Grilled Mango Burrata Salad with Bacon is a summery tasting plate of crispy fried bacon, asparagus and bright yellow, sweet mango. Coming together with a simple vinaigrette for a quick lunch or dinner, the burrata adding just the right amount of indulgence, that will have you feel satisfied, yet light and ready for the rest of the day.

Grilled Mango Burrata Salad with Bacon on a large plate lined with greens, topped with avocado and cherry tomatoes.

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Why You Will Love This
The Ingredients
The Process
Meal Prep

Why You Will Love This

Quick

I was going on a few adventures last week, visiting Howth for the first time (honestly, I don’t get out half as much as I want to!), strolling along the sea, slurping a few very decadent feeling oysters at a stall right beside the marina and having some incredible fish and chips later when the sun was going down.
I don’t know what it is, but seafood in all forms except Sushi, only feels right to eat near the sea. To me anyway. Am I alone with that?

There was so much to do this week with assembling a few furniture pieces I got for my hallway, mainly to store all my props and dishes for food photography (that’s always my reason when I get new pieces for the kitchen: It’s a prop! That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it. ), of which I clearly have too many, yet never enough, considering how every single kitchen store magically draws me in.

What I’m trying to say is: I had very little time to cook, yet wanted something reasonably healthy after the greasy fish and chips, hence I decided on this salad. And it was so good, I had to share it with you.

A Spring Salad that feels like early Summer

With the first Asparagus appearing in the shops, bright green, thin stalks, that are so tender, you barely need to cook them, this is just as much a salad as it is a satisfying spring vegetable dish.

Of course this early we barely have any fruit around, though you could certainly use strawberries if you find reasonably ripe ones.

I used fresh mango, which is available most of the year. It gets even juicier and more aromatic when griddled just a bit, resembling the warmth of a fruit just from the tree, juicy and sweet.

Bacon Makes everything better

I say bacon, but I really mean Pancetta, fried to perfect crispness, which is the obvious accompaniment to asparagus I feel. The intense saltiness tempering it’s bitter notes but emphasizing the buttery sweet ones. It also pushes the sweetness of said griddled mango to the front, just to be enveloped in the creamy burrata. Which acts like a sauce and protein at the same time, releasing a creamy and flaky stracciatella onto the gently bitter baby leaves underneath.

5 of your 5 a day

This salad sneaks in all 5 of your 5 a day with greens, mango, asparagus, tomatoes and avocado, yet no one will even notice as it feels more like a feast than a salad with the pancetta and burrata.

A Vinaigrette to make flavors pop

A simple vinaigrette with Lime, fresh basil and honey is all you need to tie this feast of a salad together. Maybe some cherry tomatoes and creamy avocado and a hunk of good fresh sourdough bread, to mop up all the salty-sweet and creamy juices. A sigh of satisfaction is certain, when munching through this salad.

Very little work

A little pan frying of bacon and asparagus and griddling of mango is all this colourful plate takes, before you can tuck in. Easily manageable even on a busy worknight.

The Ingredients

Salad

Mango – Use a ripe but firm one, so it doesn’t fall apart when grilling
Pancetta – I used very thinly sliced pancetta, but bacon in whatever your favourite thickness is, works too. The salty crunchy bits, even though it’s just a few strips, take the salad from healthy to indulgent.
Asparagus – Thin and fresh spears. Look for asparagus with ends that still look relatively fresh cut. Obviously arriving in your supermarket, they will be dry, but they shouldn’t look brown or woody. Choosing thin ones means you only have to fry them for a few minutes and there is no need to peel.
Cherry tomatoes – While not in season, these have the most concentrated tomato flavor (and frankly, at least in Ireland, even when in season).
Greens – I used baby spinach for its mild leaves and arugula, for a bit of peppery contrast. Use whatever greens you enjoy or have around.
Burrata – An Italian cheese with the outer shell made of mozzarella, while the filling is made of cream and tiny mozzarella pieces, making for an amazingly creamy addition to many dishes. If you can’t find it, use fresh mozzarella instead. It will be just as delicious.
Avocado – Adds another creamy layer and healthy fats.

Vinaigrette

I made a very simple, yet zesty vinaigrette from limes, olive oil, some honey for balance, basil (fresh is best, but if you don’t have it, use dried and let the vinaigrette stand for a little, so the basil can rehydrate) plus of course salt and pepper. Burrata, pancetta and avocado all add creamy mouthfeel and flavor, so the dressing is mainly there to support them and add acidity.

The Process

Prepare the Salad

Start by washing your greens and spinning them dry. This bit is important, so the water on them doesn’t dilute the dressing later.
If they feel a little limp, you can leave them in the cold water bath while you prepare the rest of your salad, and they will perk up. Arrange on a large plate.

Take the burrata out of the fridge, drain and arrange on the salad plate. Wait with breaking it open until the moment you want to eat it, as the luscious, creamy filling spilling out is the moment that will have everyone drooling.

Half the cherry tomatoes and arrange on top of the greens. If you are meal prepping for a few days, I would only chop the portion of tomatoes for 1 day, as they lose their flavor when kept in the fridge.

Cut the Avocado in half, remove the stone and, with a sharp knife, gently slice it while still in it’s skin. Then use a large tablespoon, to scoop it out and drape over the greens while fanning it out gently. Drizzle with a little lime vinaigrette to prevent browning.

Prepare your vinaigrette

Mix all ingredients in a jam jar with tight fitting lid and shake vigorously. Alternatively use a whisk to emulsify. The vinaigrette will separate while it stands, so briefly remix before drizzling over your salad.

Drizzle a little of the vinaigrette over the greens and tomatoes.

Prepare Asparagus and Mango

Chop the dry ends off your asparagus, briefly rinse it, then pat dry.

Peel the mango. I use a vegetable peeler for this, to keep as much of the fruit flesh as possible. Chop both sides off the stone, to end up with 2 larger mango pieces. Cut them diagonally into ¼ inch slices. Cut the rest of the mango, that is too small for slices into cubes that will go on the salad without griddling. Put aside.

Fry

Pre-heat 2 pans on medium high heat: One with a griddle (I use the Lodge Cast iron griddle pan*) and a non-stick or flat cast iron pan*.

Line a plate with a paper towel.

In the non-stick pan start by frying your pancetta or bacon until crispy on both sides. Using tongs, remove them onto the prepared plate, so they can crisp up and drain the excess fat.

Leave the fat they released while frying in the pan.

In the bacon pan, fry your asparagus spears for about 3-4 minutes until tender crisp. This might take a little longer if you have thicker spears. Trust your feel and taste on how you like them. Season with a little salt.

Brush your griddle pan with a bit of oil and lay the mango slices into it, so the griddle pattern goes across. Leave to fry until you have pretty dark griddle marks on them, and they come apart from the pan easily. Turn and do the same on the other side.

Note:

If your mango is very ripe, you might want to griddle them only on one side, as they will get too soft otherwise.

Serve

Drape the asparagus spears, mango and bacon on top of your salad. You can either keep it in sections as I did or divide it evenly over the greens.

Drizzle everything with the remaining dressing. Break open the burrata when ready to eat and enjoy with a hunk of fresh sourdough bread (This Sourdough Buckwheat No-Knead Bread feels pre-destined for it if you care to make your own), to mop up the delicious juices.

Grilled Mango Burrata Salad with Bacon on a large plate lined with greens, topped with avocado and cherry tomatoes, the burrata broken open, revealing the creamy insides.

Meal Prep

If you prepare this as salad for a few days keep the ingredients in separate lidded containers, so they stay fresh and perky. Briefly microwave the mango and asparagus for a few seconds if you like. Though they are good cold too. But I love the contrast of warm mango and cold burrata.

Unfortunately, right after this dish (thank god I got the photos for it done!) my 13 year old former gaming and now photo studio PC broke with the evil blue screen of death. It served me well for all those years. May it rest in pieces.
So I had to order a new one (or balancing precariously on a ladder for overhead shots, which, honestly, I’m too old for!), in order to tether my camera to it and see what on earth I’m doing without risking falling off said ladder and smash my food. It’ll be about 2 weeks before it arrives, so there likely won’t be a post during that time. At least not a new recipe post. Though I have a few others planned that might be helpful.

Ingredients for the Grilled Mango Burrata Salad with Bacon prepared in separate containers for meal prep.

The Blue Screen of Death and other ramblings

But I’ll be using the time to take a course on videos and a few other topics that will help me create better content for you. And lots of recipe testing. I seriously need more human guineapigs to test them on.
Right now the few friends living close enough and mostly horsey people around the yard get to enjoy my testing. Otherwise my freezer would burst at the seams.

I feel I need a fridge/freezer akin to “The Luggage” from Terry Pratchett, with endless room and the capability to eat intruders. Though I’m reasonably sure Wookie might do a good job of that if given half a chance.

If you enjoyed this salad, here are some others you might like:

Lentil Mango Salad with Mango Coconut Lime Chicken

Grilled Peach Mozzarella Salad

Chinese Duck Pancake Salad with Plum Dressing

Strawberry Black Pudding Salad

Grilled Mango Burrata Salad with Bacon

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Fusion

Servings

Calories 273 kcal

Equipment