Sun Gold Tomato Caprese with Burrata

Why I Love This Recipe

If I could eat nothing but sun gold tomatoes, burrata cheese, some Stone Fruit Salad with Hot Honey Vinaigrette and maybe some pizza for the next 4 months, I WOULD BE THRILLED. This Sun Gold Tomato Caprese is true perfection. Sun Golds are what caprese dreams are made of. Next time you see some at your local market, snag a few pints and make this.

If you haven't heard of Sun Gold Tomatoes before - let me be the first to welcome you to your new go-to tomato. The flavor of Sun Gold tomatoes is superb and gets sweeter the darker it gets. Like many yellow-orange tomatoes, Sun Gold tastes almost fruity, and they're easy to just pop into your mouth, one after the other.

Ingredients

Substitutions & Swaps

🍅 Sun Gold Tomatoes

• Mixed cherry tomatoes - A blend of red, orange, and yellow cherries gives you similar sweetness and bite-sized charm when sun golds are sold out at the market.
• Sungella or yellow pear tomatoes - These share that fruity, low-acid profile that makes sun golds so special. Slice them in half for the same juicy, jammy texture on the platter.
• Heirloom tomatoes (sliced) - If you want to go bigger and more dramatic, thick slabs of a ripe heirloom like Cherokee Purple or Brandywine bring that same summery sweetness with beautiful color contrast.
• Campari tomatoes - These are reliably sweet and meaty year-round, so they work when peak summer tomatoes are not available. Quarter them just like the sun golds for similar coverage.

🧀 Burrata Cheese

• Fresh mozzarella - The most natural swap. It lacks the creamy stracciatella center of burrata but delivers that same mild, milky flavor that lets the tomatoes shine. Tear it by hand for a rustic look.
• Stracciatella - This is literally the creamy filling inside burrata, so you get all of the richness without the outer shell. Spoon it directly over the tomatoes for an ultra-luxurious result.
• Whipped ricotta - Whip whole-milk ricotta with a little olive oil and lemon zest and dollop it across the platter. It is lighter than burrata but still creamy and holds up well if the dish sits out.
• Labneh - Strained yogurt cheese adds a subtle tang that actually plays really well against the sweetness of sun golds. Drizzle with olive oil, and it looks stunning on the platter.

🌿 Fresh Basil

• Fresh mint - Mint brings a cool brightness that pairs surprisingly well with sweet tomatoes and creamy burrata. Use it sparingly so it does not overpower the other flavors.
• Fresh tarragon - Tarragon has a faint anise note that feels very French and elegant here. Tear the leaves rather than chopping so you get big, fragrant hits throughout the dish.
• Micro basil or basil sprouts - If you cannot find baby basil leaves, micro basil delivers an even more concentrated basil flavor and the delicate texture looks polished on a composed platter.
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley - Parsley is a pantry herb that most people always have on hand. It is more neutral than basil but adds a clean, grassy freshness that keeps the dish from feeling too heavy.

🍞 Panko Breadcrumbs

• Homemade torn breadcrumbs (from stale bread) - Tear day-old sourdough or ciabatta into rough crumbs and toast them in the butter and oil mixture. The irregular texture gets crispier and more golden than panko, and the flavor is far more complex.
• Regular Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs - They toast up slightly denser than panko, but the built-in herbs add an extra savory layer. Just watch the heat closely because they brown faster than panko.
• Crushed crackers (such as Ritz or water crackers) - Crushed Ritz crackers bring a buttery, salty crunch that works really well here. Crush them roughly so you get uneven crumbles rather than a fine powder.
• Toasted pine nuts - If you want to skip the breadcrumb component entirely, toasted pine nuts add a rich, nutty crunch and keep the dish gluten-free without sacrificing texture.

🫙 Olive Oil and Finishing Salt

• Lemon-infused olive oil - A drizzle of lemon olive oil adds a bright citrus note that lifts the whole dish and balances the richness of the burrata without needing a squeeze of fresh lemon.
• Calabrian chili oil - For people who like a little heat, a drizzle of chili oil over the top adds a fruity, spicy kick that plays beautifully off the sweet tomatoes and creamy cheese.
• Fleur de sel - If you do not have flake salt on hand, fleur de sel is the closest match. It has the same delicate, flaky texture that gives you little pops of salinity without over-seasoning the dish.
• Flaky smoked salt - A smoked finishing salt like Salish or Alder adds a subtle smoky depth that makes this feel more complex, almost like the tomatoes spent a little time near a wood fire.

How to Make Sun Gold Tomato Caprese

Step 1: Place a large non-stick skillet over medium heat with the olive oil and butter. Add the panko and sauté for 3-5 minutes until it starts to turn golden brown.

Step 2: About 30 seconds before it's done, add the garlic. Remove from heat and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Use as needed.

Step 3: On a platter, arrange the balls of burrata torn open with the sun gold tomatoes and top with the additional ingredients. Serve alongside crostini.

🍅🧀🌿 Tips & Tricks for the Best Sun Gold Tomato Caprese with Burrata

The easiest, most gorgeous summer situation you will make all season long.

• Quarter the sun golds instead of halving them. Quartering exposes more of the juicy interior and lets the tomatoes release their natural sweetness into the dish. It also makes each bite easier to scoop up alongside the burrata.
• Let the tomatoes sit with salt for 10 minutes before plating. A quick rest with Dalkin & Co Flake Salt draws out excess moisture and intensifies flavor through osmosis. This prevents the finished dish from becoming watery on the platter.
• Tear the burrata open rather than slicing it. Tearing releases the creamy stracciatella center and lets it spill naturally over the tomatoes. Slicing with a knife compresses the curd and holds that cream inside.
• Bring the burrata to room temperature before serving. Cold burrata is dense, and the cream inside stays tight. At room temperature, the exterior softens, and the interior becomes luxuriously loose, which is exactly the texture you want.
• Add the garlic to the panko only in the final 30 seconds. Garlic burns quickly in a dry-ish pan and turns bitter long before panko reaches golden brown. Adding it late ensures fragrant, toasty garlic flavor without any acrid bite.
• Drain the toasted breadcrumbs on a paper towel immediately after pulling from the heat. Panko keeps absorbing oil as it sits in the pan. Draining right away locks in the crunch and prevents the crumbs from turning greasy before they hit the plate.
• Add the toasted breadcrumbs directly before serving, never in advance. Breadcrumbs absorb moisture from the tomatoes and burrata within minutes. Sprinkling them at the last second preserves their crunch and textural contrast.
• Use a finishing olive oil, not a cooking olive oil, for garnish. Extra virgin olive oil with a low smoke point and robust flavor is meant to be tasted raw. Drizzling it over the finished dish delivers grassy, peppery notes that cooking would destroy.
• Season the tomatoes separately before assembling the platter. Seasoning the tomatoes on their own ensures every piece is properly seasoned at its surface. Once everything is plated together, it is nearly impossible to distribute salt evenly.
• Toast the crostini thin enough to snap cleanly. A thick crostino requires biting through and drags burrata off the top in an ungainly way. A very thin slice toasted until crisp acts as a true vehicle and holds the load without breaking the bite.
• Pick baby basil leaves rather than tearing larger ones. Tearing large basil oxidizes the cut edges quickly, turning them black and slightly bitter. Baby leaves stay whole, vibrant green, and look far more intentional on the finished plate.

Sun Gold Tomato Caprese with Burrata FAQs

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