Fresh mozzarella has nothing on a ball of the best burrata cheese. Because burrata is mozzarella done better. It’s mozzarella encasing a tempting mix of cream and cheese curds (aka stracciatella). (Want to know more? Check out our full burrata explainer.) It’s texturally delectable and it’s a showstopper of a starter simply served on a plate. But there’s a lot of bad burrata out there, I’m sad to say. Don’t worry, we won’t steer you wrong. We found the best store bought burrata available.
How we sourced burrata brands
We stuck to grocery store cheese sections in our search for the best burrata. We didn’t go digging around any specialty cheesemongers. We didn’t drive to our local dairy farm. We kept fast to the fluorescent lights and tasted burrata brands that are widely available.
How we tasted the burrata
Don’t worry, curd nerds. We made sure to place the burrata balls on plates and let them warm a bit before slicing into them. We wanted them to have as much flavor and goop factor as possible. Other than that, we ate bites of them straight off of spoons. No bread. No salt. No pepper. And certainly no basil. Just straight burrata.
What we looked for in the best burrata
Let’s start with the skin. The best burrata has firm but thin skin. It should hold its form, but it should also be easy to slice into—not too thick and certainly not tough. It should have the texture of fresh, tender mozzarella.
Next, let’s talk innards. The best burrata innards are gooey without being liquidy. They should have noticeable little curds for textural intrigue. And the cream should be on the thicker end of the spectrum. It should never look like 2% milk.
Finally, let’s talk flavor. The best burrata tastes like fresh cream—rich and decadent and just a little bit grassy. It shouldn’t be funky at all. It shouldn’t be tart. But it also shouldn’t be flavorless. Fresh cream, that’s the ideal.
Here are the best burrata cheese brands to seek out for your next aperitivo hour at home.
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- Trader Joe’s Burrata
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If you shop at Trader Joe’s regularly, go ahead and buy the burrata. It’s pretty good. Is it the best burrata? No. It doesn’t quite have the oomph of creamy flavor like our top two burratas. But it’s totally good enough. The texture is on point—it’s creamy and comes oozing out of its skin. It’d be a topper for a salad with balsamic vinegar, ripe tomatoes, and basil. Or it’d also be a great, extra-gooey addition to a flavorful sandwich. Use it for its texture, not its flavor. At just under $5, it’s a good, budget-friendly buy.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Specially Selected Traditional Burrata
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In the ongoing feud of Trader Joe’s vs. Aldi, Aldi takes the win in battle burrata. Aldi burrata is pretty much as cheap as Trader Joe’s burrata, but it tastes like so much more. The innards are soft and creamy, and they taste of fresh cream. The outside skin is tender and mild. It’s some of the best burrata to serve with prosciutto (specifically, Aldi’s prosciutto, which is some of the best prosciutto you can buy on the cheap).
Credit: Liv Averett / Aldi
- BelGioioso Burrata
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I regret to inform you that the best burrata is worth the extra cost. At double the price of Aldi and Trader Joe’s burrata, BelGioioso burrata is so extremely good and lives up to the price. The cheese is super, duper creamy and you get so much fresh cream flavor that really lasts. Even the mozzarella casing is wonderful—it tastes like extremely fresh mozzarella. Great! It’s just that simple! This is the best burrata cheese to serve on its own with just a crusty baguette. Go ahead and spend the extra $5 if you can, because this burrata is worth the splurge.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
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