Tomato & Burrata Toast with Fresh Basil
Updated: Oct 12
Real food. Real cooking. Human tested. 🍋
When life gives you lemons, make something delicious!
Vegetarian • Quick & Easy • 15-Minute Meal • Summer Favorite • Substitute gluten-free bread to make it gluten-free
The Story Behind This Recipe
What to do with all those tomatoes!
Another one of my favorites this time of year is an open-faced caprese sandwich. These are so quick and easy, and they make a great light dinner or simple lunch. Pair them with a green salad and you’re done.
The most important thing here is getting the right ingredients.
Yes, I can buy tomatoes and basil in the winter—but I don’t buy them for this. Nothing compares to tomatoes when they’re in peak season. I literally wait all year for the right time to make these. Here in California, that’s usually from late August through October.
Good-quality olive oil matters too. I like to look for a harvest date when it’s available and buy the freshest bottle I can find. Since olive oil is such a noticeable part of this recipe, this is a good place to use one you really like the flavor of.
The quality of the balsamic also makes a big difference—maybe even more than the olive oil. You want one that has some body to it rather than something very thin and sharply acidic. One I like is Kirkland’s Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
I also often make my own sourdough, but any good-quality sourdough from a bakery would work.
I prefer to make my own because a lot of commercial breads these days contain extra ingredients, while homemade sourdough can be incredibly simple: flour, water, and salt. That’s it!
The day I make a loaf, I slice it and freeze most of it. Then I can pull out a few slices whenever I want them, toast them straight from the freezer, and they still taste fresh.
Ingredients
Thin to medium slices of sourdough
Burrata — I like BelGioioso
Very ripe tomatoes
Fresh basil
Good extra-virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Flaky salt
Pepper
How to Make It
Toast the sourdough until the edges are crisp but the center still has a little chew.
While the bread is warm, drizzle it with olive oil.
Top with sliced ripe tomatoes, torn burrata, and fresh basil. Sprinkle with flaky salt, pepper if you like, then finish with another small drizzle of olive oil and just a little balsamic.
Easy. Done.
Eat it right away!
What I Thought + Tips
This is definitely not something that sits well once assembled. The tomatoes and burrata will eventually soften the toast, so if you’re serving it with a salad, make and plate the salad first and assemble the sandwiches last.
Some people like to salt their tomatoes 5–10 minutes before assembling so they release a little juice. You can absolutely try that. Personally, I prefer to salt everything at the end once it’s already on the bread.
And go easy on the balsamic. Too much can overpower the burrata and good tomatoes. If the balsamic you have is very thin or sharp, a balsamic glaze may work better. If you have a good, richer balsamic, just a small drizzle is all you need.
Pantry Swaps & Substitutions
Burrata versus mozzarella?
Burrata wins by a mile for me. It’s so much creamier and richer, and that texture is perfect with ripe tomatoes and crisp sourdough.
I might need to make this soon. I’m getting hungry thinking about it!
