Burrata is a nutrient-dense cheese that delivers solid protein and calcium, but it’s also high in saturated fat. Whether it fits into a healthy diet depends largely on portion size and what else you’re eating. A 100-gram serving (roughly one small ball) packs 330 calories, 28 grams of fat, and 18 grams of protein.
What’s in a Serving of Burrata
Burrata is essentially a shell of fresh mozzarella filled with a soft, creamy mixture of curd and cream. That cream-filled center is what sets it apart nutritionally from regular mozzarella. Per 100 grams, burrata contains about 330 calories, 18 grams of protein, 28 grams of total fat, and 18 grams of saturated fat. It also provides around 350 milligrams of calcium, which covers a significant chunk of the roughly 1,000 milligrams most adults need daily. You’ll also get some vitamin A, about 7% of the daily value per serving.
Sodium is moderate. A typical one-ounce (28-gram) portion contains around 140 milligrams, or about 6% of the daily value. That’s comparable to fresh mozzarella and considerably lower than aged cheeses like parmesan or feta.
How Burrata Compares to Mozzarella
Ounce for ounce, burrata and fresh mozzarella have similar calorie counts, both landing around 85 calories per 28-gram serving. The real difference is saturated fat. Burrata contains about 6.3 grams of saturated fat per ounce, compared to 3.5 grams for regular mozzarella. That’s nearly double, and it comes from the cream filling. Sodium is almost identical between the two, around 175 to 178 milligrams per ounce.
If you’re choosing between them for everyday use, mozzarella gives you a similar protein and calcium profile with significantly less saturated fat. Burrata makes more sense as an occasional indulgence than a daily staple.
Saturated Fat and Heart Health
The biggest nutritional concern with burrata is saturated fat. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans maintain the recommendation to keep saturated fat at or below 10% of daily calories. For someone eating 2,000 calories a day, that’s about 22 grams. A single 100-gram ball of burrata nearly hits that ceiling on its own at 18 grams.
That said, the relationship between dairy fat and heart disease is more nuanced than it used to seem. The American College of Cardiology notes that while cheese does raise LDL cholesterol compared to unsaturated fat sources, overall dairy food consumption has not been consistently linked to increased cardiovascular risk. There may be something about the way fat behaves in the matrix of cheese, surrounded by protein and calcium, that differs from butter or red meat fat. Still, the strongest evidence for heart health points toward diets rich in unprocessed plant foods, like the Mediterranean and DASH patterns, rather than diets heavy in full-fat dairy.
Protein and Satiety
Burrata’s 18 grams of protein per 100-gram serving is a meaningful amount. Dairy protein is roughly 80% casein and 20% whey, and these two proteins affect hunger differently. Whey suppresses appetite quickly but briefly, while casein digests slowly and keeps you feeling full over a longer window. This slow-digesting quality means a serving of burrata at lunch may help you eat less later in the day, though the effect depends on what you pair it with and your overall calorie intake.
The combination of fat and protein also slows digestion, which can help stabilize blood sugar after a meal. Pairing burrata with fiber-rich foods like tomatoes, whole grain bread, or a leafy salad amplifies this effect.
Lactose Tolerance
Burrata is made from mozzarella and cream, both of which are relatively low in lactose. Fresh mozzarella typically contains between 1 and 3 grams of lactose per 100 grams, and most people with lactose intolerance can handle up to 10 grams in a sitting without significant symptoms. Burrata is not lactose-free, but it’s generally tolerable for people with mild sensitivity. If you have a true cow’s milk allergy (an immune reaction rather than a digestive one), burrata is not safe regardless of lactose content.
Burrata During Pregnancy
The concern with soft cheeses during pregnancy is listeria, a bacteria that thrives in moist, soft dairy products. Burrata made from pasteurized milk is considered safe. Most commercial burrata sold in the U.S. and UK uses pasteurized milk, but it’s worth checking the label, especially if you’re buying from a specialty shop or importing it. The NHS guidelines list pasteurized soft cheeses like mozzarella, ricotta, and cream cheese as safe during pregnancy, and burrata falls into the same category when pasteurized. Artisanal or raw-milk versions should be avoided unless cooked until steaming hot.
Where Burrata Fits in Your Diet
Burrata’s macronutrient breakdown, about 84% of calories from fat, 13% from protein, and 3% from carbs, makes it a natural fit for low-carb and ketogenic eating patterns. It also works well in Mediterranean-style meals when used as a garnish rather than the main event. A few tablespoons of torn burrata over a caprese salad or on top of grilled vegetables gives you the flavor and richness without the full 330-calorie hit of eating an entire ball.
Portion control is the practical answer to whether burrata is healthy. A quarter of a standard ball (about 25 grams) adds roughly 80 calories and 4.5 grams of saturated fat to a meal. That’s a reasonable amount for most people eating an otherwise balanced diet. Treating burrata as a flavor accent, the way you’d use a drizzle of good olive oil, lets you enjoy it regularly without overloading on saturated fat. Using it as the centerpiece of a meal, where you eat a full ball in one sitting, pushes your saturated fat intake to a level that’s hard to balance out for the rest of the day.