What Is Burrata? Everything You Need To Know

What Is Burrata?

Imagine cutting open a ball of fresh mozzarella to find it filled with something even more extraordinary: a rich, flowing mixture of cream and soft cheese curds that pools across the plate. That is burrata.

A fresh Italian cheese originating from Puglia, burrata cheese is made from the same stretched-curd technique as mozzarella but taken one decisive step further. The exterior is a delicate shell of pulled mozzarella; the interior, known as stracciatella, is a loose, silky blend of shredded mozzarella and fresh cream. The result is one of the most indulgent fresh cheeses in the world, and one of the simplest to enjoy.

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Where Does Burrata Come From?

Burrata was first made in the 1920s in the Murgia region of Puglia, in southern Italy. A cheesemaker named Lorenzo Bianchino is widely credited with its creation — originally as a way to use up the scraps left over from mozzarella production. Rather than waste the broken curds, he filled a pouch of stretched mozzarella with them and added cream to bind it together.

The name comes from the Italian word burro, meaning butter, a nod to the rich, buttery quality of the filling. For decades, burrata remained a regional speciality largely unknown outside Puglia. It was not until the 1990s and early 2000s that it began appearing on restaurant menus internationally, and its reputation has only grown since.

How Is Burrata Made?

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Burrata begins exactly like mozzarella: fresh milk is heated, a starter culture and rennet are added to form curds, which are then cut, warmed, and stretched using the pasta filata technique until they become smooth and elastic. At that point, the process diverges. The stretched curd is formed into a pouch and filled with stracciatella, a mixture of soft mozzarella shreds and fresh cream, before being sealed by hand. The result is sold in brine to preserve its freshness.

What Does Burrata Taste Like?

The outer shell is mild, milky, and slightly elastic — clean and fresh, much like good mozzarella. The inside is where burrata becomes remarkable. The stracciatella filling is looser and far richer: creamy, gently tangy, with a lactic depth that mozzarella alone cannot replicate. Served at room temperature, it flows freely with an almost custard-like consistency.

The overall flavour is delicate but rich, never sharp, never aged. It is a cheese that rewards restraint: a drizzle of good olive oil, a pinch of flaky salt, and very little else.

Burrata vs. Mozzarella: What's the Difference?

Both cheeses share the same starting point, fresh milk, rennet, and the pasta filata stretching technique, but they diverge significantly from there.

Mozzarella is formed entirely from stretched curd, giving it a firm, uniform texture throughout. It melts predictably and is the natural choice for pizza or any cooked dish where you need the cheese to behave.

Burrata takes that same mozzarella shell and fills it with cream and soft curd. The result is far richer and more delicate, it does not melt usefully and is not suitable for cooking. If you are melting cheese onto a pizza, mozzarella is the right choice. If you are placing a cheese on a plate and doing very little else, burrata wins.

Types of Burrata

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Burrata comes in several regional and stylistic variations. The following are the most common types you are likely to encounter:

• ‍Burrata di bufala — made from buffalo milk mozzarella rather than cow's milk, with a more pronounced, slightly tangy flavor and a richer filling. More expensive and less widely available than the standard version.‍
• Burratina — a smaller, individual-sized ball. Common in restaurant settings, and ideal when serving burrata as a starter rather than a shared centerpiece.‍
• Burrino — a related but distinct cheese from Calabria and Puglia. The filling here is solid butter rather than cream and curd, and the exterior is aged briefly to a firmer texture.‍
• Stracciatella — technically the filling of burrata sold without the mozzarella shell. Available on its own as a spread or topping, increasingly found in good Italian delis and cheese shops.

How to Eat Burrata

Burrata is best eaten simple. Remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving, cold temperatures mute both the flavor and texture of the filling. Place it whole on a plate, drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil, add flaky sea salt and black pepper, and serve with good bread. Slice into it at the table so the filling spills out.

It pairs exceptionally well with ripe tomatoes, stone fruits, roasted peppers, and grilled vegetables. For a more complete dish, try it as the centerpiece of our Grilled Peas and Burrata, where smoky charred peas, pickled tomatoes, and crispy breadcrumbs bring out every quality the cheese has to offer.

How to Serve Burrata

The three classic combinations:

• ‍With tomatoes and basil — the caprese approach, elevated. A drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of basil, nothing more required.
• ‍With bread — torn focaccia, toasted sourdough, or plain crackers to scoop the filling. The contrast of crunchy bread and flowing cream is the point.‍
• With seasonal produce — grilled peaches or nectarines in summer, roasted beetroot in autumn, wilted greens or broad beans in spring. Burrata is accommodating; it works with almost any produce that has enough character to hold its own against the richness of the filling.

For wine, a light, crisp white, pinot grigio, vermentino, or a dry rosé, complements the delicate flavour without overwhelming it.

How to Make Burrata at Home

Making burrata at home is a genuine project, but an achievable one if you are comfortable working with fresh curd. The process follows four stages: making the mozzarella base, preparing the stracciatella filling, shaping the pouch, and sealing it.

You will need fresh mozzarella curd (available from Italian delis or online cheesemaking suppliers), heavy cream, and a large pot of very hot salted water (around 85°C/185°F) for stretching.

The method: Cut the mozzarella curd into small pieces and submerge in the hot salted water. Work the curd with your hands (wear thick rubber gloves, it is extremely hot) until it becomes smooth, elastic, and glossy. Pull off a thin portion and stretch it into a flat, round disc. Cup it in your palm to form a shallow pouch.

For the filling, combine roughly torn pieces of fresh mozzarella curd with cold heavy cream, the ratio is approximately two parts curd to one part cream. Season lightly with salt. Spoon the filling into the centre of your pouch, then gather the edges and pinch firmly to seal. Twist the top and secure with kitchen string if needed. Transfer to cold salted water immediately.

Homemade burrata is best eaten on the day it is made. The quality of your filling cream makes an enormous difference, use the best you can find.

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Where to Buy Burrata

Fresh burrata is now widely available outside Italy. The best sources, in order of quality:

• ‍Italian delis and cheesemongers — the gold standard. Burrata here is typically made locally or imported and delivered fresh within 24–48 hours of production. Ask when it arrived.‍
• Specialty food shops and farmers markets — increasingly common in major cities. Local artisan producers often make burrata in small batches with excellent quality milk.‍
• Major supermarkets — most large grocery chains now carry burrata in the specialty cheese section. Quality varies; check the use-by date and look for burrata stored in brine rather than sealed in plastic without liquid.‍
• Online cheese retailers — a good option if you lack local access. Reputable retailers ship overnight in insulated packaging. Look for retailers with a rapid delivery model who specialise in fresh cheese.

When buying burrata, always check the use-by date: fresh burrata should have at least two to three days remaining. Avoid any ball that looks sunken, has a broken exterior, or smells sour rather than fresh and milky.

How to Store Burrata

Burrata is one of the most perishable fresh cheeses you can buy. It is best eaten within 24 to 48 hours of purchase — ideally on the day. Store it in the refrigerator in its original brine, kept submerged. Do not freeze it; the filling will lose its texture completely.

Once cut, cover tightly and consume within a few hours. The filling deteriorates quickly once the shell is broken.

How long does burrata last? Unopened, stored in brine in the fridge, burrata typically lasts 1–2 days from purchase. Some commercially packaged burrata has a longer shelf life (up to 5 days), but fresh is always preferable. Once opened, eat it the same day.

Is Burrata Healthy?

Burrata is a fresh cheese with no preservatives or artificial ingredients, a straightforward combination of milk, cream, and rennet. It is a good source of calcium and protein, with all the qualities of a fresh dairy product.

It is, however, high in fat due to the cream filling. A typical 100g serving contains approximately 300–330 kcal, 23–26g of fat, and 15–18g of protein. Best enjoyed in moderate portions and treated as an indulgent ingredient rather than an everyday staple. If you are managing dairy intake or following a low-fat diet, mozzarella is the leaner alternative.

Is burrata pasteurized? Most commercially produced burrata sold in supermarkets and delis outside Italy is made from pasteurized milk and is safe for most people, including pregnant women. However, artisan or imported burrata may occasionally use raw milk, always check the label. If it is not labelled explicitly as pasteurized, ask before buying.

Can you eat burrata when pregnant? Burrata made from pasteurised milk is generally considered safe during pregnancy. Avoid any burrata made from unpasteurized (raw) milk, and always verify with your healthcare provider if you are unsure about a specific product.