White Margarita Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.

Halve and season tomatoes

Cut the roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. Place them cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Add the whole garlic cloves (no need to peel, but you can lightly crush them in their skins to encourage roasting). Sprinkle the tomatoes and garlic with the 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and the 2 tbs thyme leaves. Toss gently to coat and distribute thyme.

Roast

Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until tomatoes are soft, slightly charred at the edges, and the garlic is fragrant and softened. If tomatoes are large, roast up to 35 minutes.

Cool and peel garlic

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins (discard skins) into a bowl with the tomatoes.

Blend base with mozzarella and parmesan

Transfer the roasted tomatoes and squeezed garlic to a food processor or blender. Add torn mozzarella (reserve a few small pieces for texture if desired) and grated Parmesan. Pulse until mostly smooth but still slightly textured. If the mixture is too thick or stiff, add up to 2 tbs heavy cream and pulse once or twice to loosen to a spreadable, creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with a small pinch of salt and pepper if needed.

Warm gently (optional)

If you prefer this warm, transfer the blended mixture to a small saucepan and warm over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until just heated through. Do not overheat — keep creamy.

Assemble base on serving platter

Spread the roasted tomato-mozzarella-parmesan mixture onto a serving platter or shallow bowl, creating a shallow well in the center for the burrata.

Add burrata and garnish

Place the fresh burrata ball in the center. Tear it open with a knife so the creamy interior spills onto the tomato base. Scatter the torn basil leaves and reserved small mozzarella pieces around. Sprinkle the remaining 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper over the dish, drizzle 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil over the burrata, and tuck 1–2 thyme sprigs for aroma. If using, grate 1 tsp lemon zest over the burrata for brightness.

Serve with bread

Serve immediately with slices of crusty bread or warm crostini for spreading. Encourage guests to combine burrata, tomato mixture and basil on each bite.

Leftovers: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving; add a fresh drizzle of olive oil and torn basil.