This Fresh Tomato Burrata Cheese Pesto Dip is great for entertaining – it takes just 5 minutes to assemble.
A few weekends ago, I threw a belated celebration party for my husband’s winter paddle tennis league. As a food blogger, there is always a little pressure when I entertain – people expect good food and homemade food, not take out or convenience foods. I love cooking, so that’s usually the easiest part of entertaining for me. Cleaning up the house to make it presentable is my biggest stress (after all, I live in a house full of males).
Coming up with a menu for a party usually takes me a few days, including shopping and writing down what I need to do by what day/time (I get pretty anal about that). The weekend I threw this particular party, one of my kids had a basketball tournament, which meant I wasn’t going to be home almost the entire day, so most of the food had to be made or prepped ahead of time. I also came up with a few shortcuts – easy recipes that would take just minutes to put together.
This Fresh Tomato Burrata Cheese Pesto Dip is so easy, I felt like I was cheating – it’s a super easy assembled appetizer, made with fresh burrata cheese (I bought it from Trader’s Joes), fresh tomatoes, and homemade pesto. There’s no shame in assembling a few dishes rather than cooking elaborate dishes (Ina Garten does that a lot when she entertains).
Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream – it is decadent, so definitely not something you should eat everyday, so think of it as a special treat for your guests. The consistency inside the burrata cheese is very rich and creamy. This dip recipe is the perfect way to spread the wealth (and the calories) around. Serve with crostini (French bread slices, lightly brushed with olive oil and toasted until crunchy).
Today, I’m participating in Food Network’s Sensational Sides event where Cheesy dishes are being served up. Please be sure to check out what all my foodie friends made this week:
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Fresh Tomato Burrata Cheese Pesto Dip
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Asparagus With Balsamic Vinegar and Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Red or Green: Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Quesadillas
Feed Me Phoebe: Skillet Lasagna With Zucchini, Arugula and Fontina Cheese
Cooking With Elise: Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas
Weelicious: Cheesy Corn on the Cob
Domesticate Me: Seared Scallops With Spring Vegetables
Devour: Cheese-Filled Summer Side Dishes
Made by Michelle: Broccoli Cheese “Meatballs”
The Heritage Cook: Creamy and Cheesy Potato Casserole (Gluten-Free)
Dishin & Dishes: Baked Squash Casserole
The Sensitive Epicure: Frico: Parmesan Cheese Crackers
Virtually Homemade: Easy Cheesy Enchilada (Gluten-Free)
FN Dish: Cheesy Spring Sides
Fresh Tomato Burrata Cheese Pesto Dip
Ingredients
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 2 burrata balls
- 3-4 tablespoons pesto
- a few drizzles of extra virgin olive oil
- fresh ground pepper
Instructions
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Place burrata balls in serving dish. Using scissors or a knife, cut each ball into fourths and open up. Sprinkle chopped tomato all around on serving dish. Put dollops of pesto all over. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil and grind some fresh pepper on top.
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Serve with crostini.
This post has been linked up to Tidy Mom’s I’m Lovin’ It.
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I first had burrata years ago in Italy, before it could be imported to the US. I loved it then, and I love it now that it’s available everywhere. Great dip idea for summer entertaining.
I am so happy that so many products that once were unavailable to us in the US are now much easier to get hold of so we can enjoy them. I have a feeling I’ll be putting this dip out for guests throughout the summer – so easy and everyone seems to love it.
I love how EASY this is, Jeanette – You totally get the essence of Italian cooking! Simple, flavorful and fresh ingredients. This dip looks so incredibly delish!
Thanks Georgia – this is so easy, I felt like I was “cheating” when I put this together for our guests. Sometimes, the simplest freshest ingredients make the best dishes.
I know all about that pressure when entertaining. Everyone wants to know what I’ll be preparing and it can be kind of stressful! This might just be perfect for when my friends come over tomorrow after work.
Jen – I’ve discovered that I am a lot harder on myself than my guests, so even when things don’t go exactly the way I’d like them to, my guests are still thrilled just to have something good to eat. It’s hard, but I’m trying to entertain more simply and not to stress so much about it.
This looks so yummy, Jen!! Love all the fresh ingredients and flavors in this dip. Must give burrata cheese a try!
This dip looks fantastic, Jeanette! Fresh and easy are two of my favorite things! 🙂
I absolutely LOVE Burrata! Thanks so much for sharing this and I can’t wait to try it!
I recently bought some Burrata from Trader Joes and it was delicious! Love how easy this dip is to throw together, and perfect for the last minute parties my hubby like to invite people to at our house 🙂
I love Buratta Jeanette and combining it with the fresh tomatoes and pesto sauce is fantastic. And I agree with you, there are many times when I depend on high quality store-bought ingredients to ease and speed my cooking. No harm, no foul! This is a winner and soon to make an appearance on my table!!
Jane – hope you try this – it is really good. I love finding high quality ingredients like burrata cheese that make my life easier when entertaining.
My kind of dip – I like to take the stress out of entertaining, so fresh and easy works for me! And I’ve found that most of my guests are just happy to be eating something that’s homemade 🙂
This looks great girl!
I had burrata for the first time the other day and now I can’t wait to make it at home. Thanks for your gorgeous recipe!
That sounds amazing and so easy to make too!
Yum! I could snack on this all day long!
I feel the same way! I put so much pressure on myself. I’m throwing a baby shower for a friend soon, and she LOVES burrata. This is perfect!! Definitely adding it to the menu. 🙂