Kimchi Burrata Salad

Quick answer

Total time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 10

About this dish

Aged napa kimchi brings fermented tang and concentrated umami that meets the mild, milky richness of fresh burrata in a pairing that achieves harmony rather than conflict.

Peppery arugula adds a bitter counterpoint that lifts the overall weight of the dish, and halved cherry tomatoes scatter bright fruit acidity across the plate. The dressing blends perilla oil with olive oil, combining the nutty depth of Korean cuisine with the fruity character of Mediterranean cooking in a single drizzle. Pine nuts add a buttery, creamy crunch between bites that reinforces the richness of the cheese. The defining moment of this salad comes at the table, when the burrata is torn open with both hands and the soft stracciatella center spills into the surrounding ingredients. The creamy interior of the cheese mixes into the kimchi brine and perilla oil dressing, and that combination is what makes this salad more than a simple fusion exercise.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
ripe napa kimchi	120	g
burrata cheese	200	g
arugula	70	g
cherry tomatoes	120	g
red onion	40	g
perilla oil	1	tbsp
rice vinegar	1	tbsp
olive oil	1	tbsp
gochugaru	0.5	tsp
pine nuts	15	g

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Finish

Take the 200 g burrata out of the refrigerator 10 minutes before assembling.

Keep it covered on a plate so it loses its chill slightly, but do not leave it out so long that the outside starts to weep.
2

Season

Shake off heavy seasoning from the 120 g ripe napa kimchi, then cut it into 3 cm pieces.

Gently squeeze out excess brine so the salad stays glossy and seasoned, not watery or soggy.
3

Finish

Halve the 120 g cherry tomatoes so their juice can season the plate.

Slice the 40 g red onion very thinly, and make sure the 70 g arugula is dry so the leaves do not collapse under the dressing.
4

Prep

Mix 1 tablespoon each perilla oil, rice vinegar, and olive oil with 0.5 teaspoon chili flakes for the dressing.
5

Finish

Spread the arugula across a wide serving plate first, then scatter the kimchi, tomatoes, and red onion evenly over it.

Avoid piling the kimchi in one spot, or that bite will taste too salty and sharp.
6

Season

Place the burrata in the center and drizzle the dressing around and over the salad.

Sprinkle with 15 g pine nuts, then tear the cheese open just before serving so the creamy center runs into the kimchi juices.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Kimchi Burrata Salad meets fermented napa cabbage tang with mild, milky stracciatella cheese.
Finish cue: Gently squeeze out excess brine so the salad stays glossy and seasoned, not watery or soggy.
Avoid this: Keep it covered on a plate so it loses its chill slightly, but do not leave it out so long that the outside starts to weep.
Storage and reheating: Take the 200 g burrata out of the refrigerator 10 minutes before assembling.