Quick Strawberry Burrata Appetizer with Crostini
Make this Strawberry Burrata Appetizer in just 15 minutes for your next Summer gathering!
Sweet strawberries, crunchy pistachios and fresh basil pair perfectly with creamy burrata cheese.
If you love my lemon & basil burrata appetizer, you’re sure to love this one too!
Strawberry burrata appetizer
Farmers markets are full to the brim with Summer fruit, including juicy strawberries. So, it’s the perfect time of year to make this burrata appetizer. The creamy texture of the cheese pairs lovely with the juicy strawberries and crunchy crostini bread. Serve this as an appetizer or as a part of a light lunch!
What is burrata cheese?
Burrata cheese is an Italian cheese. It’s a mild cheese generally made from Italian cows or buffalo milk. While it has an exterior similar to mozzarella, the best part is when you cut into it to find a creamy center. The creamy center is called stracchiatella, a combination of shreds of mozzarella and cream It’s buttery, rich and has a slight milky taste and subtle sweetness.
Ingredients needed for this strawberry burrata appetizer
- Fresh strawberries: Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
- Burrata cheese: You need one 8 oz ball of burrata or two 4oz balls of burrata (about 200-225 grams total)
- Pistachios: Crunchy chopped pistachios are a must for a different texture.
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil and strawberries go so well together! (Just like in my no-churn strawberry basil ice cream)
- Olive oil: Use a high quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best taste.
- Lemon: Lemon zest plays well with the sweet strawberries.
- Ground pepper: A touch of ground black pepper enhances the sweet & savory taste of this appetizer.
Tips & tricks
- Make sure the strawberries are fresh and ripe for the best flavor!
- How to make crostini for serving: To a rimmed baking sheet baguette slices. Brush the bread slices with olive oil on one side and place in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5-7 minutes until toasted. Set aside to cool and then serve with burrata.
- Take the burrata and strawberries out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes before preparing this appetizer to take the chill off of both ingredients.
- If you are making this for more people, add an extra ball of burrata cheese.
- A great substitute for fresh basil leaves is fresh mint.
- If you don’t want to make crostini, simply skip that step and serve with fresh baguette slices, focaccia or even another crusty bread.
Substitutions & variations
- Make this into a strawberry burrata salad: To make this into a light summery salad, add a bed of fresh peppery arugula to the plate dressed with a bit of olive oil. Then, break up the crostini into homemade croutons to sprinkle around and on top. Add the burrata to the middle of the plate and then finish the recipe with the pistachios, basil etc.
- Fresh ball of mozzarella: If you can’t find burrata, a fresh ball of mozzarella can work as a substitute.
- Bread: While I like to serve this strawberry burrata appetizer with crostini, you can also serve with focaccia or sourdough bread.
- Fresh herbs: If you don’t have fresh basil, try some fresh thyme leaves or fresh mint leaves as garnish.
- Add tomatoes: To add a different flavor profile, add a few small wedges of heirloom tomatoes or halved ripe cherry tomatoes to this appetizer recipe. The sweetness of the strawberries pairs well with the savory, umami notes of tomatoes.
- Balsamic strawberries: Change the flavor profile removing the lemon zest and use a drizzle of balsamic glaze instead.
FAQs
Many local grocery stores sell burrata. If you cannot find burrata, the closest substitute is fresh mozzarella cheese. Generally you can find fresh mozzarella balls packed in water or whey. Fresh mozzarella has the closest flavour in any substitute for burrata. However, please note mozzarella will not have the same creamy texture as burrata. If using fresh mozzarella instead of burrata I recommend adding a sprinkle of salt on the cheese before serving to enhance the flavour.
YES! This recipe is easily made gluten-free by serving with gluten-free bread.
Fresh mint is a good substitute if you don’t have basil on hand.
More burrata appetizer recipes to enjoy from the blog
- Lemon and Fresh Basil Burrata Cheese Appetizer
- Easy Pizza-Inspired Olive Oil Dip with Burrata Cheese
- Easy Burrata Bread Appetizer with Roasted Tomatoes
Quick Strawberry Burrata Appetizer with Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 7-8 oz 200-225 grams ball burrata cheese (or two 4oz balls of burrata)
- 2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup sliced ripe strawberries
- 1-2 pinches of flaky salt
- 1-2 pinches ground black peppers
- 1/2 lemon, zested
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, cut into ribbons plus basil leaves for garnish
- 2-3 tbsp chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Make the crostini: To a baking sheet add slices of baguette. Brush the bread slices with olive oil on one side and place in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5-7 minutes until toasted. Set aside to cool.
- Place 1 (or 2 burrata balls) in the middle of a low bowl. Cut the burrata balls open and spread out the filling a bit. (Use 2 burrata balls to serve more people).
- Drizzle the burrata with olive oil (2-3 tablespoons). Then add the sliced strawberries, a pinch or two of flaky salt and ground black pepper, zest from half a lemon, ribbons of basil and chopped pistachios. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve with the crostini.
Notes
- Make sure the strawberries are fresh and ripe for the best flavor!
- If you don’t have fresh basil, try using fresh mint instead.
- If you don’t want to make crostini, simply skip that step and serve with fresh baguette slices or even focaccia.
- Keep burrata stored in the liquid it comes in until ready to use. If you remember, take the burrata out 30-60 minutes before serving this appetizer. Burrata is best enjoyed at room temperature.
