If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good burrata cheese recipe. Some may think I share one too many, but we’re heading into the warmer months of the year and for me, it’s burrata cheese season. Wait, who am I kidding, it’s always burrata cheese season in my book. BUT I do find that fresh burrata pairs especially well with tomatoes. So late spring, summer, and early fall you’ll find that I’m usually heavy on the burrata recipes. I hope you’re as excited as I am for all that is to come! Truthfully, I hesitated to share this recipe. I wondered if you might find it just a little too weird. But I decided to let my mom make the choice for me, since I made these sliders with Mother’s Day in mind. Just like me, my mom has a big place in her heart for fresh basil, tomatoes, and burrata…Ok and bread too. As you can tell, this is her kind of recipe, and obviously she voted that I share it immediately. She said, “I can’t think of a single mother out there who wouldn’t love one of these sliders on Sunday”. So I listened to my mom and here we are. Say hello to the caprese burrata slider. This might be dramatic, but these sliders are a real game changer.
Inspired by Lilia, a cute Italian restaurant in NYC that serves up burrata sliders as an appetizer with a spicy chili sauce. I love the idea of a burrata slider, so I decided to give the concept my own twist. Roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, thyme, spicy Fresno chiles, mini burrata cheese, and grilled slider buns. So simple, but yet so dang perfect.
Start out by roasting the tomatoes. I debated back and forth about whether I should roast the tomatoes or leave them fresh. But since the tomatoes are not as sweet as they are during peak season I decided to roast them to really bring out all of their deliciousness. I roasted the tomatoes with garlic and plenty of fresh thyme for additional flavor, plus a spicy chili pepper for some added heat, then tossed in some basil after roasting. Simple. Delicious. Easy. You can roast the tomatoes up to a couple of days ahead, or you can roast them right before serving. They’re great warm or at room temperature, though I prefer the tomatoes warm. Just before serving you’ll want to toast up your slider buns. I used mini-brioche buns, but honestly you could just use slices of brioche bread or even your favorite crusted bread. Almost anything works.
Now, the burrata. I’m crossing my fingers that none of you will have any issues finding fresh burrata cheese. I feel like if I can find it in my mountain town, then most everyone else should be able to find it too! If you’re new to burrata, it’s often referred to as the creamy cousin of mozzarella. On the outside it looks and tastes just like mozzarella, but inside is fresh Mozzarella soaked in heavy cream. It’s mouth-watering and surely one of my favorite cheeses. For these sliders, it’s best to find mini balls of burrata in 2-4 ounce size balls. I was able to find these at my Whole Foods, but if you can only find 8 ounce balls of burrata, that’s no problem, just break each ball in half before assembling. And if you can’t find burrata, use buffalo mozzarella or fresh mozzarella. Once the tomatoes are roasted, assemble. Personally, I love to spoon the tomatoes on the bread while warm, and then immediately add the burrata. The warmth from the bread melts the cheese and it’s roll your eyes back delicious.
Best part? Well, actually the taste is the best part, but the second best part is that these sliders are so easy to make. 8 simple ingredients, toast, and assemble. That’s it. Perfect for a brunch or kick off to your next dinner party. Not sure there is a better appetizer out there as the moment. Because really, what could be better than a burrata sandwich? It’s so GOOD. And yes, if you wanted to call this dinner, I totally get that…right up my alley!
If you make these roasted caprese burrata sliders, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
