The vibe is Italian summer by a pool in the sun!! We’re talking grilled crusty bread, fresh and juicy tomatoes roasted in high quality olive oil, creamy burrata… all of this drizzled in reduced balsamic vinegar and vibrant pesto! It’s a simple appetizer using fresh, high quality ingredients. As juicy vine-ripened tomatoes are slow-roasted in olive oil, their natural sweetness intensifies, creating a delicious base for this dish. Top them with burrata cheese and you’ve got a situation on your hands! I promise, everyone is going to love you for bringing this appetizer to the party.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
So many of you loved the Cranberry Pistachio Goat Cheese Log as an impressive, easy-to-make festive appetizer during the holidays and asked for more ideas! Here is a delicious summery cheese appetizer, with fresh in-season tomatoes and plenty of flavor.
Cherry tomatoes are tasty and juicy throughout the year and easy to find! Their natural sweetness shines after they’re roasted. They’re especially delicious in season! We only need a few a herbs, high quality olive oil, garlic, and spices to get a ton of flavor. Who doesn’t love burrata?! Especially when it’s loaded with all that cream inside. This cheesy appetizer is a super quick and low effort recipe for last minute get togethers and perfect for a poolside hang in the summer. If you’ve got leftovers, you can repurpose it for a homemade pizza using my no yeast pizza dough. I especially enjoyed it as a sauce for pasta! Dare I say, best pasta I’ve ever made at home.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
Tomatoes - Use fresh, in season vine-ripened cherry or grape tomatoes for the best flavor! They get sweeter while slow roasting in the oven. You can remove them from the vine before or after roasting or just use regular cherry tomatoes. Alternatively, you can use quartered roma tomatoes! Burrata - I like to use 2 balls of Burrata cheese, 4 ounces each, for a total of 8 ounces. It’s enough to serve 6 people without them clambering over each other. Balsamic Vinegar - Most stores have balsamic glaze, otherwise it’s worth taking the time to reduce the vinegar in a saucepan for a few minutes while the cherries roast in the oven. It’s sweet and tart and an absolutely delicious pairing with the tomatoes. Garlic - Small garlic gloves will soften in the olive oil, enough so to smash on the toast, but if they’re bigger cloves then it’s best to slice them before roasting. Pesto - Store-bought or homemade pesto both work perfectly fine for drizzling! Red chili flakes - For a bit of spice.
How to Marinate and Roast Cherry Tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a baking dish, add the tomatoes, sliced garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and olive oil. Give everything a really good toss and transfer the dish to the oven. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for 30 minutes. The tomatoes will begin to burst and release their juices. While the tomatoes are roasting, bring the cheese to room temperature, keeping the container covered with the lid. At the end of the 30 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven. Now we’re ready to serve!
Serving Suggestions
Carefully transfer the roasted cherry tomatoes and all the juices to a serving tray. Place the room temperature burrata on top or next to the tomatoes. Drizzle everything with the balsamic glaze and pesto. Garnish with sprigs of basil. Serve the roasted tomatoes and burrata warm out of the oven or at room temperature. This appetizer is great to make a bit ahead and set out for your guests to enjoy! Grilled crusty bread is absolutely delicious with this. Leave your guests with plastic knives or a cheese knife to scoop everything up! I start off by spreading a bit of the cheese on the grilled bread or crackers and then smash a few tomatoes on top. At the end, you’ll be left with all the tomato juices which is still absolutely delicious for dipping the bread in!
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Recipe
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