The Best Burrata Recipes for Every Season

Burrata is an Italian cheese with a soft mozzarella shell and a creamy center. When you cut into it, the cream and stracciatella filling spills out, making it a great pairing with fresh fruits, vegetables, and cured meats.

Burrata has a milky flavor with a buttery finish. Because its flavor is mild, it pairs well with everything from tomatoes and basil to prosciutto and crostini.

While the two cheeses look similar, burrata is not the same as mozzarella, although it’s made from fresh mozzarella. Burrata has an outer shell of mozzarella that’s filled with a rich, creamy mixture of cream and shredded mozzarella called stracciatella.

The main differences between burrata and mozzarella are:

– Center: Burrata has a soft, cream-filled center; mozzarella is solid throughout.

– Taste: Burrata is rich and buttery; mozzarella is milder and chewier.

– Serving: Burrata is usually served fresh and opened just before eating; mozzarella can be served fresh or cooked.

– Best uses: Burrata works especially well in appetizers, salads, crostini, and cheese boards; mozzarella is commonly used for pizza, pasta, caprese salads, and baked dishes.

– Nutrition: Burrata is generally higher in fat and calories because of its creamy center.

Burrata starts with a shell of fresh mozzarella. While it’s still warm and formable, it’s shaped into a pouch and filled with a mixture of cream and shredded mozzarella (called stracciatella). The pouch is then sealed, giving you that signature soft exterior with a rich, creamy center.

You can usually find burrata in the specialty cheese section of most grocery stores. Look at stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or larger supermarkets with a good cheese counter. Local Italian markets and specialty cheese shops often carry the freshest options.

Burrata is delicate, so start by placing the burrata on a plate and letting it sit for a few minutes so it isn’t ice-cold. Use a sharp knife or even the edge of a fork, then gently pierce the outer mozzarella shell. Once it breaks, you can slice it open and let the creamy center spill out naturally.

For serving, you can cut it into halves or quarters, but many people prefer to open it and let guests scoop into it with bread, crackers, or vegetables. 

One of the simplest and best ways to eat burrata cheese is to drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle on flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then serve with crusty bread for scooping. Be sure to let it sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before serving so the creamy center softens.

Burrata is also delicious paired with fresh tomatoes and basil, ripe peaches or other seasonal fruit, prosciutto, roasted vegetables, salads, or crostini. Because of its rich, creamy texture and mild flavor, burrata cheese is best enjoyed fresh rather than cooked, making it a very easy and versatile ingredient to build around.

Keep burrata in its liquid and store it in the coldest part of the fridge. Once opened, it’s best eaten the same day, but it can last up to 1–2 days if tightly sealed and refrigerated.

Burrata is best enjoyed fresh. So technically yes, you can freeze it, but it’s not recommended. Freezing changes the texture and makes the creamy center grainy and watery once thawed.

Unopened burrata typically lasts about 5–7 days in the fridge, depending on the brand and packaging date. Once opened, try to eat it within 24–48 hours for the best texture and flavor.

If you can’t find burrata, fresh mozzarella is the closest swap. Other good options include stracciatella (Trader Joe’s has an amazing stracciatella for the summer season), ricotta (for a softer texture), or even mascarpone for extra creaminess.