This article may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
If you’re wondering why burrata cheese is so popular among cheese lovers, go no further than its name. Burrata translates as “buttered” in Italian, indicating its rich texture and taste. Burrata is a cheese loaded with flavor and can be used in different delectable dishes.
Burrata is known as the piata of the cheese industry; it features a fresh mozzarella cheese crust on the outside and is hollowed out and stuffed with luscious soft curds on the interior. Do you understand what it means to be “popping with goodness” now?
Burrata cheese, made from the goodness of cow or buffalo milk, should be your first choice in producing your beloved cheese specialties. But what if you don’t have any burrata cheese on hand and you’re not due for a supermarket run?
There’s no need to panic because there are some substitutes for burrata cheese in your dishes, such as mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, feta cheese, cashew cheese, ricotta cheese, and queso fresco cheese. These replacements will suffice until you can obtain your next fix.
What is Burrata Cheese?
Burrata is an Italian dairy cheese made with Mozzarella and butter (sometimes buffalo milk). The surface is made entirely of cheese, but the center is packed with stracciatella and butter for a distinctive, velvety feel.
Burrata is a typical product from the Murgia region of Southern Italy. It is made of cow’s milk, rennet, and butter.
Burrata, like Mozzarella and many other types of cheese, is formed by coagulating hot milk with rennet. In contrast to other cheeses, fresh mozzarella curds are immersed in hot protein or lightly cooked water, massaged, and stretched to make the distinctive elastic threads (pasta filata), then shaped.
What is Burrata Cheese Used for?
Burrata could be used in a variety of meals; it’s most typically served with side dishes. The cheese’s shell has been shattered, and the delicate, velvety cheese within has been seasoned with olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Foods can then be dunked in the fresh cheese.
Burrata’s serving conditions are distinctive. The cheese should be eaten at ambient temperature. This ensures the ideal consistency of the interior, creamy cheese. Most of the time, it must also be consumed fresh. Attempting to conserve the cheese is not advised.
Burrata is commonly used in Caprese salads because it may be eaten at ambient temperature with other ingredients. It is also widely used over pizzas.
When pairing with pizza, sprinkle the Burrata on the pizza as soon as it comes out of the oven. This allows the Burrata to melt over the pizza in the finest way possible.
Substitutes for Burrata Cheese
When you taste the exceptional textural combo that burrata cheese gives, it seems like a terrible idea to replace it in your creations. That’s not the reality, as several pure cheese-based alternatives can be adequate equivalents for burrata cheese.
So, the very next time you get a burrata cheese shortage or would like to try different things, you could try one or more of the following suggestions:
1. Mozzarella Cheese
In cooking, Mozzarella works well as a replacement for burrata cheese. It is prepared from pure cow or buffalo milk, just like burrata cheese, and can be used in a variety of dishes that demand Burrata.
Burrata cheese incorporates Mozzarella, but its core is significantly creamier and butterier than Mozzarella cheese.
Mozzarella lacks the luscious smoothness and velvety sensation that burrata cheese does. It can, nonetheless, be used as a substitute and is more versatile than burrata cheese. Mozzarella can be used in both hot and cold situations.
There are no limits when it pertains to using Mozzarella in your dishes. It can be cooked, fried, or eaten raw. When substituting fresh Mozzarella for Burrata, use the freshest Mozzarella possible. Packaged Mozzarella will not have the same creamy mouthfeel or texture as Burrata.
2. Cream Cheese
Cream cheese does have the same smooth, creamy texture as Burrata, making it ideal for smearing. Cream cheese, like Burrata, could be used as a spread, mainly when eaten at ambient temperature.
Cream cheese, like Burrata, has to be at ambient temperature when used in related cuisines or purposes. Refrigerate the cream cheese for at least 30 minutes before eating. This enables it to reach the optimal temperature for loosening and ductility.
3. Feta Cheese
The tangy flavor of feta cheese is probably the only thing it has in comparison with burrata cheese, making it perfect for culinary connoisseurs exclusively. So, if you want the tangy flavor of Burrata, feta is the route to go.
Feta, like Burrata, could be used as a garnish for a variety of dishes or sprinkled to vegetables to generate a taste difference. When compared to some of the other substitutes on this list, feta, like Burrata, has a more powerful tang.
4. Cashew Cheese
Cashew cheese is a recent meat-free substitute to burrata cheese that can be used in most dishes. Cashew cheese, like burrata cheese, tends to remain malleable.
Nevertheless, please remember that a straight cashew cheese replacement for Burrata would almost certainly have to be made at home. There are several recipes for completing the process, and while it may take some time, it is not complicated.
Cashew cheese is one of the most suitable vegan alternatives to burrata cheese because of the sharpness it may produce.
As it ages, cashew cheese can acquire the cheese “funk” or sharpness that Burrata is famous for. As a result, it’s an acceptable substitute for Burrata cheese when it’s not available.
5. Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese is another excellent substitute for burrata cheese. It’s an Italian cheese made from whey by reheating the liquid leftover after producing another type of cheese.
What I love most about ricotta cheese is that it’s very high in protein. Ricotta cheese has a very mild taste and creamy texture. It can be used in traditional cuisines such as ravioli and lasagna. It can also be found in desserts like cannoli and cheesecake.
6. Queso Fresco Cheese
Queso fresco cheese is derived from an aged cow’s milk; it has a springy texture and delicate flavor – and can melt evenly in meals that require cooking without becoming stringy.
Furthermore, some recipes will require you to sprinkle queso fresco cheese on top once a meal is done cooking.
It’s worth noting that some queso fresco is aged for up to 6 months, giving it a stronger flavor. Therefore, depending on your recipe, you may have to buy mild or aged queso fresco cheese.
How Is Burrata Produced?
The method of manufacturing fresh Burrata, which is woven and molded by hand, includes artisans reaching the correct texture solely via feel and experience.
Large tubs are packed and warmed with either pasteurized or raw milk, leaving nothing except rennet to gradually thicken the milk. The curds are then placed into boiling whey and allowed to combine into a pliable paste.
Workers meticulously weave and tug the curd, generating a spun consistency similar to stretched curd cheeses, depending on touch and flexibility. Whenever the appropriate texture is achieved, it is fashioned into a soft bag and filled with torn Mozzarella and cream strings before being stitched shut at the top.
Burrata, which has more explicit flavors in its youth, is best served within a day of being created, as delaying any longer risks diluting the flavor and texture.
Burrata is made and consumed fresh; no storing or maturation is required. The cheese is made without any added chemicals, artificial flavors, or artificial preservatives, assuring a pure and gluten-free encounter.
How to Eat Burrata Cheese
Burrata is usually eaten in a variety of ways.
It’s easy to eat with a fork and knife. You could also consume it with toast by sprinkling olive oil on it and smearing it up with a little bit of crusty bread. You may add it to a beautiful pesto bruschetta to add extra flavor.
- Eat it with a fork and knife and bread
- Brush some olive oil on the Burrata and scoop it up with a piece of crusty bread as a topping (crumbled or whole)
- Apply it to bruschetta, pizza, pasta, salads, or any other delicious food that could benefit from a chewy crust touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is burrata cheese a good melting cheese?
Burrata cheese is easier to grind and burns to a yellowish-brown when melted. Burrata loses its characteristic textural difference of buttery interior and fragile shell when prepared. This cheese is intended to be eaten raw and unprepared as the central part of a meal.
Burrata Is Created with Mozzarella, But It Isn’t Mozzarella, how?
The most crucial thing about Burrata is that it is not mozzarella cheese, although it is produced from Mozzarella. Burrata is a distinct, one-of-a-kind cheese.
Burrata is composed of a solid exterior curd made from raw Mozzarella shaped into a cylindrical pocket and then stuffed with a delicate, threadlike curd and fresh cream. It has a thick, milky, buttered flavor that isn’t overly luxurious.
Burrata can be found in Italian markets, cheese stores, and gourmet grocery stores.
What Does Burrata Taste Like?
When you search it up, this cheese is among the most spoken about. Many people rave about the flavor, saying that nothing else compares. It’s a rich cheese that’s almost sweet. It has a slight aftertaste, as you would expect from a milky cheese. If you’ve never had Burrata and appreciate cheese, you should give it a try.
What’s the distinction between Burrata and bocconcini?
Burrata is a pure Italian cheese made from Mozzarella and milk, whereas bocconcini are thinner cheeses that are more like Mozzarella.
Is Burrata drained?
Burrata is typically sold in little packets placed straight into the water. When eating burrata cheese, make sure it’s well-drained.
Conclusion
Burrata cheese’s rich, velvety, and delectable flavor and texture are unrivaled in most dishes. But its taste can be replicated with other cheese replacements, and there are even vegetarian options that may provide the same great flavor in your creations.
Explore one of our recommended burrata cheese substitutes the next time you run out of your usual burrata supply. You’ll be happy you did! Understand that being open to new possibilities increases your chances of finding your preference.
Recommended Posts:
