Burrata With Romano Beans and Roasted Eggplant

By Melissa Clark

Updated Oct. 17, 2023

Burrata With Romano Beans and Roasted Eggplant
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
5(362)
Comments
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Although burrata is inarguably the star of this stunning summery salad, roasted eggplant, cherry tomatoes and Romano beans add a brilliant mix of colors, textures and flavors to the creamy mozzarella. The eggplant is soft and rich; the tomatoes, juicy and sweet; and the Romano beans, which look like flat, broad green beans, add a nice crunch. Then, to season it all, the vegetables are tossed with a piquant mix of garlic oil, capers, olives and fresh herbs. Serve this as a light meal or a first course, with grilled or toasted country bread, perhaps smeared with a little of the garlic confit left over from making the garlic oil.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1¼pounds eggplant, diced in 1-inch pieces
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed for cooking beans
  • 8garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • ⅔cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
  • 6ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1½ cups)
  • 1pound Romano beans, trimmed
  • ¼cup pitted and sliced kalamata olives
  • 1tablespoon capers, drained
  • ¼cup torn fresh mint
  • ¼cup torn fresh basil
  • 2teaspoons red wine vinegar, more as needed
  • Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, as needed
  • Black pepper, as needed
  • 12ounces burrata
  • Crusty bread, toasted or grilled, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

781 calories; 57 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 33 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 1127 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put eggplant in a colander. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and let stand in the sink to drain for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, make garlic oil: Place garlic cloves in a small pot and cover with ⅓ cup olive oil. Place over very low heat and cook gently until soft and pale golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool. Mash garlic with a fork, then strain the oil into a jar or little bowl, pressing hard on the solids. (Use the solids, known as garlic confit, as a spread for bread or keep to mix into vinaigrettes or marinades. It will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator.)

  3. Step 3

    Heat oven to 450 degrees. Squeeze out as much excess liquid from eggplant as possible (or pat very dry). Toss eggplant with ⅓ cup olive oil and spread out on 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets so the pieces aren’t touching. (This makes for the best browning.) Roast, tossing once or twice, until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a bowl and toss with tomatoes and 3 tablespoons garlic oil.

  4. Step 4

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in Romano beans and cook until just tender, 3 to 6 minutes depending on their size and thickness. Drain well under cold running water. Cut into 1-inch pieces; add to bowl of eggplant.

  5. Step 5

    Toss olives, capers, mint, basil, vinegar and a little more garlic oil into salad. Season with flaky salt and pepper.

  6. Step 6

    Place cheese in the center of a serving platter and surround with salad. Drizzle with more garlic oil if you like, and sprinkle with more flaky sea salt. Serve with crusty bread.

Ratings

5 out of 5
362 user ratings
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Comments

Shiphrah

Until this week I'd never heard of burrata. On Thursday Smitten Kitchen posted a recipe with it, and now this one. I had to look it up. Where, pray tell, does one locate this wondrous & rarte thing outside metro New York? I'm in central Maine and we're lucky when we can find fresh mozzarella! Can I substitute that?

KQ

Shiphrah, Burrata is available at my Trader Joe's. If you don't have a TJs near you, look for an Italian grocery. It is a touch of heaven. But fresh mozzarella should be a worthy substitute.

Lazarus

Romano beans have a great flavor and full body texture. They are the flat green beans you often see in minestrone soup. I am a farmer and grow Romano beans and haricot verts. I guess they could both be called green beans but I probably would not substitute one for the other.

Sleepygirl3000

Loved this, also 2 thoughts. No way those eggplants are 1 inch dice, more like 2 inch.(I did 1 inch, too small) Also would increase the eggplant by 1/4-1/2 lb. Also, also…the garlic confit spread on toasted baguette is a wonder in of itself.

ralphrod

The burrata should be warmed a bit but definitely not melted. I warmed a platter in the oven, dropped a small amount of olive oil in the center, added the burrata, and let it warm for perhaps a minute. Works best if the burrata is room temperature.

Lisa F

This is so unexpectedly delicious. Have made it multiple times and enjoy it every time.

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