Classic Italian Style Caprese Salad with Burrata Tomato and Basil

Here’s a salad that’s about as classic as it gets, there’s really nothing to overthink here. Caprese salad is basically tomato, mozzarella, and basil, seasoned well, and thats it, ready to go! Its the kind of salad that everyone loves because its easy but a little bit more savoury than just veggies.

This time around I went with burrata instead of plain fresh mozzarella, and honestly, it’s a small swap that makes a big difference. That creamy center oozes out over the tomatoes when you cut into it, and it makes the whole thing feel a little more special, without changing anything about how the recipe actually works. Same steps, same seasoning, just a richer creamier bite.

Btw if you don’t know, burrata is just a type of mozzarella cheese, on on the outside it looks just like a regular ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, but that’s where the similarity ends. Inside, instead of being solid all the way through, it’s filled with a soft, creamy mixture of shredded mozzarella and cream, so when you cut it open, all that creaminess just spills out. Yum, lets check the recipe!

Classic Italian Style Caprese Salad with Burrata Tomato and Basil

Servings: 4
Time: 15mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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In the Summer you cant fail with this classic Italian recipe, simple and delicious!

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 2
Burrata Mozzarella – 250g (about 4.4 oz)
Basil – To Taste
Balsamic Vinegar – A Few Drizzles
Olive Oil – A Few Drizzles
Pepper – A Pinch
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Wash and cut the tomatoes in half, then into slices, you can cut them thinner or thicker depending on how you like it. Then slice the burrata as well, and pull off some basil leaves.
You can toss everything together in a bowl, or if you want to serve it the traditional way, stack the slices, alternating tomato, burrata, and a basil leaf, and just keep repeating until everything is used up.
Now season it all with a few drizzles of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and that’s it, enjoy.

Notes & Tips: You can do this recipe with normal fresh mozarella, and because you can slice thinner you dont need so much cheese, but with burrata its best to have chunkier slices.

Use tomatoes at room temperature, not straight from the fridge. Cold tomatoes lose a lot of their flavor and the texture suffers too.

If you can find them, heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes make a real difference here since the recipe is so simple, the quality of each ingredient shows.

Try and slice the burrata cold, but serve at room temperature, if you let the cheese get to room temperature it will be more creamy but way harder to slice.

Slice the burrata gently and don’t rush it, it’s a lot softer and messier than regular mozzarella. Some people prefer to just tear it open by hand and let the creamy center spill naturally over the tomatoes instead of slicing it cleanly.

Go for a good quality extra virgin olive oil and a decent balsamic vinegar, since there are so few ingredients, each one really carries the dish.

Fresh basil is worth insisting on here, dried basil just won’t give you the same fragrance.

Salt the tomatoes lightly a few minutes before serving, this helps draw out a little of their natural juices and deepens the flavor.

This salad doesn’t keep well once dressed, so only season the portion you’re about to eat. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the tomatoes, burrata, and dressing separate until serving time.

And yeah sorry about the photos, it was quick appetizer for a complicated meal, so yeah no time for better photos ;D

This recipe for Classic Italian Style Caprese Salad with Burrata Tomato and Basil was originally created on BakeAfter.com.