Juicy heirloom tomatoes and luscious burrata meet a punchy red wine vinaigrette in this effortless summer salad. Ready in minutes, it’s a burst of Italy on your plate.
When tomato season comes around every year, you better believe it’s my favorite time of the year. As I’m writing this, we’re in the middle of the summer tomato season and I love it so much! I call it tomato summer, and I truly cherish every second of it. Unfortunately, I do not have a garden this year, and it is all I can think about having next summer.
I love taking advantage of produce when it is in season, so lately I have been visiting farmers markets to pick up all the garden favorites. More than anything, I am always drawn to the tomatoes. Fresh garden tomatoes are so much better than grocery store-bought!
This tomato and burrata salad really lets the tomatoes be the star, but once you add fresh burrata and the incredible dressing, it takes me straight to a summer in Italy. If you don’t know, burrata is an Italian cheese that has a oozy, creamy centre but a more solid mozzarella-like shell. The inner cream-filled pouch oozes and spills out in this salad. This salad is easily one you can eat on repeat all season.
Tomato Burrata Salad Video
How to Make Tomato Burrata Salad
A handful of fresh ingredients and 10 minutes of easy assembly is all it takes. Here’s the low-down!
- Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the minced shallot, red wine vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard. Then, slowly add in the olive oil while whisking until the vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, and let it sit for an hour if you have the time.
- Slice the tomatoes: Slice about 1½ pounds of heirloom tomatoes into ½-inch-thick rounds and halve 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. Arrange them on a large platter, overlapping slightly, and give them a generous sprinkle of Maldon flaky salt.
- Add the burrata: Drain and pat dry 8 ounces (4 balls) of burrata. Tear each ball into a few rustic pieces and tuck them around and over the tomatoes.
- Scatter the basil: Tear ½ cup of fresh basil leaves lightly and scatter them over the top.
- Dress and serve: Drizzle the vinaigrette over everything just before bringing the platter to the table.
Hot tip: For individual portions, build smaller servings on salad plates and top each with half a burrata ball.
Tomato Burrata Salad Ingredient Variations
This salad is endlessly adaptable. Swap ingredients based on what’s ripe or what you have on hand.
- Burrata: If you can’t find burrata, fresh mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella deliver a classic Caprese character, though you’ll miss that velvety center.
- Tomatoes: Any ripe tomatoes work — grape, beefsteak, or vine-ripened. Mix colors and sizes for the prettiest platter. Cherry tomatoes bring pops of sweetness.
- Vinegar: Red wine vinegar is my favorite, but aged balsamic vinegar or apple cider could make a great substitute.
- Herbs: If basil is scarce, try fresh mint or a handful of peppery arugula.
- Greens: Feel free to add your favorite leafy greens in addition to the arugula.
Tips For the Best Tomato and Burrata Salad
If you pick the right ingredients and follow these tips, it’ll make all the difference for a standout salad!
- Choose the best tomatoes: I prefer heirloom tomatoes over regular tomatoes because they taste so much more “real”! Pick heirloom tomatoes that feel heavy for their size with taut, shiny skin, a slight give when pressed, and a sweet tomato smell at the stem. A mix of colors and sizes makes the presentation pop.
- Buy a good-quality burrata: When buying creamy burrata cheese, buy a good one! Check the sell-by date and buy from a well-stocked deli or Italian market. Artisan brands usually have a more generous, oozy center!
- Use a good olive oil: Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil meant for drizzling rather than standard cooking oil.
- Bring everything to room temperature: Pull the burrata and tomatoes from the fridge 30–60 minutes before serving. Cold mutes flavor and makes the cheese firm instead of creamy.
- Cut with a serrated knife: A sharp serrated blade slices tomatoes cleanly without crushing the fruit or tearing the skin.
- Salt the tomatoes ahead (when possible): A 10–30 minute rest with flaky salt draws out excess moisture, concentrates flavor, and seasons the tomatoes all the way through.
- Handle the burrata gently: The thin mozzarella shell can burst unexpectedly. Tear it by hand just before serving.
- Prevent the cheese from sliding: If your tomatoes are especially round, nestle the burrata pieces between slices or create a slight hollow — this keeps everything in place.
- Serve immediately: Once dressed, the salad waits for no one. Although some people like to let their tomatoes marinate in the vinaigrette to let the flavors meld, I find that the tomatoes start to release their juices and the presentation gets a little messy.
- Grind the pepper finely. Freshly ground black pepper should be a whisper, not a crunch — avoid whole peppercorns that are unpleasant to bite.
Serving the Salad
I love serving the salad with a bit of crusty bread (sourdough or a baguette) that has been rubbed with oil and a raw garlic clove, then toasted – it gives such great flavor! Bread is perfect for mopping up the delicious tomato juices.
You can also make the salad on top of a bed of other greens (like spinach or arugula). It’s like a salad within a salad! No matter how you make it, it’s always a great side dish to grilled chicken, steak, or seafood,
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
This salad is at its absolute best right after assembling, but a little planning can make it even easier.
Make Ahead
The best way to prep the salad ahead of time is to make the vinaigrette. The dressing keeps in the fridge for up to three days. Make sure to bring it to room temperature and whisk again before using. Otherwise, make the rest of the salad right before serving.
Storage
While not ideal, leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. The tomatoes will soften and the burrata will firm up, but the flavors remain delicious. Like most salads, I highly discourage freezing it, so make sure to eat up all the leftovers!
Hot tip: Leftover vinaigrette is a gem — double it up and store it chilled for up three days. It’s so good on other summer salads, too!
More Summer Salad Recipes
- Creamy Cucumber Salad – Dill, sour cream, and of course cucumbers!
- Panzanella Salad – Fresh veggies, crunchy croutons, and vinaigrette
- Eggplant Caprese Salad – Eggplant, mozzarella, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar
- Tomato Avocado Cucumber Salad – Colorful, fresh, and creamy!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 8 oz burrata cheese 4 balls, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 tsp Maldon flaky salt adjust to taste
Vinaigrette
- 1/2 small shallot finely minced
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup good-quality drizzling olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
Instructions
- Add the shallot, red wine vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard to a small bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Slowly drizzle in the 1/3 cup of olive oil while whisking continuously, until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Let it sit for about 1 hour, if possible.
- Slice the tomatoes into about 1/2-inch-thick slices and halve the cherry tomatoes. Arrange them on a large serving platter, slightly overlapping them as you go. Sprinkle the tomatoes evenly with Maldon flaky salt.
- Tear the burrata into pieces and place it around and over the tomatoes. Lightly break the basil leaves, then scatter them over the tomatoes and burrata.
- Spoon the vinaigrette over the salad and serve right away.
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