Burrata Salad

This Burrata Salad Recipe is made with homemade croutons, homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing, tomatoes and spring mix. It's a simple, elegant, and unforgettable salad that serves a crowd! 

One of my most sincere culinary obsession is burrata cheese. I seriously can't get enough of it. When we go out to eat, if there is a menu item with the word "burrata" in the title, it's basically guaranteed that I will order it. So, I decided to create this delicious burrata salad! 

I make this recipe all the time, especially when we have guests over for dinner. It's an unforgettable combination of ingredients far above and beyond an ordinary salad.

If you don't know, burrata is a type of mozzarella cheese that's formed into a pouch and then filled with soft, stringy curd (called stracciatella) and cream.

In other words, it's like a little pillow of cheesy goodness sent down from up above. I consider it a special occasion cheese, and as such I had to create a special recipe to highlight it's superior taste and texture, this burrata salad!

How to make Burrata Salad

Like I said above, since burrata is such a special cheese, I think it deserves an extra special salad. That's why we make both the croutons and dressing from scratch for this burrata salad recipe. However, if you'd like to purchase store-bought varieties you can still make a delicious salad (more on this later). Let's get started.

Make the Homemade Croutons

If you've never made homemade croutons, you're seriously missing out! These homemade croutons transform this burrata salad from good to great. They're also easy to make and only take 15 minutes to whip up from start to finish!

Start by cutting a half a loaf of french bread into ½ to 1" cubes. I prefer mine a little larger because I like softer croutons, so I cut mine into rectangles about 1"x ½". Then, add the olive oil and spices, stir and bake! It's really that simple.

Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. You may need to adjust baking time depending on your oven and your preferences (super crunchy or slightly soft).

Test at 10 minutes and adjust accordingly. They won't really brown, but they will get crispy.  Then set them aside to cool while you make the rest of the burrata salad.

This will make more croutons than is necessary for this burrata salad recipe, however you can serve extras on the side or store them in an airtight container for another salad on a different day.

Make the homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

While the croutons are baking, whisk up the balsamic vinaigrette. It's made with 4 ingredients in under 5 minutes and makes this burrata salad taste extra amazing. (Can you tell I was feeling pretty "extra" when I created this recipe)?! 😉 

I whisked mine up in a little pyrex measuring cup for easy pouring, but you can also make it in a glass jar and shake to combine (like I do in this post for this healthy balsamic vinaigrette dressing). 

Assemble the salad

Choose & arrange your greens

I recommend using a classic spring mix for this burrata salad! The tenderness of the leafy greens and the bite from the arugula really complement all the ingredients very well! However, you can choose any greens you'd like!

Arrange the greens on a large serving platter or in a large salad bowl. I personally prefer a shallow serving bowl for this burrata salad so that every serving has a little bit of everything (cheese, croutons, tomatoes, etc.). I used a noodle bowl from crate and barrel but they no longer sell it - I love this one though.

Add vegetables 

To ensure that the burrata cheese is the star of this show, I choose to keep this salad super simple and only add some heirloom baby tomatoes to the greens. Feel free to add any veggies you'd like! I think some grilled zucchini would taste amazing in this burrata salad!

Arrange the Burrata Cheese & Croutons

Place the burrata cheese evenly on top of the bed of greens & tomatoes. Make sure that the burrata cheese is evenly spaced out when it's cut open to serve! Add croutons around the cheese, and save the rest to serve on the side in case anyone would like a double dose of homemade croutons! 

Sprinkle Sea Salt & Fresh Pepper on the Burrata Cheese

This step is absolutely critical to enhance the flavor of the burrata cheese! Freshly grind some sea salt and black pepper on top of each burrata round, trust me you don't want to skip this step!

Add the dressing

Now it's time to drizzle the dressing on top of all this deliciousness! You can also choose to serve the dressing on the side if you think your guests would prefer it! 

If necessary, you can store this burrata salad in the fridge before adding the dressing. However I recommend only keeping it in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour before dressing and serving, otherwise you run the risk of the spring mix becoming soggy.  If you're using a heartier green, like Kale, this burrata salad will hold up a little longer!

Garnish with fresh basil & serve

Sprinkle some chopped fresh basil on top and serve up this burrata salad! Serve any extra croutons and dressing on the side so your guests can adjust their portions to their individual tastes! I love this wooden serving set (and it's only $10)! 

FAQs about Burrata Salad

Burrata Salad: Ingredients & Substitutions

There are so many ways to customize this burrata salad recipe! Let's chat about some of those now! If you'd like to skip the homemade croutons and dressing, feel free to use your favorite store-bought varieties for those two recipe elements! However homemade makes it extra special! 

Croutons: 

• French bread. You can use any bread you have around your house to make homemade croutons. However I recommend french bread for the best taste. Other ideas include, sourdough, rye or your favorite gluten-free bread for a gluten-free salad. 
• Olive oil. In both the croutons and the dressing, the taste of the olive oil really matters! High quality oils will give a richer more robust taste! You can also substitute a flavor infused olive oil (like herb or garlic), for yummy variety!
• Garlic salt. If you don't keep garlic salt on hand, you can substitute sea salt! 

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

• Balsamic vinegar. I have said this so many times on my blog, there is nothing like high-quality balsamic vinegar. Good balsamic vinegar should be so thick that it pours like syrup. It should be dark brown and taste sweet.  It should most definitely NOT be thin, watery, or sour-tasting.
  • My absolute favorite balsamic vinegar in the entire world can be found here. If you haven’t tried true, aged, high-quality balsamic vinegar yet, please please give it a whirl! You will NOT be disappointed!
• Mustard. Any mustard variety works well in this recipe, just be aware that the taste will effect the final outcome!
• Honey. Maple syrup can be used in place of honey for another delicious variety!

Burrata Salad

• Greens: I mentioned before spring mix is my #1 choice, but any greens work well in this salad! Arugula, Romaine, baby spinach, butter lettuce, kale, etc. 

The sky's the limit with what you can toss in this salad to make it your own. Here are some suggestions to make it even more delicious:  

• Grilled zucchini
• Fresh corn
• Bacon
• Onion
• Kale
• Avocado (highly recommended)

If you make something from JoyFoodSunshine I would love to see your creations. Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. Tag me in your photos #joyfoodsunshine @joyfoodsunshine Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment below.

More delicious salad recipes: 

Here are some more delicious summer salad recipes!

• This Asian quinoa salad is one of my favorites!
• Try this egg salad, it's the best!
• Who doesn’t love a great Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing? 
• I make this honey mustard roasted vegetable quinoa salad all the time. 
• Apparently I love quinoa, because this balsamic caprese quinoa salad is a must-make!
• Homemade chicken salad is a great summer dish, also this healthy avocado chicken salad. 
• We love this Brussels sprouts salad! YUM!

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