Appetizers / August 25, 2022

burrata avocado toast with basil vinaigrette

Name: burrata avocado toast with basil vinaigrette
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 slices sourdough, or your favorite bread; 2 avocados, halved; 8 oz burrata cheese; 1/4 cup sunflower seeds; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar; 2 tbsp peach preserves, or honey; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 cup chopped basil; 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

Fancy. Ass. Toast.

A couple weeks ago we visited On Swann here in Tampa, a restaurant I’ve wanted to try but wasn’t often impressed with their rotating menu. This time around they had a butt ton of dishes that sounded incredible, and one we came across was their burrata toast

Now, I haven’t always loved burrata, which I’m sure I’ve said verbatim at some point here. I’m not exactly sure which recipe turned the tide for me, perhaps the Tomato Basil Orzo Pasta with Burrata earlier in the summer. Now I’ve burrata in my fridge at least every other week.

Funny enough, I used to also dislike avocado toast. Maybe I didn’t know how to toast bread or some shit, but I found the texture of mashed avocado really disturbing. Fast forward, and currently I eat avocado toast with egg whites 5/7 days during the week, sometimes twice a day if I’ve flopped a recipe and make an omelet for dinner instead of switching on the oven again.

Here we are, in 2022, splicing two things I used to hate into one dish that I’m pretty stoked to share. This easy Burrata Avocado Toast with Basil Vinaigrette is a nod to the pesto burrata fixture from On Swann, but Foul-ified. Well, not, because it sure isn’t foul. Love this for a fast, light weekday lunch or dinner. Makes you feel just a bit fancy, but took less effort than typing this blog post. Score.

Sweet Basil-O’-Mine (OH OH OH)

My basil plants spread further out of the confines of their planters by the day, so I’ve been toying with different iterations of pestos, dressings, and just randomly throwing basil around during my recipe developments. If Florida’s good for little else, it is quite good for basils.

The dope thing about this dressing is that you probably won’t use all the recipe calls for, and because of that, any salads or meats you whip up during the week will benefit from the leftovers. Don’t let that stop you from a good drizzle on your toasts.

All you need is some good olive oil, white balsamic, peach jam (or honey, if you don’t have jam handy), basil, fresh oregano, garlic, and some salt and pepper. You can whip it in a food processor or, like I did, mince things up nice and fine and shake it in a jar.

Grill Me

Grilled bread hits different, so I chose my nifty cast iron grill pan to brown up the sourdough. You can use a broiler, too, or an actual grill, or just pop the slices in your countertop toaster.

I like to brush the slices with some of the vinaigrette, then lay it on the grates to toast for a couple minutes. You can also use butter or just plain olive oil if you want.

After that, you’re ready to assemble. I use an entire half an avocado for each slice, then break about half a ball of burrata (if using 4 oz balls like I buy) and spread the creamy center all across the avo. A sprinkle of sunflower seeds for extra crunch, a splash of vinaigrette, and pow…You’re done.

All at once easy and elegant. Fresh basil and a nice wood cutting board make for beautiful presentation if you plan to serve this as an appetizer for a gathering. I paired my slab with a bit of leftover salmon for a more complete meal. No real wrong way to bread, honestly.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Burrata for all!

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