Here’s an idea: let’s make a giant, over-the-top burrata caprese salad, complete with juicy, sweet end-of-summer heirloom tomatoes & gooey, creamy burrata cheese. We can drizzle the whole thing with punchy, fresh basil pesto, maybe schmear it on some nice & crusty grilled bread, & call it dinner. Sound like a plan?
Good. I knew I could count on you to be on board.
So, here’s the deal: we’ve officially reached that inevitable point in the summer season when simply I cannot be bothered with cooking dinner. Not even the simplest grilled dinner. Like, I can’t even bear the thought of it. Too hot. Too fussy.
Luckily this breaking point usually comes at about the same time of the season that gorgeous summer produce reaches its peak. The freshest corn, peppers a-plenty, juicy summer tomatoes – even the laziest dinners still manage to be fresh, vibrant & flavor-filled.
Coincidence? Maybe. Delicious? Always. (Sometimes it feels like the universe is looking out for us like that. Little victories!)
Today I’m finally sharing one of my all-time favorite lazy summer dinners…
Caprese Salad 2.0, the ULTIMATE Caprese Salad!
This platter of vibrant & fresh summertime goodness is what I’ve dubbed “Caprese Salad 2.0” – a stunning heirloom tomato and burrata salad made with all of the components & flavors you expect to find in a classic caprese…but sorta amping them all up to the next level.
It’s kinda like caprese on steroids:
- In place of Roma tomatoes are juicy & colorful heirloom tomatoes,
- In place of fresh mozzarella is creamy, dreamy burrata cheese, &
- In place of tender basil leaves is punchy, bold pesto sauce.
I first made this burrata caprese salad recipe a few summers back. It quickly became a tried & true favorite for the summer season.
This heirloom tomato burrata salad is the perfect light + fresh summer dinner, but it’s also show-stopping appetizer or side dish for summer parties & backyard BBQs. It’s so dramatic & completely over-the-top, but it’s so simple to throw together. Completely low maintenance, but also completely special.
& I don’t know about you, but that’s my kind of recipe.
Super fresh. Totally easy. & 100% delicious. Summertime’s best. ♡ Read on to learn more about PWWB’s Caprese Salad 2.0, or jump straight to the recipe & get your heirloom tomato burrata salad on!!
Ingredients you’ll need to make this Heirloom Tomato Burrata Salad recipe:
The beauty of a classic caprese salad is its simplicity, & this burrata caprese salad recipe is no different…it just sorta takes all the traditional components of caprese salad to the next level. (…’cuz we’re minimalists like that. Ha!)
Note: full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.
You’ll need…
- Heirloom tomatoes – Summer’s little superstars! These gorgeous tomatoes come in a variety of shapes & colors. I like to use a combination of slices of larger heirloom tomatoes & bite-sized cherry heirloom tomatoes for a particularly pretty presentation, but you can use whatever you’ve got on hand for your heirloom tomato burrata salad!
- Burrata cheese – AKA fresh mozzarella’s creamy, dreamy cousin. If you’re new to burrata cheese, you’re in for such a treat. I have answers to some burrata FAQs below!
- Basil pesto – It’s not summer unless you’ve got a jar of pesto in your fridge! Feel free to make your favorite pesto recipe (this is mine!) or keep it simple & grab a jar at the store. A tip for tastier store-bought pesto – squeeze in some fresh lemon juice to brighten up its flavors & make it taste even fresher on your heirloom tomato burrata salad.
Burrata Cheese FAQs:
If burrata is a new-to-you ingredient, you are in for a real treat. Here are a few FAQs to bring you deliciously up to speed.
What is burrata cheese? Burrata is an Italian cow’s milk cheese consisting of a thin layer of fresh mozzarella stretched around a creamy, dreamy filling made of soft curd & cream. So basically, it’s heaven! While it’s got the whole ooey-gooey factor goin’ on, burrata eats surprisingly light. Much like fresh mozzarella, burrata has a really mild, clean flavor. It’s not heavy or dense at all.
So, what’s the difference between burrata & mozzarella? I think of burrata & mozzarella as cousins. While a ball of burrata looks a lot like fresh mozzarella from the outside, its creamy filling makes it much softer to the touch. You can’t really slice burrata the way you slice fresh mozzarella – once you cut into or tear open a ball of burrata, the creamy filling oozes out. It’s pretty magical.
Do you eat the skin off burrata? You bet you do! Burrata’s “skin” is actually a piece of fresh mozzarella, so it’s pretty freakin’ delicious. You won’t want to waste it!
Where to buy burrata cheese? Burrata is pretty readily available throughout the U.S. these days. You can find it at conventional grocery stores in the cheese assortment next to the fresh mozzarella & other soft cheeses. If you’ve got a trusty Italian deli or market that you love, they more than likely sell a killer hand-made burrata, too.
How do you serve burrata? What is burrata cheese good with? Um…Everything! Feel free to reach for burrata any time you’d typically use fresh mozzarella cheese, especially if you want a dramatic & over-the-top presentation, like with this burrata caprese salad. Be sure to check out PWWB’s Ultimate Burrata Cheese Board for more ideas & inspiration!
The best way to serve your Heirloom Tomato Burrata Salad:
This heirloom tomato burrata salad is sort of a summertime jack of all trades – it’s the perfect light + fresh dinner for those hot summer nights when you don’t feel like cooking, & it also makes for a show-stopping appetizer or side dish to bring with you to a summer party or backyard BBQ.
No matter when you plan to serve it, the best way to plate up your tomato burrata salad is on a large serving platter. (This is the pretty wooden board I use if I’m bringing it with me to a party or gathering!)
It’s great on its own, but I especially love serving this burrata caprese salad with toasty grilled bread. I walk through the specifics of how to grill bread in this post. At a high-level, you’ll want to…
- Lightly brush your favorite sliced bread with a neutral, high smoke point oil, such as grapeseed. I like using a nice sourdough.
- Grill over medium direct heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until crusty and charred as desired.
- Rub a smashed garlic clove over the bread as it comes off the grill & sprinkle the bread with a little flaky salt on the bread for extra flavor.
From there, you can take bits & pieces of your heirloom tomato burrata salad & build the most satisfying bruschetta-style bites. SO. GOOD.
I mean…HELLO! I can’t wait for you to make this heirloom tomato burrata salad recipe this summer. I am positive that you’ll love its elegant simplicity & its fresh flavor!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know!: Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡
Print
Heirloom Tomato Burrata Salad (Caprese Salad 2.0)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Side Dish recipes, Appetizer recipes, Vegetarian recipes
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Taking classic caprese salad to the next level with this delicious Heirloom Tomato Burrata Salad! Juicy & sweet summer heirloom tomatoes served with creamy burrata cheese & basil pesto. Burrata caprese salad for the summertime win!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced (see Recipe Notes)
- 8 ounces burrata cheese, drained & patted dry
- 1/2 cup basil pesto (see Recipe Notes)
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
- for serving, as desired: grilled bread, finely chopped fresh basil, olive oil, etc.
Instructions
Layer the sliced tomato on your favorite large serving platter or board. Nestle the burrata into the tomatoes, gently breaking them apart to expose the creamy filling. Season generously with salt and ground black pepper, then drizzle the basil pesto over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Serving: The measurements above will yield a large burrata caprese salad, suitable for feeding a crowd of 4-6 as an appetizer/side dish or feeding 2 for a light lunch or dinner. You can easily halve or double the recipe to feed a smaller or larger crowd, as needed.
- Heirloom tomatoes – I like to use a combination of slices of larger heirloom tomatoes & bite-sized cherry heirloom tomatoes for a particularly pretty presentation. Thinly slice the larger tomatoes & halve or quarter the bite-sized tomatoes as desired.
- For the pesto – You can feel free to make your favorite pesto recipe or keep it simple & grab a jar at the store. This kale pesto recipe is my personal favorite – you’ll always find a big jar of it in my fridge this time of year! A tip for tastier store-bought pesto – squeeze some fresh lemon juice into the pesto to brighten up its flavors & make it taste even fresher on your heirloom tomato burrata salad. It won’t taste lemony, but it’ll wake up the flavor of the basil pesto.
Keywords: caprese salad, tomato burrata salad, appetizer, snack, easy entertaining recipes, gluten-free, girl’s night recipe, date night recipe
Recipe by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Yes to Yolks.
Can’t deal with cooking? Here are a few more Easy Summer Salad recipes to try!
- Grated Zucchini Salad – No-cook salad made with grated zucchini, feta, olives, & plenty of lemon. A hands-down summertime favorite!
- Mom’s Summer Salad – Fresh & simple couscous salad with tomatoes, mozzarella & plenty of fresh herbs. A PWWB family favorite!
- Southwest Pasta Salad – Creamy, spicy & loaded with Southwest goodness. Plus, it’s completely vegan & dairy-free! Great for meal prep!
- Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad – The simplest pasta salad, made with just 6 ingredients & filled with Mediterranean flare.
- Grilled Panzanella Salad – Classic bread salad with a char-grilled twist! Super fresh & summery.
- All PWWB Salad Recipes
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