Burrata Arugula Salad

This Burrata Arugula Salad is an easy, refreshing summer dish!

Creamy burrata cheese and peppery arugula leaves are paired with juicy peaches, salty prosciutto and crunchy pistachios, all in a light, tangy dressing.

It’s fast, simple and utterly irresistible.

It’s naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan.

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Why this recipe works

Burrata Arugula Salad is packed with so much, it’s downright indulgent!

It takes inspiration from Italian cuisine. Burrata is a creamy Italian cheese. And peaches and prosciutto is classic Italian combination.

So they’re all paired with peppery arugula and buttery pistachios, then coated in a simple, light dressing.

It has everything – it’s creamy, crunchy, chewy, juicy, tangy, peppery, sweet and salty.

Some salads require cooking or roasting some ingredients first. But this burrata peach arugula salad is my favorite kind of salad – no cooking at all!

And for an extra special twist: you could leave out the greens and dressing and just serve the cheese, meat, pistachios and peaches for a fantastic charcuterie platter.

To make it a full meal, add chicken, pork (maybe omit the prosciutto so you’re not overdoing the pork factor) or shrimp.

 

What you need

Ingredients

• 2 peaches (look for peaches with dark shades of yellow, orange and red; it should be soft to the touch and slightly wrinkled around the stem)
• 2 oz. prosciutto
• 8 oz. burrata (usually sold in tubs; you might get one big ball, 2 medium balls or 4 smaller balls)
• 4-5 oz. arugula leaves
• 1/4 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (use the good stuff; my Paleo pantry explains how to do that and my favorite brands)
• fine sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• flaky sea salt, if desired

Equipment

• a cutting board and chef’s knife
• a measuring glass or mason jar for mixing the dressing
• measuring spoons (<–these are my favorite since they fit in spice jars)
• a colander or salad spinner for rinsing and drying the greens, if necessary
• a large mixing bowl
• a serving platter
• a pepper mill for freshly ground black pepper (this one is my favorite)

How to make Burrata Arugula Salad

1. Make the dressing: whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper (or shake all together in a mason jar). Very important: taste the dressing and adjust as necessary. Does it need more salt (if the flavors don’t pop)? Or pepper (if there’s not enough kick)? Is it too much vinegar? If so, add more oil. Does it need more tang? If so, add more vinegar.
2. Halve and pit the peaches. Ideally you’d use “freestone” peaches which means the pit will pop out easily. These are usually available later in the summer. “Clingstone” peaches, which have pits that – surprise! – cling to the fruit and are hard to pop out, are usually earlier in the spring.
3. Slice the peach halves or chop into bite-sized pieces, whichever you prefer.
4. In large bowl, toss the arugula with most of the dressing. Add the greens to a serving platter.
5. Top the arugula with the peaches. Tear up the prosciutto and add to the salad.
6. Tear up the burrata over the salad and drape the pieces over everything.
7. Sprinkle on the pistachios.
8. Drizzle on the rest of the dressing, sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired, and serve.

 

FAQ

What is burrata?

Burrata is a creamy, almost luscious soft cheese from Italy. Fresh mozzarella is stuffed with small mozzarella curds and fresh cream. When you tear open the outer pouch, the filling oozes out.

It’s typically served with crusty bread and fresh or roasted tomatoes but is also added to salads of all kinds.

 

What does burrata taste like?

Burrata is very mild. It’s flavor is similar to fresh mozzarella.

What is prosciutto?

Prosciutto is a slightly salty, slightly sweet, chewy ham from Italy. They’re like salty strips of heaven, if you want my unbiased opinion.

Pork legs are salted for a while which draws out moisture, prevents bacteria and concentrates flavor.

Then the legs are washed, seasoned and left to age-dry for 14 to 36 months.

It’s usually sliced very thin so you get a little meat and a little fat in each piece.

The flavor can also vary depending on the region the pork was raised and where the meat is dried.

Some prosciutto recipes call for crispy prosciutto, where it’s baked in an oven. That would be delicious here, so if you want to, go for it. But I’m keeping this easy summer salad as easy and summery as possible.

Can I make substitutions?

Although I love this peach burrata salad as is, there’s so many ways to customize it:

• To make it a full meal, serve it with grilled or sautéed chicken, pork or shrimp.
• Instead of peaches, you can use ripe tomatoes, plums, apricots or nectarines.
• Instead of prosciutto, you can use crispy bacon.
• Instead of burrata, you can use fresh mozzarella. You can also buy a block of real Parmesan and use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin slices onto the salad.
• Instead of pistachios you could use any other nut or seed you like, preferably toasted first. (You can toast the pistachios but I don’t really think it’s necessary.)
• Instead of arugula, you can use any other greens you like, such as spinach, Swiss chard or kale.
• You can use another vinegar, such as white wine, red wine, apple cider or balsamic. Lemon juice would also be great.
• To make it dairy-free, leave out the burrata. Add sliced avocado instead.
• To make it vegetarian, leave off the prosciutto. Add pitted, halved Kalamata olives.
• To make it vegan, leave off the prosciutto and burrata. Add pitted, halved Kalamata olives and sliced avocado.

Can I make Burrata Arugula Salad ahead of time?

The dressing can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and kept in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using.

If you want to bring this salad to a potluck or picnic, prepare all the ingredients (slice the peaches, etc.). Add the greens, peaches, prosciutto and pistachios to a large, transportable bowl. Once you’re ready to serve, toss the ingredients with 3/4 of the dressing, tear over the burrata and drizzle with the rest of the dressing.

Once made, the salad should be eaten immediately.

 

Other salad recipes

• Red, White and Blue Salad (Strawberry, Blueberry and Burrata Salad)
• Peach, Bacon and Avocado Salad
• Strawberry, Cucumber and Arugula Salad
• Citrus Avocado Salad
• Rainbow Crunch Salad with Almond Butter Dressing

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