Salad with burrata, roasted beets and pistachios Recipe
This salad is Italian elegance on a plate: creamy burrata, sweet roasted beets and crunchy pistachios. In Italy, burrata is often served as an appetizer, simply with olive oil and bread. Here it’s joined by colourful vegetables and nuts, making the dish perfect as a light lunch or dinner.
In many Italian enotecas, burrata is served with seasonal vegetables instead of classic tomatoes. Pairing it with beetroot and pistachios reflects the trend for “insalate” that combine the sweetness of roasted vegetables with creamy cheeses.
This salad is built around burrata, whose liquid, creamy centre wraps around the sweetness of roasted beets and the crunch of pistachios, giving an effect worthy of a good Italian enoteca. The contrast of temperatures and textures – warm beets, cool burrata, fresh arugula – makes the dish light yet distinctly “restaurant-style”. It’s a great way to showcase burrata in a more refined version than just with tomatoes.
Why this version works
- Roasting the beets in foil concentrates their sweetness and keeps them juicy.
- The contrast between warm beets and room‑temperature burrata enhances the sensation of creaminess.
- A dressing with honey, vinegar, and lemon balances the sweetness of the beets and the richness of the cheese.
- Pistachios added at the end stay crunchy and keep their fresh, nutty aroma.
Chef's tips
Roast the beets in foil or covered until they are as soft as butter when pierced with a knife – underbaked beets will be tough and overpower the delicate burrata. Take the cheese out of the fridge at least 20–30 minutes before serving so the centre becomes runny and aromatic. Chop the pistachios just before serving, as they quickly lose their crunch and aroma when exposed to air.
How to serve
Serve the salad with a glass of dry, slightly mineral white wine or with homemade lemonade with lemon and mint if you’re planning a light lunch. It tastes great with warmed baguette or focaccia, which you can dip into the olive oil and creamy centre of the burrata. It’s my favourite dish for a lazy summer evening on the balcony when I don’t feel like standing over the stove but still want the table to look festive.
Watch out for
- Don’t slice the beets too thickly – heavy slices will overpower the salad and won’t absorb the dressing as well.
- Don’t use burrata straight from the fridge – the centre will be too dense and not very aromatic.
- Don’t dress the salad too far in advance, as the leaves will wilt quickly.
Substitutions
- You can replace burrata with mozzarella di bufala, though it will be less creamy.
- Pistachios can be swapped for hazelnuts or walnuts, briefly toasted.
- You can substitute arugula with a baby leaf mix or finely sliced kale softened with the dressing.
Ingredients
- burrata about 100–125 g each; can be replaced with very soft mozzarella - 2 balls
- beets medium-sized - 3 pieces
- arugula or mixed salad leaves - 80 g
- unsalted pistachios shelled, roughly chopped - 30 g
- olive oil preferably extra virgin - 4 tablespoons
- vinegar - 1.5 tablespoons
- honey for a hint of sweetness - 1 teaspoon
- lemon juice freshly squeezed - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Scrub the beets thoroughly with a brush, trim off the stems, pat dry and wrap each one separately in aluminium foil, leaving a little room inside for steam.
- Place the wrapped beets on a baking tray and roast for 35–45 minutes, until a fork slides into the centre without resistance; start checking smaller beets after 30 minutes, larger ones may need up to 50 minutes.
- Let the roasted beets cool slightly, unwrap them and peel – the skin should come off almost on its own; you can use a paper towel to help. Cut into slices or wedges about 0.5 cm thick.
- In a small bowl, prepare the dressing: mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously with a fork for 20–30 seconds, until the dressing thickens slightly and stops separating.
- If the salad leaves look a bit limp, soak them in very cold water for 10 minutes, then dry thoroughly in a salad spinner or on a towel – they should become firm and crunchy again.
- Spread the arugula or mixed salad leaves in a single, loose layer on a large serving platter. The leaves shouldn’t be clumped together so the dressing can coat them better and the salad looks light.
- Arrange pieces of warm (lightly steaming) or completely cooled beets on top of the leaves, spreading them evenly so every bite contains some vegetables and greens.
- Carefully remove the burrata from its liquid, pat dry with a paper towel and leave for 15–20 minutes to come to room temperature. Then cut each ball in half and place the halves in the centre of the salad, cut side up.
- Drizzle the salad with the dressing, starting with the beets and leaves, and pour only thin streams over the burrata – the centre of the cheese should remain visible and gently ooze when pierced with a fork.
- Roughly chop the pistachios just before serving and sprinkle them over the whole salad. Finish with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately, ideally with crusty bread to scoop up the dressing and the burrata’s creamy centre.
Storage
If you have leftovers, store the burrata separately from the dressed leaves so they don’t wilt. Roasted beets and pistachios keep well in the fridge in airtight containers and can be added to fresh greens the next day.
I usually make this salad when friends come over for “wine and something light” – it looks as if I’d spent half a day in the kitchen, but in reality the beets roast themselves while I work at the computer. I’ve also packed it into a box (with the burrata separately) and taken it to a picnic in the park – it made a bigger impression than all the cakes.
