Fig, Burrata & Rocket Salad

Nestled beside the railroad tracks amidst the best antique shops Howard Avenue has to offer, there is a little Italian deli called DeliClub in Kensington, Maryland. Whenever I am in the area, I stop in and hope their fig, burrata & rocket salad is on the menu that day. Of course, living in Ireland means I need to learn from the inspiration to create a version at home. You may have seen me post about this salad on my Instagram. Well, by popular demand, I’m sharing my recipe.

Burrata, fig, arugula, and pecan salad. Photo by Evin Bail O'Keeffe

This salad is a delicious combination of sweet and tangy flavors, with a creamy and crunchy texture. The balsamic vinaigrette complements the sweetness of the dried figs, while the nuts add a nutty crunch to the dish. The creamy burrata cheese rounds out the flavors, making this a truly enjoyable salad. It works equally well with mozzarella cheese. The recipe is flexible and forgiving. After the recipe, I explain how I’ve adapted this for a quick picnic lunch in a thermos.

The creamy, soft buffalo milk cheeses are versatile and well paired with a wide variety of salad greens, fruit, nuts, and vinaigrettes to create different flavor combinations. It’s a salad MVP with its texture, versatility, and richness. Added bonus that Toon’s Bridge Dairy has a herd of buffalo in County Cork, so I can get local burrata and mozarella. Either of these Irish buffalo cheeses elevates a simple greens to a gourmet meal. You can learn about their dairy farm from their website. Their supple fresh mozzarella that ends up being my go-to for this salad when I don’t have burrata on-hand.

Burrata, fig, arugula, and pecan salad. Photo by Evin Bail O'Keeffe

Fig, Burrata & Rocket Salad

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 4 large dried figs, sliced (Tesco has these in the produce section with seeds & dried fruits)
  • 4 oz rocket/arugula leaves
  • 4 oz burrata or mozzarella cheese (I get mine from Toon’s Bridge Dairy)
  • 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (I prefer mine whole, as pictured)
  1. Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the shallots and dried figs to the vinaigrette.
  2. In a large bowl, add the clean rocket leaves.
  3. Add the vinaigrette to the bowl and toss gently to evenly coat the greens.
  4. Top the salad with the cheese, breaking it into pieces if necessary.
  5. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top and add a bit of freshly ground pepper.
  6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

I’ve also made a TikTok and IG Reel showing the process to make this.

On good weather days, I open and chill a thermos sans lid in the fridge while I mix the six ingredients. Then, once the thermos is chilled, I place that mixture in the bottom. After that, chop the mozzarella or burrata to go atop that and finish with a layer of rocket. I skip the nuts when it’s a picnic for the sake of allergy safety in public. I have no way of knowing who I encounter is allergic to nuts, so not worth the risk. I pack a fork and napkin then bring it with me.

Have you tried burrata in a salad? You know it’ll be amazing in a caprese too!

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