Blood Orange Salad Recipe with Burrata & Pesto

An Italian blood orange salad recipe with creamy burrata cheese, basil pesto and pine nuts. 

How can one resist the perfection of blood oranges ? I look forward all year long to this short time in the year when blood oranges grace us with their presence. 

Do I really need go on about my obsession with creamy burrata again you guys ? Can you even take one more rant from me about the insanity that burrata cheese is and that I can not say no to anything involving burrata ?

You would think burrata cows are endorsing this blog, because not that long ago I was talking burrata and peaches like THIS recipe, burrata and roasted tomatoes like THIS, burrata and bruschetta like THIS. Let me count the ways I love burrata, but maybe not today, not again. 

I will focus on my other seasonal love for blood oranges, and in particular my fondness for this blood orange salad. Check this for a moment !

All i really had to do what slice things nicely, and buzz up some pesto in my mini food processor. Pretty basic stuff, yet unless you have great quality ingredients it won’t be as amazing as what I’ve experienced. I hope that makes sense. 

Try to get a mix of firm blood oranges at the market If you can, both the look and the flavor is different, which enhances the final flavors of the dish.

As a good so far vegetarian that I am( fingers crossed you guys), I only ate this entire blood orange salad as is, with rustic pieces of garlic bruschetta to mop my plate, serving tray I mean, who cares anyway: plate, tray, serving platter …

However, for the Batman I made mini grass fed burgers that i then topped with the blood orange salad and burrata and drizzled them with pesto. Just like that, no bun, open face tiny bites of awesomeness. At least he says so. Either he is telling the truth or just afraid I won’t feed him anymore and so he keeps buttering me up. Not my problem ! 

This is my story and i’m sticking to it: this blood orange salad is everything, If you are into blood oranges and a burrata freak like yours truly. Otherwise I guess you are on your own and totally missing out ! 

P.S. If you can’t find blood oranges for whatever reason, you can still make this with a mix of pink grapefruit and sweet oranges. After all that is exactly what blood oranges are. ~ Florentina Xo’s 

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Blood Orange Salad Recipe with Burrata & Pesto

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Author Florentina

Ingredients

• 4 blood oranges
• 1 1/2 lb burrata cheese
• 1/4 c pine nuts toasted
• 10 leaves small basil
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Basil Pesto

• 2 c basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• 4 tbsp pine nuts
• 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c parmigiano reggianno grated
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• sea salt to taste

Instructions

• Using a sharp knife peel the blood oranges and cut them into thin slices.
• Pat dry the burrata cheese and using your fingers tear it into big pieces. Place on a serving platter and surround with the sliced blood oranges.
• Make the basil pesto. Add the 2 cups of basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and the olive oil to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and transfer to a bowl.
• Stir the parmigiano reggianno cheese into the pesto together with the lemon juice. Adjust seasonings to taste with sea salt and more lemon juice.
• Spoon the basil pesto over the blood oranges and burrata, sprinkle with the pine nuts and garnish with the basil.