Tomato Caprese With Burrata and Pesto

Tomato Caprese can be served as an appetizer or salad, made with fresh slices of tomatoes, burrata cheese and balsamic glaze. Instead of basil, use rich and silky pesto sauce to drizzle over the creamy and gooey cheese.

Tomato Caprese salad gets reimagined with a few tweaks that upgrade it into the most amazing appetizer or salad that will be the star of the show. In addition to slices of fresh and juicy tomatoes, I added creamy avocados, because they pair so nicely together. Instead of using basil, I use pesto – this rich and concentrated sauce has basil, garlic and parmesan – so it is a match that is meant to be. The silky pesto coats the cheese, tomatoes and avocados and adds fresh basil flavor to each bite.

You can use either mozzarella or burrata cheese, but I personally prefer burrata. As you slice into the cheese, the gooey center mixes with the pesto and is such a great mix with the tomatoes and avocados. In the pesto itself, I use pumpkin seeds instead of pine nuts, which makes it more mild and gives it a flavor twist. To top it all off, try using a fig balsamic glaze. It’s slightly sweeter and also more mild than regular balsamic glaze.

How to Make Tomato Caprese Video:

Ingredients:

• tomatoes – any type of tomatoes will work for this recipe, but in the summer when they are in season, they are especially flavorful, juicy and sweet
• avocados – Haas avocados are best because they are usually smaller and will be easier to slice and arrange on the plate
• burrata cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese – You can use either cheese for this recipe. Most grocery stores carry both types of cheese in the section of the store with all the specialty cheeses.
• olive oil – use the olive oil to drizzle on top of the tomatoes, if you want as well as to thin out the pesto.
• balsamic glaze or balsamic fig glaze – balsamic glaze is essentially balsamic vinegar that is cooked until it is reduced and thickened in texture. It’s sweet and acidic and pairs very well with the tomatoes, basil and cheese. If you can find a fig balsamic glaze, it’s really nice for this recipe, it has a slightly different flavor, is more mild and sweeter.
• pesto sauce – you can make your own pesto sauce or use store bought pesto sauce. I have an entire recipe dedicated to Pesto sauce, with detailed instructions on how to make it, different ingredient variations and substitutions you can try as well as many creative ways to use pesto sauce.
• salt, ground black pepper – to season the tomatoes and avocados.

What is Caprese?

Caprese is served as an appetizer or a salad and is usually made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil and a balsamic glaze.

Burrata vs. Fresh Mozzarella:

Burrata and mozzarella are both semi soft cheeses and have a very similar taste. Mozzarella cheese is firm all the way through and can be cut into slices, but burrata has a shell that is the same texture as mozzarella, but the center has a really soft, ricotta-like consistency. It is lovely in appetizers and salads.

How To Make Tomato Caprese:

1. Make the pesto sauce. Toast the pumpkin seeds and garlic, cool, then add the basil, parsley, baby spinach, Parmesan cheese, garlic, pumpkin seeds in a food processor or blender. Mix to combine then pour in the olive oil and mix until smooth. (You will only need a few spoonfuls – 1/4 cup of pesto sauce, so use the rest of the pesto in pasta, ravioli, as a marinade with chicken or seafood, etc. Of course, you can also make more of this appetizer the next day, which is what we often do. Simply freeze the pesto for up to 3 months to use it another time. Pesto Recipe Ideas HERE.)
2. Arrange the tomatoes and avocados on a plate. Slice the tomatoes and avocados, then put the tomatoes around the outside, with the avocado slices on the inside.
3. Place the burrata cheese in the center.
4. Thin out the pesto sauce with olive oil until it’s a pourable consistency and drizzle over the cheese.
5. Serve right away.

Tomato Caprese With Mozzarella Cheese and Pesto

• Instead of using burrata cheese, you can use fresh mozzarella. Arrange the tomato slices with the slices of fresh mozzarella around the outside of the plate and fill in the center of the plate with sliced avocados.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle with balsamic glaze.
• Thin out the pesto sauce with olive oil until it’s a pourable consistency, then drizzle over the tomatoes.
• Serve right away.

Love Tomato Caprese? Try these other delicious combinations:

• Chicken Meatballs and Tomato Caprese Couscous
• Chicken Tomato Caprese Wraps
• Pesto Pasta With Tomatoes and Shallots

Print