A guide to stracciatella cheese — the creamy, shredded filling at the heart of burrata. What it is, how it's used, and how to enjoy it.
Stracciatella is the soft, creamy, stringy filling that makes burrata so luxurious — but it's also a delicious cheese in its own right, served on its own in the best Italian kitchens. Understanding stracciatella reveals exactly what makes burrata special and opens up a wonderful ingredient for home cooks.
A Note on the Name
The word stracciatella is used for a few different Italian foods, which can cause confusion. There's a Roman egg-drop soup, stracciatella alla romana, and a chocolate-flecked gelato flavor, both unrelated to cheese. The cheese version — sometimes called stracciatella di bufala or simply stracciatella — is the creamy dairy product discussed here. The name comes from stracciato, meaning "torn" or "shredded," describing its texture.
What Stracciatella Cheese Is
Stracciatella is made by tearing fresh mozzarella curd into thin shreds and bathing them in fresh cream. The result is a soft, loose, intensely creamy mixture of stringy cheese and rich cream. It originates in Puglia, in southern Italy, the same region as burrata, and is traditionally made from cow's or buffalo milk. In essence, it's the inside of a burrata, served without its mozzarella shell.
Flavor and Texture
Stracciatella is mild, sweet, and milky, with a fresh, clean, buttery flavor and a luxuriously soft, creamy, slightly stringy texture. It's all about richness and freshness rather than strong flavor — silky, delicate, and indulgent. Because it's so soft and fresh, it's at its best eaten within a day or two of being made.
Stracciatella and Burrata
The relationship is simple but worth spelling out: burrata is a mozzarella pouch filled with stracciatella. When you cut open a burrata and the creamy center spills out, that center is stracciatella. Buying stracciatella on its own lets you enjoy that beloved molten filling without the shell — and use it more freely as an ingredient.
How to Serve Stracciatella
Stracciatella is best served raw and simply. Spoon it over toasted bread or bruschetta, dollop it onto pizza after baking, spread it across a plate beneath roasted vegetables or tomatoes, or serve it with prosciutto, olive oil, and flaky salt. It's a gorgeous, lazy luxury — just a bowl of it with good bread and oil makes a memorable starter. As with burrata, heat would spoil its texture, so it's added at the end of cooking, if at all.
Pairings
Stracciatella pairs with the same fresh, bright partners as burrata: ripe tomatoes, basil, peaches, figs, olive oil, and cured meats, alongside crisp white and sparkling wines. Its richness welcomes a little acidity and salt to balance.
Buying and Storing
Stracciatella is increasingly available at good cheese counters and Italian delis, sold in tubs. It's extremely perishable — buy it fresh, keep it refrigerated, and eat it within a day or two. Bring it to room temperature briefly before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is stracciatella the same as the inside of burrata?
Yes. Stracciatella — shredded mozzarella curd in cream — is exactly the creamy filling found inside burrata.
Is stracciatella cheese related to the gelato?
No. The cheese shares a name with a gelato flavor and an Italian soup, but they're unrelated foods.
How do you eat stracciatella?
Raw and simply — on toast, pizza, or under vegetables, with olive oil and salt — eaten as fresh as possible.