basil. Sprinkle on some sea salt. Drizzle on the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze and your fresh basil.
• Step 6: Serve and enjoy with very crusty bread! The bread will be needed to sop up all that luscious creamy stracciatella in the middle of the burrata!

Expert tips to make tomato Caprese with fresh burrata:

• Quality ingredients are everything - This salad has six ingredients. Each one is visible and tasted directly. There is nowhere to hide a mediocre olive oil or a flavorless tomato. Buy the best you can afford.
• Keep the burrata in brine until the last moment - Remove it from the fridge early so it warms up, but leave it sitting in its brine right up until you are ready to add it to the platter. Brine keeps it moist and prevents the outer shell from drying out.
• Season the tomatoes first - Salting the tomatoes a few minutes before adding the burrata draws out their natural juices and intensifies their flavor. Do not skip this step.
• Serve immediately after assembling - Once you open or cut the burrata, it starts releasing its creamy filling. The salad is at its most beautiful and delicious the moment it is assembled. Do not prep this in advance and let it sit.
• Tear basil, do not cut it - A knife crushes and oxidizes basil leaves, turning the edges black within minutes. Tear them gently by hand for clean, beautiful pieces that stay bright green.
• Use a wide, flat platter - A wide platter gives each tomato slice and each piece of burrata its own space to shine. Piling everything into a deep bowl hides the beautiful colors and makes it harder to serve neatly.

Variations for burrata caprese:

A Caprese is the perfect starter before almost any Italian meal. Some of my favorite pairings:

• Crusty bread or focaccia - Non-negotiable. You need something to soak up the olive oil and burrata cream from the platter.
• Pasta Puttanesca - Spaghetti with anchovies, olives, capers, and tomatoes. Start with the Caprese, then bring out the pasta. Recipe here.
• Pasta alla Gricia - A Roman classic with guanciale, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. Elegant and simple - the perfect main after this light starter. Recipe here.
• Slow-cooked short ribs pasta sauce - For a Sunday dinner, start with this Caprese while the short rib sauce slow-cooks away. Recipe here.
• Ravioli with tomato sauce - The Caprese and a bowl of ravioli with a good San Marzano tomato sauce is one of my favorite complete Italian dinners. Recipe here.

What to serve with Caprese appetizer?

A Caprese goes really nicely with any Italian dish. Make it as starter with one of these ideas:

• Pasta Puttanesca>>> Spaghetti tossed in an easy to make sauce of anchovies, garlic, olives, hot pepper flakes, and capers. JUST DELICIOUS!
• Pasta alla Gricia >>>>A classic Roman pasta that's made by combining guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and starchy pasta water. Incredible!
• Slow Cooked Short Ribs Sauce >>> A classic Sunday sauce, let it slow cook away and the ribs will melt in your mouth!

How to store Italian caprese salad?

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container, or wrap the plate that its on with plastic wrap tightly. I would eat it the next day. More than one day, it will be mushy and the tomatoes start to break down.

Whatever is leftover, I highly recommend to enjoy the next day.

Some other salad recipes to enjoy:

• Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad
• Quick and Easy Italian Tomato Salad
• Whole30 Broccoli Salad
• Panzanella-Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad

Did you make this and love it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)

I would LOVE IT if you can leave me a star rating and a review down below and let me know your thoughts! It means the world to me to hear how you liked it.

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