Save There's a moment in summer when you realize that tomatoes don't need much to shine, and that's exactly when this salad landed on my table. A friend had dropped off a basket of cherry tomatoes from her garden, more than I knew what to do with, and instead of letting them sit in a bowl getting sadder by the day, I decided to char them. The heat transformed those little orbs into something entirely different, with blistered skins and a concentrated sweetness that made me stop mid-chop and taste one straight from the pan.
I made this for my sister's impromptu dinner party once, when she texted me an hour before guests arrived asking if I could bring something fresh. I panicked in the produce section, grabbed what looked good, and remembered this technique my mom had mentioned years ago about charring tomatoes in a hot pan. Watching my sister's face when she tasted it, the way she closed her eyes for a second, told me this wasn't just a last-minute save, it was something she'd ask for again.
Ingredients
- Cherry tomatoes: Look for ones that feel heavy for their size and have a fragrant stem end, they'll have the best flavor when charred.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Use the good stuff you actually like tasting, it makes a real difference in both the charring and the dressing.
- Mixed baby greens: A combination of arugula, spinach, and spring mix gives you texture and a subtle peppery bite that plays well with the sweetness of the tomatoes.
- Burrata cheese: This is the star player here, so don't skip it or settle for regular mozzarella if you can find the real thing.
- Balsamic glaze: If you can't find glaze, good quality vinegar works just as well and gives you more control over the acidity.
- Fresh basil: Tear it by hand rather than cutting it with a knife, it bruises less and tastes cleaner.
- Sea salt: The flaky kind at the end makes a visible difference, both in how it looks and how it tastes.
Instructions
- Get your pan screaming hot:
- Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a large skillet and let it heat over medium-high heat for a minute or so until it shimmers and moves easily across the pan. You want it hot enough that the tomatoes will hiss when they hit the surface.
- Char those tomatoes:
- Add all your cherry tomatoes at once and let them sit without stirring for about a minute, then shake the pan occasionally as they cook for another 5-6 minutes total. You're looking for blistered, darkened skin in spots, which means the natural sugars have caramelized.
- Build your dressing:
- While the tomatoes cool slightly, whisk together your olive oil, balsamic, minced garlic, chopped basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Taste it and adjust the balance of acid and oil until it tastes balanced to you.
- Assemble with intention:
- Spread your greens across a platter or plates, scatter the still-warm charred tomatoes over top, then gently tear your burrata into pieces and nestle them into the salad. Drizzle everything with that basil dressing you just made.
- Finish and serve:
- Top with a few fresh basil leaves and a pinch of flaky sea salt if you have it, then bring it straight to the table while everything is still warm and the cheese is at its creamiest.
Save There's something about serving a salad that still has warmth in it, where the creamy burrata starts to soften and blend with the charred tomato juice, that makes people lean in and really eat rather than just pick at their plates. That's when I knew this wasn't just a side dish, it was the thing people would remember.
The Magic of High Heat
Charring tomatoes is one of those techniques that seems almost too simple, but it's transformative. The high heat concentrates their natural sugars and creates a depth of flavor that you simply can't get by eating them raw, no matter how good the tomatoes are. It's the difference between good and memorable, and once you try it, you'll start charring tomatoes for everything.
Building Layers of Flavor
The reason this salad works so well is that nothing overpowers anything else, but nothing disappears either. The warm charred tomatoes bring sweetness and complexity, the cool greens add freshness and a slight bitterness, and the burrata is pure richness and creaminess. The basil-infused dressing ties it all together with brightness and a savory note that makes you want another bite.
Variations Worth Trying
This salad is incredibly forgiving and actually improves with experimentation. I've added toasted pine nuts for crunch, switched to grilled tomatoes when I had the barbecue going, and once used a combination of burrata and creamy goat cheese because that's what I had on hand. Each version felt like its own dish, which is the sign of a truly flexible recipe.
- Toast some pine nuts or sliced almonds in a dry pan and scatter them over the top for textural contrast.
- If you can't find burrata, fresh mozzarella torn into pieces works beautifully, or even a soft goat cheese for a tangier approach.
- Grill your tomatoes instead of pan-charring them if you're already using the barbecue, the flavor deepens even more with that added smoke.
Save This salad has become my answer to the question of what to bring to a dinner when you want to impress without spending all day in the kitchen. It tastes like you care, like you know something about food, and honestly, it's because the ingredients do the work for you.