Burrata Caprese Salad with Prosciutto and Arugula

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Swap mozzarella for burrata and you’ll have a delicious twist on a traditional Caprese salad. Spicy arugula, savory prosciutto, and a tangy balsamic drizzle take it up another notch, making this burrata Caprese salad a fun shareable starter or elegant light meal.

white plate on a black and white checkered napkin; the plate is filled with an arugula salad topped with prosciutto ribbons, tomato slices, three burrata balls, and balsamic and pesto drizzle

Reasons to love burrata Caprese salad

Eating burrata makes me feel at least 2% fancier than I actually am. It’s basically the cooler cousin of mozzarella and ricotta. If you’ve ever cut into a burrata ball, you know what I mean. It’s creamy, fresh, and fun to eat, making it the perfect addition to appetizer boards and salads.

When you combine burrata with another beloved appetizer, the Caprese salad, you have a match made in heaven. This is the perfect shareable recipe for dinner parties, date nights, or any other time you want to feel a little bit *fancier.*

closeup shot of a white plate on a black and white checkered napkin; the plate is filled with an arugula salad topped with prosciutto ribbons, tomato slices, three burrata balls, and balsamic and pesto drizzle

Fun facts about this recipe

Caprese salad is a simple but elegant recipe – fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes layered together and drizzled with olive oil. (That’s it!)

Caprese roughly translates to, “of Capri” in Italian, but the exact origins of this recipe are unclear. No matter how this recipe came to be, it is beloved in Italy and all over the world and enjoyed as an appetizer or light meal.

This recipe is a twist on a classic Caprese salad – I swapped out the mozzarella for burrata, added pesto, balsamic vinegar, and prosciutto, then placed it all on a bed of dressed arugula.

The result is a more substantial salad/appetizer hybrid that’s packed with flavor.

Ingredients for Caprese salad with burrata

This recipe may look lavish, but the ingredients are fairly simple and can be found in most major grocery stores. (You just need to know where to look.)

Arugula – adds color and a touch of bitterness and spice to balance out the creamy and fresh notes of the other ingredients. You can also use any leafy greens you have on hand.
Extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar – used to dress your arugula
Salt & pepper – for dressing arugula and seasoning the final dish
Tomatoes – any medium to large tomatoes will work here. I use Roma tomatoes because they’re sweet and easy to slice into bite-sized pieces.
Prosciutto – adds texture and saltiness to your salad. You can find this in the deli section near other cured meats. If you can’t find prosciutto, you can use other thinly-sliced cured meats like serrano ham or capicola.
Burrata – a soft, mozzarella exterior envelops a creamy, gooey center, making this cheese the centerpiece of this recipe. You can find burrata in the deli section with other soft cheeses, but if you can’t find it, swap in fresh mozzarella instead.
Fresh basil – it wouldn’t be a Caprese salad without basil! If you can’t find fresh basil, just add a bit more pesto.
Balsamic glaze or reduction – this is an optional ingredient, as you can make your own balsamic reduction by cooking down balsamic vinegar. If you’re in a rush (like I usually am), opt for a bottled premade balsamic drizzle.
Pesto – drizzling a bit of pesto on this recipe adds color, richness, and herby notes to round out your salad

bottle of olive oil being drizzled into a clear glass bowl filled with arugula

Tips for the best burrata salad

This is a no-cook recipe (love that for us!) so it’s pretty hard to mess up. If you’re thinking to yourself, “challenge accepted,” I have some tips to ensure your salad success.

Remove your burrata from the fridge in advance. If you serve burrata ice-cold, it will still be delicious, but it will be less gooey in the center. I take the burrata out of the fridge, open it, drain it, then let it warm up to room temperature while I’m gathering the other ingredients.
Dress your greens. Adding a bit of balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to your arugula will really liven it up. I recommend dressing the greens in a bowl to ensure they’re evenly coated before dumping them on the plate.
Drizzle with care. Neat squiggles of pesto and balsamic make any dish look fancy, but they can be hard to achieve, especially if the mixtures are too thick. I recommend practicing your drizzles on a plate first. If the pesto is too thick, heat it up. If the balsamic drizzle is too thick, thin it with balsamic vinegar. You can use a spoon for drizzling, but a squeeze bottle will give you more precise control.

white plate on a black board; the plate is filled with an arugula salad topped with prosciutto ribbons, tomato slices, burrata balls that are sliced open, and balsamic and pesto drizzle

Can you make a burrata salad in advance? Can you store it?

This salad will get soggy if it sits for too long, so I wouldn’t recommend making it in advance or storing it as leftovers. If you need to prepare this for a crowd, you can slice and prepare all of the ingredients, store them separately, and plate them as needed.

What is a good substitute for burrata?

Any fresh, slightly soft cheese will work as a swap for burrata in this recipe – it just needs to hold its shape a bit. Mozzarella, goat’s cheese, feta cheese, or even crumbled Boursin would work.

fork and knife cutting into a burrata ball on top of an arugula salad

Recipe modifications

Vegetarian version – omit the prosciutto
Vegan version – use vegan mozzarella instead of burrata, omit the prosciutto, and use a vegan pesto
Use a different type of meat – swap in other thinly-sliced cured meats like serrano ham or capicola
Make for a crowd – This recipe feeds 1-2 people, depending on whether you’re eating it as an appetizer or main dish (and how hungry you are). If you want to make this for a large group, multiply all of the ingredients by 3 and arrange them on a large serving tray.

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