Burrata Salad with Balsamic Glaze

Burrata Salad with Balsamic Glaze

I chose a white balsamic glaze/reduction for this recipe because I find it tastes more honey-like and a little more mild than dark balsamic. It’s so simple to make too! It’s made with no sugar or any other ingredients at all. All you have to do is simmer a half-cup of balsamic vinegar for about 12-15 minutes. Once it begins to bubble, it’s done! 

I also thought it would be sweet to roll prosciutto into roses, rather than just plop it on top of the salad. The whole thing looks like such a decadent garden of flavors and textures, doesn’t it? I also added a few dried, edible pansies that I found on Etsy to really make this a bright, Spring salad. And then… there’s burrata.

What is Burrata?

It’s the unicorn of cheese! It’s an Italian cow’s milk cheese made from fresh mozzarella and cream. The outside is solid, like a casing, but the inside is a dreamy, creamy, buttery texture that spreads beautifully on toast and makes a spectacular base for crostini or bruschetta, like my bruschetta with burrata, seared tomatoes, and roasted garlic recipe!

Interestingly, it’s a fairly new cheese, dating back to just 1956 when it was sold as an official product, although it may have its origins dating back to about 1900. In the 50’s it was a novel way to use the leftover “ritagali” (scraps and rags) of mozzarella, so nothing went to waste. 

It can be drizzled with olive oil and served with bread, placed on a bed of freshly sliced tomatoes, or served on a cheese plate. My favorite serving though, is in a gorgeous salad, drizzled with balsamic glaze like this.

The Process

First, we’ll simmer the balsamic vinegar in a saucepan.

Next, we’ll slice tomatoes, shave asparagus and stir arugula with a little bit of balsamic and olive oil.

Then, we’ll place the arugula and burrata on a plate and roll asparagus into little coils, and prosciutto into roses.

Finally, we’ll remove the glaze and let it cool while we assemble the salad, then drizzle it all over.

Ingredient Notes

Burrata – Substitutes for burrata are fresh, sliced mozzarella, scoops of ricotta or even cottage cheese.

Arugula – I actually used a mix of arugula and baby spinach, but feel free to substitute with your favorite salad green.

Pepitas – These are pumpkin seeds. You can also sprinkle with shaved almonds, pine nuts or chopped pistachios.

White Balsamic Vinegar – You can also use dark balsamic, but I think white makes a more mild, less “intense” glaze that keeps this salad nice and delicate.

Prosciutto – If you intend to roll prosciutto into roses as I’ve done, make sure to use a prosciutto that’s separated by wax paper or plastic film. Otherwise, it’s too difficult to separate and roll into roses.

Cherry Tomatoes – I used yellow and green because they look so lovely in this salad, but feel free to use red.

Asparagus – Choose asparagus that’s thick, not thin. It makes it easier to shave. You can also substitute shaved cucumber if you want an even fresher-tasting salad.

Blackberries – You can also use blueberries or even raspberries with this recipe.

How to Make This Salad – Step by Step

1. Pour ½ cup white balsamic vinegar into a saucepan. Simmer on medium-low for 12-15 minutes. No need to stir. Just swirl from time to time. It will gently bubble, simmer and reduce, but you’ll know it’s done when it starts to bubble up into what looks like fluffy bubbles. As soon as you see those bubbles, turn off the heat. Pour into a container and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes, or until you’re finished assembling your salad.

2. While you’re balsamic simmers, slice ½ cup cherry tomatoes. Set aside.

3. Slice the spears off of 4-6 asparagus. Use an apple peeler to shave stalks, starting at the bottom and shaving to the ends. Set shavings aside. You can either discard the spears or add them to the salad later.

4. In a mixing bowl, stir 3 oz. arugula (about 4-5 cups) with a small drizzle of olive oil and 2 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar. Set on a plate or in a bowl. Place 2 burrata in the center.

5. Roll asparagus shavings into coils and place them around the burrata in the salad.

6. To make them look more rose-like, I make large coils and small ones, then fit the small ones inside the larger ones.

7. To make prosciutto roses, use kitchen scissors to cut 3-6 slices of prosciutto in half.

8. Fold a slice in half, and roll it into a rose.

9. Place prosciutto roses around burrata and asparagus coils. Add tomatoes and blackberries.

10. Sprinkle salad with 1 tbsp. pepitas and drizzle salad with balsamic glaze.

A Few Tips

1. Keep your eye on that balsamic vinegar after about 10 minutes of simmering/reducing. It can start to bubble pretty quickly, and that’s when you know it’s done.

2. The smell of reducing balsamic vinegar tends to be a bit strong. If you’re serving this salad at a party, I suggest making it a day ahead, so the balsamic smell has time to fade from your kitchen. You can refrigerate glaze in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

3. When placing the burrata on the plate with arugula, it looks pretty to break it open a tiny bit, so you can see that delicious, creamy center.

A Few Recipes to Pair with This Salad