What is Burrata Cheese?
Burrata cheese is everywhere these days– and for a good reason! Its name comes from the Italian word “burro,” meaning “butter,” a nod to its buttery, rich interior.
Burrata starts with an outer shell made with mozzarella. Once you cut into it, the center spills out a soft mixture of cream and cheese curds called stracciatella, which is absolutely delicious. The fresh Italian cheese is melt-in-your-mouth good and a favorite among cheese lovers.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bread: Cut thick, crunchy bread into bite-size pieces—a baguette or slices of Dutch oven sourdough bread are a perfect addition.
- White Beans: Use your favorite white beans to make this quick salad recipe—try Cannellini, Navy, or Northern White Beans. All you have to do is drain and rinse the beans before warming them in the skillet.
- Spices: Balance the flavor with kosher salt and add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- Lemon Vinaigrette: Prepare a simple homemade lemon vinaigrette using fresh lemon juice from one lemon, Dijon mustard, honey, and good quality extra-virgin olive oil for a fresh-tasting flavor.
- Arugula: Peppery arugula leaves are the perfect base for the salad, but feel free to mix in baby spinach leaves, fresh mint, kale, fresh basil leaves, or micro greens.
- Burrata: Creamy burrata cheese is my favorite ingredient in burrata arugula salad. Its gooey center pairs perfectly with the nutty white beans and crunchy bread. If fresh burrata cheese isn’t available at the grocery store, substitute it with fresh mozzarella cheese or mozzarella balls.
Additions and Substitutions
- Reduce the prep work. Save time and dress the arugula burrata salad with your favorite store-bought salad dressing, or make one of these dressing recipes: basil balsamic vinaigrette, fig balsamic dressing, or balsamic citrus vinaigrette.
- Add some crunch. Crunchy pistachios or pine nuts are a perfect way to garnish the salad.
- Sweeten the salad. Include fresh fruit such as fresh melon, berries, pomegranate seeds, juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet peaches, and blood oranges to balance the tartness of the arugula, or drizzle honey, agave nectar, or a balsamic glaze over the salad.
Tools You’ll Need
Toast the bread until it’s golden, then saute the bread with beans in a large skillet to pronounce their flavor. Once it’s ready, layer everything on a large platter, serving dish, or your favorite salad bowl to serve.
How to Make Arugula Burrata Salad
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Drizzle olive oil over the bread pieces and warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread and a little salt to the pan. Toast for 4 minutes, moving the pieces around so they toast evenly.
Step 2: Reduce the heat. Drain and rinse the white beans and transfer them to the skillet. Gently stir in the kosher salt and red pepper flakes and saute for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Whisk the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil in a serving bowl until smooth.
Step 4: Transfer the beans and bread to the serving bowl and toss to combine. Then, stir in the fresh arugula and mix until all the leaves are dressed.
Step 5: Break the burrata cheese over the top and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper.
How to serve the burrata?
I usually cut the burrata cheese balls in half and arrange the pieces on the salad. Sometimes, I’ll scoop out a bit of the creamy center and spread it over the greens. You can also leave the burrata whole and cut into it as you eat—it’s entirely up to you!
Expert Tips
- Use room-temperature cheese. For an extra creamy texture, remove the cheese from the refrigerator, allowing it to reach room temperature before serving.
- Toss just before serving. To keep everything fresh and vibrant, combine the ingredients for the salad right before serving. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the ingredients separate until you’re ready to mix.
If you enjoy this arugula burrata salad recipe, try more simple salad recipes from Jamil Ghar!
Serving Suggestions
Arugula burrata salad is easy to put together, and you can serve it on a large platter for guests to help themselves or in individual portions.
While the salad is a great stand-alone meal, you can add salty prosciutto, grilled chicken, thin-cut chicken breast, air fryer skirt steak, or baked shrimp skewers.
My next suggestion may seem a bit weird, but take my word for it– it’s a perfect salad for breakfast time and pairs beautifully with over-easy, soft-boiled, or sunny-side-up eggs.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Enjoy arugula salad with burrata right away for the best results since the bread and arugula will become soggy over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between burrata and mozzarella cheese?
Both are fresh Italian cheeses, but mozzarella is known for being firm with a mild, tangy flavor. While burrata has a mozzarella shell, the gooey inside, consisting of mozzarella curds and cream, called stracciatella, sets it apart from other cheese.
Where can I buy burrata cheese?
You can find burrata cheese in the deli section of most grocery stores. Look for balls of burrata stored in water with 2-4 balls inside.
More Burrata Recipes:
Arugula Burrata Salad
- 2 slices thick bread, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- lemon juice, one lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bread and garnish
- 3 cups arugula leaves
- 2 balls burrata cheese, room temperature
- Drizzle olive oil over the bread pieces and warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread and a little salt to the pan. Toast for 4 minutes, moving the pieces around so they toast evenly.
- Reduce the heat. Drain and rinse the white beans and transfer them to the skillet. Gently stir in the kosher salt and red pepper flakes and saute for 2 minutes.
- Whisk the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil in a serving bowl until smooth.
- Transfer the beans and bread to the serving bowl and toss to combine. Then, stir in the fresh arugula and mix until all the leaves are dressed.
- Break the burrata cheese over the top and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Use room-temperature cheese. For an extra creamy texture, remove the cheese from the refrigerator, allowing it to reach room temperature before serving.
- Toss just before serving. To keep everything fresh and vibrant, combine the ingredients for the salad right before serving. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the ingredients separate until you’re ready to mix.