Burrata is not high in lactose. It contains roughly 1 to 2 grams of lactose per 100 grams, which places it well below the threshold that causes symptoms for most people with lactose intolerance. That said, burrata is a fresh cheese, and the way it’s made, served, and portioned all affect how much lactose actually ends up on your plate.
Why Burrata Is Relatively Low in Lactose
Cheesemaking naturally strips out most of the lactose from milk. Bacteria added during production convert lactose into lactic acid, and when the liquid whey drains away, it carries most of the remaining lactose with it. Only about 5% of the lactose originally present in milk ends up in the finished cheese.
Aged cheeses like parmesan and cheddar go a step further. During months of ripening, bacteria continue breaking down whatever lactose survived the initial process, often reducing it to nearly zero. Burrata doesn’t get that benefit. It’s a fresh cheese, eaten within days of being made, so the small amount of residual lactose stays put. That’s why burrata lands at 1 to 2 grams per 100 grams: low compared to milk, but higher than a well-aged cheese.
How Serving Size Changes the Picture
A standard burrata ball weighs about 125 grams, though larger 200- or even 250-gram portions are common at restaurants. At the low end, a single 125-gram ball delivers roughly 1.25 to 2.5 grams of lactose. A larger 250-gram ball could contain up to about 5 grams. Neither amount is enormous, but the difference matters if you’re sensitive.
For context, research from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases suggests that many people with lactose intolerance can handle up to 12 grams of lactose in a single sitting (about the amount in a cup of milk) without symptoms or with only mild ones. A typical burrata serving falls well under that ceiling. If your intolerance is on the milder side, a full ball of burrata is unlikely to cause trouble. If you’re highly sensitive, splitting a ball or sticking to a smaller portion gives you more margin.
The Creamy Center Is the Wild Card
Burrata is essentially a mozzarella shell stuffed with a mixture of soft curd (stracciatella) and cream. That inner filling is what makes burrata rich and indulgent, but it’s also the part that carries the most lactose. Fresh cream retains more lactose than the stretched-curd outer shell, which has been worked and drained more thoroughly during production.
This doesn’t change the overall numbers dramatically, but it means that scooping out mostly the creamy center (as many people do) concentrates your lactose intake slightly more than eating equal portions of the shell. It’s a small difference, not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing if you’re tracking your tolerance closely.
Buffalo Milk vs. Cow Milk Burrata
Traditional burrata from southern Italy is made with water buffalo milk, though most burrata sold outside Italy uses cow milk. Buffalo milk is richer across the board, with more fat, protein, and lactose than cow milk. A buffalo-milk burrata will taste creamier and may contain marginally more lactose than a cow-milk version, though both still fall in the low range after the cheesemaking process removes most of it.
If you see “burrata di bufala” on a menu or label, expect a slightly richer product in every sense. For most people with mild to moderate lactose intolerance, the difference between the two versions is negligible. If you’re extremely sensitive, cow-milk burrata is the safer bet.
How Burrata Compares to Other Cheeses
- Parmesan, aged cheddar, Gruyère: Virtually zero lactose after months of aging. The safest choices for lactose intolerance.
- Mozzarella: Similar to burrata’s outer shell, around 1 to 3 grams per 100 grams. Slightly less lactose overall because there’s no cream filling.
- Ricotta: Higher than burrata, typically 3 to 5 grams per 100 grams, because it’s made from whey and retains more lactose.
- Cottage cheese: Around 3 to 4 grams per 100 grams. Another fresh cheese that holds onto more lactose than burrata.
- Cream cheese: Roughly 3 to 4 grams per 100 grams. The high cream content keeps lactose levels up.
Burrata sits toward the lower end of the fresh-cheese spectrum. It’s not as safe as a long-aged hard cheese, but it’s a better option than ricotta, cottage cheese, or cream cheese if lactose is a concern.
Tips for Eating Burrata With Lactose Sensitivity
Pairing burrata with other foods slows digestion and can reduce the intensity of any lactose-related symptoms. Eating it alongside bread, salad, or a grain dish means the lactose reaches your gut more gradually rather than all at once. This is one reason burrata served as part of an antipasto spread tends to be easier on the stomach than eating a whole ball on its own.
If you know your tolerance is low, a lactase enzyme supplement taken right before eating can help break down the lactose before it causes discomfort. These are widely available over the counter and work well for the small amounts of lactose found in fresh cheeses like burrata.