Burrata Toast

If you’re like me, you’ll look for any excuse to eat cheese in the middle of the afternoon. Soft cheeses are my favorite, especially a big ball of creamy burrata. And, luckily, there are so many ways to eat burrata: on top of pizza, alongside fruit (like grilled nectarines) or made into a charcuterie-inspired burrata board. But nothing beats the beauty and simplicity of throwing together a thick piece of burrata toast for an easy afternoon indulgence. We’ll show you how to make burrata toast in four simple steps, plus five variations for the ultimate snack.

What is burrata?

Burrata is a large, round ball of soft cheese. It’s made with an outer shell of mozzarella and filled with stracciatella. This Italian cheese has a rich and buttery flavor with an excellent textural contrast, thanks to the soft but snappy shell and creamy center. Burrata used to be a lesser-known type of cheese, but it’s everywhere now!

The process of making burrata starts the same way as mozzarella. The cheese is made by taking milk and heating it so the burrata is pasteurized. It’s then set with rennet and shredded into curds. Some of the curds are formed into a pouch to make the shell of the burrata. The other curds are stretched and soaked in cream, then stuffed into the shell of the burrata.

Ingredients for Burrata Toast

• Toasted slice of bread: We recommend using a slice of bread from a hearty artisan-style loaf, like sourdough, ciabatta or focaccia. Something like sandwich bread would be too flimsy to hold up the burrata and any other toppings you may add.
• Olive oil: Because this olive oil will act as a finishing ingredient, we recommend using one of the best olive oil brands from the store.
• Burrata: Burrata tastes best when served at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before enjoying it (if you can wait that long). You’ll take off the fridge’s chill, allowing the burrata’s buttery flavor to shine and its creamy inside to soften.
• Salt and pepper: Adding a sprinkling of salt and pepper is a simple way to heighten the flavor of the burrata. Because burrata is such a mild cheese, going the extra step to use fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt instead of regular salt will really make a difference.

Directions

Step 1: Drizzle olive oil on toast

Spread the olive oil all over the slice of toast.

Step 2: Spread burrata over toast

Set the burrata ball directly on top of the toast. Slice open the burrata and spread it on the toast.

Step 3: Add the salt and pepper

Sprinkle the burrata on toast with some freshly cracked salt and pepper. If desired, drizzle with additional olive oil. Enjoy!

Burrata Toast Variations

Conquered our basic burrata toast recipe? Take it to the next level by using one of the variations below.

Strawberry Basil Burrata Toast

MARK DERSE FOR TASTE OF HOME

Slice up two fresh strawberries. Fan them out on the burrata toast. Drizzle with one teaspoon of balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, salt and pepper.

For an elevated presentation, chiffonade the basil. To do so, stack the leaves on top of each other, roll them up tightly and slice them into thin strips. The basil will look like little pieces of confetti on your toast!

Roasted Cherry Tomato Burrata Toast

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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 10 minutes. Spread the tomatoes over the burrata on toast and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t have time to preheat the oven? You can also cook the tomatoes in a pan on the stovetop. Saute on medium heat until the tomatoes have burst, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Avocado Burrata Toast

MARK DERSE FOR TASTE OF HOME

Cut a quarter of a medium-ripe avocado. Slice the avocado into thin segments and fan them out across the burrata on toast. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Properly store the avocado for later use.

Hot Honey Lemon Burrata Toast

MARK DERSE FOR TASTE OF HOME

Drizzle the burrata toast with 2 teaspoons of hot honey. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, salt and pepper. Make sure your honey is runny, and decrystallize the honey if needed.

If you don’t have hot honey on hand, drizzle on regular honey and sprinkle red chili flakes on top.

Apricot Almond Burrata Toast

MARK DERSE FOR TASTE OF HOME

Top the burrata toast with 2 teaspoons of apricot preserves. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of toasted and sliced almonds, salt and pepper.

I prefer to toast almonds in a pan on the stovetop for easier control. Regularly stir the almonds as they cook. As soon as they begin to brown, transfer them to a plate to cool. Don’t let the almonds get too brown in the pan because they will keep cooking as they cool.

How to Store Burrata Toast

If you have leftover burrata toast that you want to save, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. Just know that the burrata will make the toast soggy over time. Store burrata toast for up to one day.

Can you make burrata toast ahead of time?

We don’t recommend making burrata toast ahead of time, as it’s best eaten when freshly made. However, if you’re trying our Roasted Cherry Tomato variation, you could roast the cherry tomatoes ahead of time and store them (once cooled to room temperature) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Burrata Toast Tips

What other cheese can I use if I can’t find burrata?

The best substitute for burrata is mozzarella. Although mozzarella doesn’t have burrata’s creamy stracciatella cheese curds inside, so it won’t ooze like burrata when it’s cut open. You could also use ricotta, whipped feta, fresh goat cheese, stracciatella cheese or a super creamy brie that’s been warmed so it can spread across the toast.

What should I serve with burrata toast?

If you’re serving this burrata toast recipe for breakfast (especially our Avocado Burrata Toast variation), coffee or tea would be excellent with it. If this is a starter to a meal, break out a bottle of sparkling wine, sauvignon blanc, rose or pinot noir. We’d never turn down a thoughtful wine and cheese pairing.