Burrata Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Prosciutto

Ready in 10 minutes, this colorful summer stunner is much more than just a salad! With fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, basil, prosciutto, and crusty Italian bread, this burrata salad recipe is a little meal in its own right. It’s also the perfect start to an Italian-style dinner!

Decadent burrata cheese with juicy tomatoes and fresh basil is a classic combination I can’t live without. Add crunchy croutons, briny capers, and ribbons of prosciutto and you have a colorful platter that hits all the notes: creamy, tangy, crunchy, and absolutely delicious.

Think of it as the cousin to my Summer Berry Burrata Salad—same addictive balance of flavors, just with a salty-savory twist. It’s a sure hit at just about any dinner party. And, honestly, I’ll happily make a meal of it after a busy week with nothing more than an Aperol Spritz!

Table of Contents

1. What is Burrata?
2. What is in Burrata Salad?
3. How to Make Burrata Salad
4. What to Serve with Burrata Salad
5. More Summer Salad Recipes
6. Burrata Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Prosciutto Recipe

What is Burrata?

Burrata is a milky, soft, and slightly sweet Italian cheese made from cow’s milk or water buffalo milk. People often confuse burrata with mozzarella, but it’s richer than mozzarella. In fact, burrata is actually a ball of mozzarella filled with an extra decadent mixture of cream and curds called stracciatella.

Burrata cheese sounds fancy, but it’s not hard to find. If your local grocery store has a good cheese selection, they will likely have it. Look in the fridge section next to mozzarella and feta.

What is in Burrata Salad?

When I’m making a burrata salad, I go for ingredients that play off the richness of the cheese without feeling too heavy. Here’s what I used:

• Crusty Italian-style bread: Use something like ike ciabatta, ciriola, or casareccio. A baguette loaf would work in a pinch, if you cannot find Italian-style bread. It’s also fine to use leftover garlic bread if it’s still nice and crunchy. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: I recommend our Italian Nocellara for this recipe, with its complementary notes of freshly cut tomatoes.
• Burrata cheese: Substitute burrata with any high quality soft cheese. Torn fresh mozzarella, scoops of stracciatella, large pieces of goat cheese, and soft feta preserved in brine all come to mind. 
• Prosciutto: Salty prosciutto pairs well with rich, tangy flavors. Serrano or Iberico ham would also work, or simply skip this for a vegetarian option. 
• Tomatoes: Anything ripe, juicy, and sweet. I like the springy texture of grape or cherry with the soft ham and cheese, but other flavorful tomatoes like sliced heirloom would work too! And if you love fresh tomatoes, check out our collection of 50+ Fresh Tomato Recipes.
• Jalapeno: For a milder option, simply remove the seeds. Or, skip entirely if you don’t like spicy. 
• Sun-dried tomatoes: Give a good textural variety and concentrated tomato flavor. I prefer an all natural unsulfured option. Substitute with pickled red onion. 
• Olives and capers: Both add a good amount of brininess. Use any high quality olive, like Negrinha, Castelvetrano, or Kalamata. You can use one or the other, if you don’t have both. You can also try chopped preserved lemon or canned artichoke hearts. 
• Red pepper flakes: Optional. For a less spicy option, try Aleppo-style pepper. 

How to Make Burrata Salad

This burrata salad recipe comes together in just about 10 minutes. Here’s how it goes: 

• Make the quick croutons. Set your broiler to high. Tear 8 ounces of crusty Italian bread into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a sheet pan with the crust side down. Drizzle with olive oil, making sure to spread over the soft side of the bread. Broil for a couple of minutes until golden and crispy. Watch carefully! You want the bread to gain some color without burning, which is easy to do under the broiler.
• Assemble the platter. Arrange the toasted bread pieces on a large platter. Add 8 ounces of burrata cheese. You can place the whole ball in the center or tear it and scatter the milky burrata between the croutons. Tuck 3 ounces of prosciutto in the gaps, then sprinkle on 1 cup of halved grape or cherry tomatoes tomatoes. Top with 1 minced jalapeno, 3 ounces chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1/3 cup olives, 2 teaspoons capers, and 1 handful of torn basil leaves. 
• Season an serve. Season with a good dash of salt and pepper, particularly on the tomatoes and burrata. Finish with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you don’t mind the heat. Drizzle olive oil all over and serve.

What to Serve with Burrata Salad

This burrata salad recipe is perfect on its own for a light lunch, but I love using it as a starting point for a summer dinner party. It instantly brings an Italian Riviera vibe, particularly with Aperol Spritzes. From there, a simple entree like Chicken Piccata complements the richness of the salad. Round out the meal with something that feels both indulgent and light, like Sicilian Lemon Pudding. If you love this salad, definitely try our peach and tomato burrata salad next!

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*This post has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.