20 Minute Tomato and Burrata Salad

This quick and easy 20-minute burrata salad is going to become your new favorite summer dinner! The ingredient list is short, it takes just minutes to throw together, and it’s loaded with fresh flavors that your family will love. Serve with crispy crostini and watch as everyone eats it right up!

 

You Will Love This

• This is one of the best summer salad recipes ever! You can serve it as a light main dish along with some fresh crostini or as an easy side dish paired with sun-dried tomato ravioli or olive oil bucatini or as a simple appetizer that your guests will love!
• It’s the perfect way to use up all those ripe, juicy tomatoes from the garden or the late summer harvest at the farmer’s market. BUT, the best part is that you can use regular ol’ grocery store tomatoes and still end up with a super delicious dish! The olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic transform sliced tomatoes into a flavorful trip for your taste buds with every bite!
• If you loved this tomato burrata salad recipe, be sure to check out my roasted tomatoes with burrata, tomato goat cheese puff pastry tart, or burst tomato pasta with garlic white wine sauce.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Tomatoes – Grape or cherry tomatoes work best for this recipe because they don’t release too much moisture and have thick skin which helps them hold their shape well. You can also use heirloom tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, or beefsteak tomatoes as well – just be aware that those tomatoes are meatier so they’ll end up releasing a lot more juice when sliced and marinated.
• Olive Oil – This is our family’s favorite brand of olive oil. For this recipe, I like to use high-quality, extra virgin olive oil since the ingredient list is so simple and you can really taste the flavor of the olive oil.
• Balsamic Vinegar – Use your favorite balsamic vinegar. You can substitute with red wine vinegar but it is going to affect the overall flavors of the dish.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is a must for this recipe! Don’t use garlic powder or pre-minced garlic from a jar. I prefer to thinly slice my fresh garlic but you can also mince it finely.
• Italian Seasoning – If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand feel free to sub with dried oregano and dried thyme instead.
• Fresh Basil – Fresh basil is a huge part of the flavor of this dish. No substitute will work as well!
• Burrata Cheese – Burrata is the star of the show here. The tomatoes are deliciously tangy and the cool, creamy burrata balances it all out perfectly. If you can’t find burrata you can substitute with fresh mozzarella, however, the creamy center or Stracciatella is really what makes burrata shine. Check out a specialty cheese shop if you can’t find it at your local grocery store.
• Basil Pesto – The pesto in this recipe is optional, but I do love the extra basil flavor and the nuttiness that it adds. Feel free to use storebought or make your own with my super simple recipe.
• Crostini – I like to serve this burrata salad with homemade crostini. I love the way the crispy crostini contrasts with the creamy burrata and the juicy tomatoes. You could also add some homemade garlic and herb croutons instead if you like.

Instructions

Add tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and a couple large pinches of Kosher salt and black pepper to a small bowl.

Mix until well combined. Let marinate for about 10 minutes or so.

While the tomatoes are marinating, make your crostini.

Add julienne-cut basil to the tomatoes.

Mix until well combined.

Transfer tomatoes to a large platter. Gently tear burrata apart and place in small pieces over the tomatoes.

Drizzle with pesto if desired. Sprinkle with finishing salt or sea salt and serve with crostini!

Tips

• You’ll have a bit of leftover juice from the marinated tomatoes. I like to save this and use it for a simple dressing! Add a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard or mayonnaise, season to taste with salt and pepper, and voila! You’ve got a delicious, tangy balsamic vinaigrette perfect for any salad! You can also just spoon the marinade juices over the tomatoes when serving for an extra pop of flavor.
• Don’t skip the crostini! This burrata salad tastes best served with crispy, crunchy homemade crostini and the best part is they only take a few minutes to prep. Crispy crostini is the perfect vehicle for marinated tomatoes and creamy burrata cheese.
• Feel free to add sliced peaches and make this into a tomato peach burrata salad. You could also add pitted cherries or another stone fruit to make it a more fruity salad. Tomatoes are technically a fruit so they pair well with other fruits!

Variations

This recipe is super versatile so feel free to switch up the ingredients and include whatever you’re got on hand. Some of our favorite variations include:

• fresh spinach
• fresh dill or other fresh herbs
• kale massaged with olive oil and lemon juice
• thinly sliced shallot
• arugula or leafy lettuce
• Kalamata olives
• a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• a drizzle of honey

FAQ

Make-Ahead and Storage

• Make-Ahead: You can make this burrata salad about an hour before serving, but I don’t recommend making it too far in advance past that. The balsamic vinegar is going to break down the tomatoes if they sit in it for too long. You can of course prep all the ingredients a few days in advance and then throw everything together just before serving.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days. As I mentioned above, the tomatoes will break down in the marinade as they sit, however, if they’re a bit past their prime for this appetizer try sauteing them in a saucepan over medium heat (with the marinade) for 5 minutes or so and toss them with al dente pasta for an easy weeknight dinner!

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