Caprese Salad + Burrata
I always love the idea of Caprese salads in the summer, but expectations rarely match reality here. Unless you’re making it or ordering it somewhere that’s properly seasoning everything, letting the flavors hang out before serving, and using lusciously ripe tomatoes, great olive oil and other strong ingredients, it’s going to fall flat.
“And honestly, eating tomatoes before they’re ready with flavorless mozzarella is just not worth it to me.”
Because of this, I’ve been holding back making a Caprese salad lately. And I knew that when I finally made it, it would have to host the best ingredients I could find, which needed to include using burrata instead plain fresh mozzarella, just like Harvest Pizzeria always does in the summer. For those who don’t know, burrata is fresh mozzarella filled with stracciatella and cream. It’s insane.
I served this with Ina Garten’s Parmesan Crusted Chicken I gushed about recently, just skipped the green salad and lemon vinaigrette this time. The pairing worked really well, and aside from eating an entire ball of cheese, it felt like a lighter dinner overall, came together quickly and was easy to clean up.
Caprese Salad + Burrata
Serves 2
16 oz. sweet red cocktail tomatoes (alt. heirloom, or whatever your favorite tomato is)
8 oz. burrrata
1 TBS olive oil
Balsamic reduction, to taste (here’s the one I buy, it’s on the sweeter side, which works well here)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
How to make it
Quarter your tomatoes and add them to a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 TBS olive oil, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Let this sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
While the tomatoes sit, prepare your chicken (if making).
After the tomatoes have sat, add the fresh basil and drizzle with balsamic reduction.
Divide this evenly between two plates and nestle a ball of burrata in the middle of each. Alternatively, split one large burrata ball between both salads.
Season the burrata well with salt and pepper and drizzle more balsamic reduction on top of the whole salad.
Best enjoyed by ensuring you have tomato, burrata and basil in each bite!
