A fun play on the popular summer burrata salad using seasonal citrus instead! The rich, creamy cheese pairs perfectly with the tart blood oranges, earthy roasted beets and spiced honey drizzle.
I’m back with another blood orange recipe and here to prove it doesn’t have to be summer to enjoy a cheese-forward salad!
It may be spring by the time I post this, technically, but blood oranges and other seasonal citrus are around for a little while longer. So grab your favourite citrus fruit, some beets, a ball of burrata, infuse some honey until spicy and try this earthy, zesty, spicy-sweet twist on a popular summer salad.
What is Burrata?
Burrata, which literally means buttery, is a southern Italian cow’s milk cheese that closely resembles mozzarella.
The main difference between the two is the addition of cream. Burrata is formed into a pouch, where offcuts of mozzarella and a dollop of cream are added before it’s tied off at the top.
It’s a very milky, buttery tasting cheese, and when you cut it open, the combined mozzarella pieces and cream ooze out; which makes it a perfect cheese to put on top of pasta! Though it’s equally as good served with crusty fresh bread or gnocco fritto, or even a fruit salad of berries and figs. Burrata loves herbs and honey, sweet and savoury.
Cook along with me:
Blood Orange, Beet and Burrata Salad Ingredients
Let’s talk dressing. I didn’t bother whisking anything; you only need a little olive oil and a good squeeze of blood orange juice to dress the greens so they’re not just, well, straight up greens. It’s the hot honey drizzle over the top of the burrata and beets that boosts the flavour and ties everything together.
It’s easy to make too! While the beets are roasting, combine the honey in a small saucepan with the sliced chilli of your choice and a handful of fresh mint leaves. Warm over a low heat until the honey runny. Set aside to steep for a few minutes, then strain into a clean jar. That’s it!
Along with the hot honey, I made a burrata salad for cooler months when tomatoes and stone fruit aren’t in season – but every kind of citrus fruit is! Here’s what I used:
- Burrata (of course): It really is the pièce de résistance! The creamy centre mixes with the olive oil and blood orange juice-dressed leaves to make the dressing. If you can’t find it, substitute with mozzarella and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to the olive oil dressing. DO NOT substitute with yogurt as burrata does not have the characteristic tangy of yogurt-based dressings.
- Blood oranges: I’ll admit, I’m obsessed. I love the raspberry-like sweet tangy flavour of blood oranges. But really, any citrus will work well in this salad, from the convenient orange to the exotic pomelo to the easy to peel and divide mandarin. Choose your favourite!
- Beetroot: When roasted, beets taste sweeter and become a caramalised, almost potato-like texture. They’re earthy flavour pairs really well with the tangy citrus and the sweetness is complemented by the hot honey drizzle.
- Rocket (arugula): I find the peppery notes of rocket pair well with the roasted beetroot, but baby spinach or even watercress would work as well.
- Fresh mint: Mint is best friends withboth beetroot and citrus, so it’s the obvious choice to add some herby freshness to cut through the creamy burrata. Also compliments the mint notes in the hot honey.
- Sunflower seeds: We need some crunch! And sunflower seeds are mild flavoured enough to not fight it out with the other stronger flavours. Pepitas would also work.
Serving the Salad
I love arranging this Blood Orange, Beet and Burrata Salad on a serving platter. Pile on the rocket, then layer the beetroot wedges and blood orange slices around the burrata in the centre. Drizzle with as much hot honey as you like, and scatter over the sunflower seeds and fresh mint leaves.
When ready to serve, cut into the burrata and watch as the cream oozes out and mixes with the dressed greens. Eat, with or without bread (focaccia or a crusty baguette is recommended), making sure to scoop up a bit of burrata with every bite!
Looking for other cheese-forward burrata recipes? Here are some favourites:
- The summer salad version: Tomato, Peach and Burrata Salad
- Pasta topper: Summer Tomato Spaghetti with Burrata
- Delicately cheesy soup: Parmesan Broth Minestrone with Pistou
- To serve with cheese: Feijoa and Kiwi Fruit Jelly
Let me know if you make the Blood Orange, Beet and Burrata Salad and how spicy you make your hot honey in the comments!
Blood Orange, Beet and Burrata Salad with Hot Honey
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 small beetroots
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 habanero chilli*, sliced
- ½ cup mint, divided
- 4 blood oranges*
- 100 g rocket
- 1 large burrata ball*, whole and at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash the dirt off the beetroot and pat them dry. Wrap each one in a piece of foil, drizzle over with half of the oil, season with salt and close the foil packet tight. Roast in the oven for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the beetroot, until fork tender but not mushy. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, make the hot honey by combining the honey, sliced habanero and half the mint leaves in a small saucepan. Heat on low for a few minutes until the honey is runny – do not bring to a boil. Set aside to steep for 5 minutes before straining into a sterilised jar*.
- When the beetroot is cool enough to handle, but not cold, peel the skins off. Hold the beetroot with a paper towel in one hand and use a second paper towel to help peel the skin away*. Slice, either into rounds or wedges and set aside.
- Peel 3 of the blood oranges by cutting off a thin slice from the top and bottom. Once the blood orange is flat and stable, slice off the rest of the skin by guiding your knife along the line of the fruit, cutting away both the peel and the pith. Then, simply turn the peeled blood orange on its side and cut into slices and set aside for serving.
- Lay out the rocket leaves on a large platter. Dress simply with the rest of the olive oil and the juice of half the remaining blood orange. Season with salt. Layer over the beetroot wedges and blood orange slices, leaving a gap in the centre for the burrata.
- When ready to serve, add the burrata, drizzle over with some hot honey, sunflower seeds and the rest of the mint. Cut into the burrata and let the cream ooze out and mix with the dressing and honey. Serve with crusty baguette slices or focaccia and extra hot honey and blood orange juice.
Cook along with me
Notes
- Any fresh chilli will work here, habanero is just what I happened to have on hand. Choose one that works for your heat tolerance. You can always add more chilli after the honey has had a chance to steep for a while if it’s not spicy enough.
- I’ll admit, I’m obsessed. I love the raspberry-like sweet tangy flavour of blood oranges. But really, any citrus will work well in this salad, from the convenient orange to the exotic pomelo to the easy to peel and divide mandarin. Choose your favourite!
- If you can’t find burrata, substitute with mozzarella and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to the olive oil dressing. DO NOT substitute with yogurt as burrata does not have the characteristic tangy of yogurt-based dressings.
- You will have leftover hot honey. This stores really well if strained into a sterilised jar. Goes particularly well with cheese pizza and fried chicken.
- Beetroot will stain your hands purple. I find paper towels help to pull the skin away easily, but you can use food safe gloves if you want an added layer of protection. Thought the dye washes off fairly easily usually within the next day.
