You make this once. You serve it at a dinner party. And suddenly everyone thinks you went to culinary school.
Burrata prosciutto crostini sounds intimidating, but it takes under 30 minutes, uses about 8 ingredients, and looks like something straight off a restaurant menu. The kind of dish people photograph before they eat it.
Creamy burrata, salty prosciutto, honey-drizzled figs, and crispy golden crostini — all on one board. It’s the appetizer that makes people stop mid-conversation.
Stick around because I’m going to walk you through every step, including the one pro tip that most people skip that completely transforms the burrata.
What You’ll Need
For the Crostini:
- 1 French baguette, sliced into ½-inch rounds (about 24 slices)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Toppings:
- 2 balls (8 oz total) fresh burrata cheese
- 6 oz prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced
- 6 fresh figs, halved (or ½ cup fig jam if fresh aren’t in season)
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
- ½ cup fresh arugula
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
- Zest of 1 lemon
Tools You’ll Need
- Baking sheet
- Pastry brush
- Sharp serrated knife (for the baguette)
- Small mixing bowl
- Cutting board
- Serving platter or wooden board
- Microplane or zester
Pro Tips
1. Salt your burrata right before serving, not before. Burrata releases water when salted too early. If you salt it ahead of time, you’ll end up with a soggy mess on your crostini. Season at the very last second.
2. Toast the bread until it’s genuinely golden. Pale crostini go soft fast. You want actual color on them — deep gold, almost like a crouton. That crunch is what holds everything together.
3. Tear, don’t slice, the prosciutto. Torn prosciutto drapes beautifully and looks far more elegant than a flat, folded slice. It also creates little pockets that catch the honey and balsamic glaze.
4. Let the burrata come to room temperature first. Cold burrata straight from the fridge is firm and doesn’t spread. Give it 20 minutes out of the fridge and it becomes silky, soft, and spreadable. Total game-changer.
5. Add the arugula last. Arugula wilts fast when it hits warm crostini. Pile it on right before you serve so it stays fresh, peppery, and crisp.
Substitutions and Variations
| Original Ingredient | Swap |
|---|---|
| Burrata | Fresh ricotta or whipped feta |
| Prosciutto | Serrano ham, bresaola, or smoked salmon |
| Fresh figs | Fig jam, sliced pears, or roasted grapes |
| Pine nuts | Chopped walnuts or candied pecans |
| Baguette | Sourdough rounds or gluten-free bread |
| Honey | Truffle honey for an extra wow factor |
Vegetarian version: Skip the prosciutto and add roasted cherry tomatoes or caramelized onions instead. Still stunning.
Vegan version: Swap burrata for whipped cashew cream and skip the honey in favor of maple syrup.
Make-Ahead Tips
The crostini are actually the easiest part to make ahead.
Toast them the day before and let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay crispy for up to 2 days.
Everything else — the burrata, prosciutto, figs, and toppings — should be prepped fresh the day of. You can wash and dry the arugula, halve the figs, and zest the lemon a few hours ahead. Keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
Assembly takes about 5 minutes. So this is a genuinely stress-free entertaining appetizer.
Nutritional Info (Per 2 Crostini Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~210 |
| Protein | 9g |
| Carbohydrates | 18g |
| Fat | 12g |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sodium | 380mg |
Note: Nutritional values are estimates and vary based on exact ingredient brands and portion sizes.
How to Make Burrata Prosciutto Crostini
Step 1: Toast the Crostini
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush each one generously with olive oil on both sides.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and black pepper.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until deep golden and crispy. Pull them out and let them cool slightly on the pan.
Step 2: Prep Your Toppings
While the crostini toast, halve your figs, tear the prosciutto into loose ribbons, and pick your basil leaves.
Take the burrata out of the fridge now if you haven’t already. Let it sit at room temperature while you work.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant. Watch them closely — they go from golden to burnt fast.
Step 3: Assemble
Arrange the crostini across your serving platter.
Break open each burrata ball and spoon or tear generous portions onto the crostini. Don’t be stingy here.
Drape a torn ribbon of prosciutto over the burrata on each piece.
Add a fig half (or a small spoonful of fig jam) on top.
Step 4: Finish and Garnish
Scatter fresh arugula across the platter.
Drizzle everything with honey and balsamic glaze — go back and forth across the whole platter rather than doing each crostini individually. It looks more generous and rustic.
Sprinkle toasted pine nuts over the top.
Finish with fresh basil leaves and lemon zest.
Serve immediately. 🍋
Meal Pairing Suggestions
These crostini pair beautifully with:
- A crisp white wine — Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc cut right through the richness of the burrata
- Prosecco — classic and festive, works every time
- A simple arugula salad as a starter alongside
- Charcuterie board — serve these on the same spread and watch them disappear first
Leftovers and Storage
Assembled crostini don’t store well — the bread softens quickly once topped.
The good news: if you have leftover crostini (untopped), store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Leftover burrata should be kept in the liquid it came in, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. Use it on pasta, salads, or just with good bread and olive oil.
Leftover prosciutto keeps wrapped in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
FAQ
Can I use store-bought balsamic glaze? Yes, absolutely. Store-bought glaze is thick and sweet, which is exactly what you want. Just make sure it’s a glaze (syrupy), not just plain balsamic vinegar.
Where do I find fresh burrata? Most grocery stores carry it now — check the specialty cheese section near fresh mozzarella. Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Aldi all carry it regularly. It usually comes packed in water in a small container.
Can I make this without figs? Yes. Sliced pears with a drizzle of honey are a beautiful swap. So are roasted red grapes or even thin slices of persimmon in the fall.
My burrata is breaking apart when I scoop it. What am I doing wrong? Nothing. Burrata is meant to break open — that’s where the creamy stracciatella filling spills out. Don’t stress about keeping it “neat.” The more it spills, the better it looks.
How many crostini does this recipe make? This recipe makes approximately 24 crostini, which serves 6 to 8 people as an appetizer.
Can this be made gluten-free? Yes. Use a gluten-free baguette or sourdough-style loaf. Just make sure you toast it well because gluten-free breads tend to go soft faster.
Wrapping Up
This is the kind of recipe you make once and immediately add to your permanent rotation.
It’s 30 minutes. It’s 8 ingredients. And it will genuinely impress every single person at your table.
Once you nail the basics, start playing with it — swap in pears instead of figs in winter, try truffle honey instead of regular, or add a handful of pomegranate seeds for a pop of color. Make it yours.
