Whether you prepare this heirloom Italian burrata caprese salad as a side dish or appetizer, it’s so good. I’m sure you’ll love the flavours it offers in every bite. Heirloom tomatoes are showcased in this authentic Italian caprese dish, along with burrata cheese. Balsamic vinegar and truffle salt add extra-special flavours to this impressive yet simple burrata recipe.
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A colourful feast for the eyes, this is one of the best caprese recipes I’ve tried. Tomato caprese with fresh burrata boasts fresh flavours and makes a delicious appetizer. You can make heirloom caprese from scratch in just ten or fifteen minutes including the homemade balsamic glaze.
Heirloom Italian Burrata Caprese Salad Ingredients
As quick and easy recipes go, tomato caprese with fresh burrata is one of the best. Heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese have such distinctive flavours, so you only need a few other ingredients to perfect authentic Italian caprese. Add too many other flavours and you will overwhelm the wonderful taste of the tomatoes and cheese.
Heirloom Tomatoes
Let’s look at what makes traditional heirloom caprese so special first of all. Heirloom tomatoes, which are in season during the summer, are basically tomatoes grown from heirloom seeds.
These seeds are passed down each season and come from the tomato plants which produced the nicest tomatoes. Using heirloom tomatoes means farmers can choose traits such as size, colour, shape, and juiciness.
These tomatoes are naturally pollinated by wind, birds, insects, or the farmers. You should be able to smell heirloom tomatoes through the skin, unlike most mass market tomatoes.
So although you could use regular tomatoes for heirloom Italian burrata caprese salad, I recommend using an heirloom variety for the best caprese flavour. These extra-special tomatoes really do all an incredible flavour to the dish.
Burrata Cheese
Burrata cheese is the other key ingredient in heirloom caprese. This cheese is Italian in origin and made from cream and mozzarella. It’s tastier and softer than mozzarella and also richer due to the cream. If you want to use mozzarella instead, that will work, but make sure it’s a good quality buffalo mozzarella.
Balsamic Glaze
The balsamic glaze for this simple burrata recipe is prepared with balsamic vinegar and truffle salad. Balsamic vinegar is a rich, sweet type of vinegar, made from Trebbiano grape concentrate. You can buy readymade balsamic glaze but I love making it myself because it’s so easy.
I’ve made it with balsamic vinegar and brown sugar before, but heirloom caprese is better with a truffle salt balsamic glaze. Truffle salt is basically salt combined with black or white truffle pieces. The truffle aroma infuses the salt with a distinctive, earthy taste.
Fresh basil complements the tomatoes beautifully and adds a contrasting colour to the dish. The only other ingredients you need for heirloom Italian burrata caprese salad are extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and some sesame bread. Prefer to serve it with another kind of bread or without any bread? That’s fine and it will still be delicious!
How to Make Authentic Italian Caprese
The first thing to do is prepare the balsamic glaze since it will need to simmer for 10 minutes and then cool. Add the balsamic vinegar and truffle salt to a pan and keep it on a low simmer until thick. Bear in mind it will thicken more as it cools.
Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes, drizzle them with extra-virgin olive oil and grind over some salt and black pepper. Overlap the tomato slices on a plate, tucking fresh basil leaves underneath some of the slices.
Add the burrata cheese on top and cut it into pieces. When the balsamic glaze has cooled, you can drizzle it over the tomato caprese with fresh burrata. Add more salt and black pepper if needed plus a sprig of basil for decoration, and serve. It pairs well with this Italian tuna white bean salad or hot Italian sliders.
Tweaks and Variations
Although this is the best caprese in my opinion, you can tweak it if you wish! For a sweeter balsamic glaze, you can swap the truffle salt for brown sugar, or use half of each in this simple burrata recipe. Using pesto in place of fresh basil is another idea. Basil or rosemary infused olive oils would also make a nice addition.
You can sub another type of tomato and even another type of cheese if you want, but I highly recommend you make the recipe exactly as it is, so you can enjoy the most authentic Italian caprese.
Heirloom Italian Burrata Caprese Salad FAQs
Caprese salad is made with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, which this variation boasts burrata and heirloom tomatoes for an exciting twist on the classic. Just like with regular caprese, this recipe is best served as soon as you’ve assembled it although you can prepare the balsamic glaze ahead if you like.
Heirloom tomatoes are at their freshest around August, but if you can’t find any you can use another kind. I would recommend organic tomatoes. Don’t use mass market ones you can’t smell through the skin. Head to your local farmers market and see what they have. You could even mix and match some cherry or grape tomatoes with larger ones.
Heirloom Italian Burrata Caprese Salad Recipe
Heirloom Italian Burrata Caprese Salad
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes heirloom
- burrata cheese
- 1/4 Cup basil leaves or more if desired
- 1 Teaspoon Sea salt flakes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 Teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon truffle salt
Instructions
- Prepare balsamic glaze. Combine truffle salt and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to half. (about 10 minutes)
- Slice the tomatoes thin and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt flakes and pepper.
- Arrange tomato slices on a plate in a shingle pattern with a basil leaf between each slice.
- Place the Burrata into the middle of the plate. Use a knife to slice the cheese open in a checkered pattern.
- Drizzle the tomatoes and burrata with balsamic glaze. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Garnish with chopped basil.
Nutrition
Notes
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
This Italian burrata salad is a wonderful combination of aromatic heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese. A truffle-infused balsamic glaze and extra-virgin olive oil complement the flavours perfectly, making this the best caprese recipe ever. If you are looking for an authentic caprese salad, you will love this one.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for recipes, dogs, sustainability, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
Bella Bucchiotti is a freelance food, travel, and lifestyle writer for MSN and the Associated Press Wire.
I wish I could find heirloom tomatores!!
This is one of my absolute favorite parts of summer! I was looking for a fresh twist on caprese, and this is with the burratta.
It definitely is the best caprese recipe I’ve seen ever! Those tomatoes and the cheese! These are awesome!
This looks so so good! I will have to make it soon
I fell in love with burrata the first time I had it in a restaurant and this recipe is just as delicious