Burrata Caprese Salad with Fresh Basil Vinaigrette

There's nothing quite like this burrata caprese salad to celebrate the peak of summer produce, especially when it looks fancy but comes together in under 15 minutes. I love how this simple, no-cook dish lets the season's best ingredients shine: juicy heirloom tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese, and a drizzle of homemade fresh basil vinaigrette. Oh my yum!

It's the kind of vibrant, effortless salad I find myself making on repeat when summer tomatoes are at their ripest. Even better--you don't have to turn on the oven or stovetop and heat up the kitchen.

What really takes this salad over the top though is the homemade balsamic and basil vinaigrette. It's bright, garlicky, and herbaceous- kind of like summer in a jar, and it's the perfect way to use up that basil that's overtaking the garden.

Whether you're serving this on a big platter for a casual dinner with friends or layering it onto crusty bread slices for a light lunch, it's a dish that delivers big flavor with minimal effort. It's also the perfect accompaniment to store-bought rotisserie chicken.

During the summer, I love to make a big 'ole veggie plate and this is the perfect salad to do just that. Serve it with a scoop of my broccoli salad recipe with bacon, smoked gouda mac and cheese (yes, we consider that a vegetable in the South), and a wedge of sweet potato cornbread and that's my version of heaven right on a plate.

Ready to take the classic caprese salad to the next level? Let's do it!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Tasty Tip
• Frequently asked questions
• Related
• Pairing
• 🍽Get the recipe
• RECIPE GUIDELINES AND TEST KITCHEN TIPS
• Food safety

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this burrata caprese recipe:

• Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
• heirloom tomatoes
• multicolor grape tomatoes
• fresh burrata cheese
• aged balsamic vinegar or bottled sweet balsamic glaze (optional)
• fresh basil leaves for garnish
• toasted baguette slices for serving (optional)

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to make this salad!

Hint: Salt the tomatoes a few minutes before serving to bring out their juices and flavor.

Hint #2: Short on time? While the homemade pesto vinaigrette is super easy to make, if you're in a hurry you can buy pesto from the deli section of the grocery store and thin it down with some water or a little vinegar and olive oil.

Substitutions

Out of an ingredient? Need to make some swaps? Here are some suggestions:

• Burrata - Instead of burrata you can use fresh mozzarella or whipped ricotta.
• Heirloom tomatoes - Other fresh tomatoes like ripe beefsteak or Roma tomatoes are great alternatives to heirloom tomatoes. For the best flavor, make sure the tomatoes you choose are very ripe.
• Multicolor grape tomatoes - Since I'm a food stylist by trade, I opt for grape tomatoes in a variety of colors but feel free to use red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes if that's all you can find.
• Baguette slices - These are totally optional, so you can leave them out. (I like to serve with bread to sop up all the flavorful juices left on the platter.) Serving the salad with your favorite cracker or larger pieces of toasted bread works too!
• Aged balsamic vinegar - Aged balsamic is thicker in texture, and I find it to be a little sweeter too. Use balsamic glaze instead or stir together a little honey into regular balsamic vinegar.

Variations

Check out these easy ways to change up this easy salad recipe:

• Peach Burrata Salad - For a simple twist, swap out the tomatoes for peaches or nectarines. Grill the peach wedges for an additional burst of flavor.
• Watermelon Caprese Salad - Watermelon, tomatoes, and basil are a delicious combination. Add some watermelon chunks to change things up.
• Main Dish Caprese Salad - Add your favorite protein like rotisserie chicken or grilled shrimp to make this recipe a main dish.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need to make this tomato salad recipe:

• food processor
• liquid measuring cup
• chef's knife
• measuring spoons
• dry measuring cup

Storage

To refrigerate: Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 day. For the best results, store the vinaigrette separately for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Do not freeze this recipe. The tomatoes and burrata will become watery and mushy if frozen and thawed.

Frequently asked questions

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this delicious burrata caprese salad:

🍽Get the recipe

RECIPE GUIDELINES AND TEST KITCHEN TIPS

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.

• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.