Quick Burrata Pasta

I’ll be honest—for the longest time, I thought burrata was just fancy mozzarella that cost twice as much. Then I actually tried it, and wow, was I wrong. That creamy center is a total game-changer.

This pasta brings together burrata with prosciutto, garlic, and tomato sauce in a way that feels fancy but really isn’t complicated at all. It’s one of those dishes that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually didn’t. The burrata melts into the hot pasta and creates this rich, creamy sauce that’s way better than anything from a jar. Plus, you probably have most of these ingredients already sitting in your pantry.

What Kind of Burrata Should I Use?

Fresh burrata is always your best bet for this pasta dish, and you’ll usually find it in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. Look for burrata that feels soft and slightly heavy for its size, which means it’s packed with that creamy center we’re after. Most burrata comes in 4-ounce balls, which is perfect for this recipe, but if you can only find 8-ounce balls, just grab one and you’ll be set. Try to use your burrata within a day or two of purchase since it’s a fresh cheese that doesn’t have a long shelf life, and always let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so it gets nice and creamy.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here’s what you can do:

• Burrata: If you can’t find burrata, fresh mozzarella works well as a substitute. It won’t have that creamy center, but it’ll still give you that nice milky flavor. You could also try ricotta mixed with a bit of heavy cream for a similar creamy texture.
• Prosciutto: Swap this out for pancetta, bacon, or even thinly sliced ham. If using bacon, you might want to drain off some of the extra grease before adding the other ingredients.
• Ziti: Any tube-shaped pasta works here – penne, rigatoni, or even shells will catch the sauce nicely. Just cook according to package directions.
• White wine: Don’t have wine on hand? Use an extra ½ cup of chicken or beef broth with a splash of lemon juice or white wine vinegar to mimic that acidity.
• Half and half: You can use heavy cream for a richer sauce, or whole milk if you want something lighter. If using milk, the sauce will be a bit thinner.
• Dried herbs: Fresh herbs are always great – just triple the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated. Or use 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning to simplify things.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making burrata pasta is adding the burrata too early, which causes it to melt completely into the sauce instead of creating those creamy pockets you’re looking for – always add it at the very end and let it just soften slightly with the residual heat.

Another common error is not reducing the wine enough in step 3, so make sure it’s cooked down until it’s almost completely evaporated to avoid a harsh alcohol taste in your final dish.

Since you’re cooking the pasta directly in the sauce, keep an eye on the liquid level and have extra broth on hand to add if needed, as different pasta shapes absorb liquid at different rates.

For the best flavor, don’t skip toasting the tomato paste for the full 2 minutes – this step removes the raw taste and adds a deeper, richer flavor to your sauce.

What to Serve With Burrata Pasta?

This rich and creamy pasta is pretty filling on its own, so I like to keep the sides simple and fresh. A crisp Caesar salad or arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the creaminess of the burrata and makes for a nice contrast. Garlic bread or a warm baguette is always a good idea for soaking up any extra sauce left in your bowl. If you want to add some veggies to the meal, roasted asparagus or sautéed green beans with garlic work really well alongside this dish.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftover burrata pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce might thicken up a bit as it sits, but that’s totally normal. I’d recommend storing the burrata separately if you can, since it’s best when fresh and creamy.

Freeze: You can freeze the pasta and sauce (without the burrata) in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Just know that cream-based sauces can sometimes separate a bit when frozen, but a good stir while reheating usually brings it back together.

Reheat: Warm up your pasta on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. Add fresh burrata right before serving so it gets all melty and delicious.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1900-2100
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 100-115 g
• Carbohydrates: 145-160 g

Ingredients

For the liquid sauce base:

• 2.5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 3/4 tsp mustard powder

For the pasta:

• 4 oz prosciutto (sliced into thin ribbons)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1.5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1/2 lb ziti pasta
• 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

For the garnish:

• 8 oz burrata cheese
• Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Cook the Pasta

• 1/2 lb ziti pasta
• 2.5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 3/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 oz prosciutto, sliced into thin ribbons

While you’ll be building the sauce, start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil and cooking the ziti according to package directions—drain and set aside when finished.

Meanwhile, mince your garlic cloves, slice the prosciutto into thin ribbons, and measure out all your broth, wine, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and herbs into separate small bowls.

In another bowl, whisk together the beef broth, half and half, worcestershire sauce, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, mustard powder, and red pepper flakes to create your sauce base—this ensures even distribution of all the flavors and prevents lumps when you add it to the pot.

Step 2: Render the Prosciutto and Build the Sauce Base

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz prosciutto, sliced into thin ribbons
• 2/3 cup dry white wine

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add the prosciutto ribbons and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges begin to crisp and the fat renders out—this develops deep, savory flavor.

Remove the prosciutto with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a paper towel.

Pour the dry white wine into the same pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, and let it simmer for 4 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate the flavor.

Step 3: Create the Tomato-Herb Sauce

• 1.5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• sauce mixture from Step 1

Reduce the heat to medium and add the unsalted butter to the pot along with your minced garlic.

Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, just until fragrant—don’t let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter.

Add the tomato paste and stir it into the butter and garlic mixture, cooking for 2 minutes to caramelize it slightly and remove any raw tomato flavor.

Pour in the tomato sauce followed by the sauce mixture you prepared in Step 1, stirring well to combine all ingredients into a cohesive sauce.

Step 4: Combine the Pasta with the Sauce and Finish

• cooked ziti pasta from Step 1
• cooked prosciutto from Step 2
• 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 8 oz burrata cheese

Add the cooked ziti pasta from Step 1 to the sauce, stirring gently to coat every piece evenly.

Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the cooked prosciutto and the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until well combined—I find it helps to stir gently to prevent breaking up the pasta.

Tear the burrata cheese into bite-sized pieces and scatter them over the top of the pasta mixture without stirring them in; this lets the burrata stay creamy and creates beautiful pockets of soft cheese throughout the dish.

Step 5: Rest and Plate the Dish

• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze
• Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Remove the pot from heat, cover it with a lid, and let the pasta stand for 1-2 minutes off heat.

This gentle resting time allows the burrata to slightly warm and soften while maintaining its creamy texture, and it gives all the flavors a chance to meld together beautifully.

Divide the pasta into bowls, making sure each serving gets some of the creamy burrata cheese, and finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a handful of fresh basil chiffonade for brightness and color.

Quick Burrata Pasta

Delicious Quick Burrata Pasta recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 2000 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the liquid sauce base

• 2.5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 3/4 tsp mustard powder

For the pasta

• 4 oz prosciutto (sliced into thin ribbons)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1.5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1/2 lb ziti pasta
• 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

For the garnish

• 8 oz burrata cheese
• Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze

Instructions

 

• While you'll be building the sauce, start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil and cooking the ziti according to package directions—drain and set aside when finished. Meanwhile, mince your garlic cloves, slice the prosciutto into thin ribbons, and measure out all your broth, wine, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and herbs into separate small bowls. In another bowl, whisk together the beef broth, half and half, worcestershire sauce, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, mustard powder, and red pepper flakes to create your sauce base—this ensures even distribution of all the flavors and prevents lumps when you add it to the pot.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto ribbons and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges begin to crisp and the fat renders out—this develops deep, savory flavor. Remove the prosciutto with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a paper towel. Pour the dry white wine into the same pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, and let it simmer for 4 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate the flavor.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the unsalted butter to the pot along with your minced garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, just until fragrant—don't let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the butter and garlic mixture, cooking for 2 minutes to caramelize it slightly and remove any raw tomato flavor. Pour in the tomato sauce followed by the sauce mixture you prepared in Step 1, stirring well to combine all ingredients into a cohesive sauce.
• Add the cooked ziti pasta from Step 1 to the sauce, stirring gently to coat every piece evenly. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the cooked prosciutto and the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until well combined—I find it helps to stir gently to prevent breaking up the pasta. Tear the burrata cheese into bite-sized pieces and scatter them over the top of the pasta mixture without stirring them in; this lets the burrata stay creamy and creates beautiful pockets of soft cheese throughout the dish.
• Remove the pot from heat, cover it with a lid, and let the pasta stand for 1-2 minutes off heat. This gentle resting time allows the burrata to slightly warm and soften while maintaining its creamy texture, and it gives all the flavors a chance to meld together beautifully. Divide the pasta into bowls, making sure each serving gets some of the creamy burrata cheese, and finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a handful of fresh basil chiffonade for brightness and color.