This burrata martini is a creamy, savory twist on the classic dirty martini, made with vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine, and burrata liquid from your container. It's silky and salty, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and cracked black pepper. And those burrata-stuffed olives on the pick? They look a little like eyeballs, which makes this the easiest Halloween martini you'll make all season.
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AT A GLANCE
A burrata martini is a dirty martini made with vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine, and burrata brine; the liquid burrata cheese is packed in. Burrata brine adds a soft, milky saltiness and a silky texture you won't get from olive brine alone. This recipe is for dirty martini fans and anyone hosting a Halloween or fall happy hour who wants a new, savory cocktail. It includes a step-by-step method for burrata-stuffed olives, substitutions, garnish ideas, and a big-batch version for 8.
You'll Love This Burrata Martini
It's a dirty martini with a smoother finish. The burrata brine takes the sharp edge off the olive brine, so every sip tastes rich and rounded instead of just salty.
Nothing goes to waste. You were going to pour that burrata water down the drain anyway. Here it becomes the star of the drink, and the cheese becomes the garnish.
The garnish does the Halloween work for you. Bright green olives stuffed with creamy white burrata look like little eyeballs on a pick. No food coloring, no fake blood, just a spooky look that tastes amazing.
Burrata Martini Ingredients
Vodka. A clean, smooth vodka lets the brines shine. I use Tito's or Ketel One for martinis because they're easy to find and never taste harsh.
Dry vermouth. Just a half ounce adds a little herbal depth so the drink doesn't taste flat. Dolin Dry is my go-to. Keep your vermouth in the fridge once it's open, since it's a wine and goes stale on the counter.
Olive brine. This is what makes it dirty. Use the brine straight from your jar of Castelvetrano olives so the flavor matches your garnish.
Burrata brine. This is the liquid your burrata is packed in. It's lightly salty, a little milky, and gives the martini a soft, silky texture. Save every drop when you open the container.
Freshly cracked black pepper. A few cracks on top add a little bite and make the drink smell amazing as you take a sip.
Olive oil. A few drops floated on top give the drink a glossy finish and a peppery, fruity note, like the drizzle you'd put on a plate of burrata. Use a good extra virgin olive oil here.
Castelvetrano olives. These bright green olives are buttery and mild, not overly briny. Buy them pitted so they're ready to stuff.
Burrata cheese. You'll use the creamy center to stuff the olives. One ball makes plenty of olives for a party. Serve any leftover burrata as a burrata caprese appetizer alongside your martinis.
How to Make a Burrata Martini
This recipe makes 1 martini.
- Chill your glass. Fill a martini glass or coupe with ice water, or pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes while you mix.
- Add vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine, and burrata brine to an ice-filled cocktail shaker.
- Shake for about 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker feels very cold. Shaking gives the burrata brine a soft, silky texture.
- Dump the ice water out of your glass and strain the martini in.
- Float a few drops of olive oil on top, then finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Garnish with 2 to 3 burrata-stuffed olives on a cocktail pick, and serve right away.
How to Make Burrata Stuffed Olives
These take about 5 minutes and make the whole drink.
- Slice open the burrata ball and scoop the creamy center into a small Ziploc baggie.
- Gather your pitted Castelvetrano olives in a bowl and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- When you're ready to stuff the olives, cut a small hole in one corner of the baggie.
- Carefully squeeze the cheese into each olive.
- Place 2 to 3 olives on a cocktail pick when you're ready to serve.
Why I do it this way: the Ziploc trick works just like a piping bag, without buying one. Keep the hole small. You can always snip it bigger, but a big hole gets messy fast. Stuff the olives right before your guests arrive and keep them in the fridge until you serve.
Save the burrata's outer shell. Tear it over a salad or toast, or set it out on your snack board.
PS - If you love these martini glasses, they're on Amazon!
Substitutions and Variations
Swap the vodka for gin if you prefer a gin martini. A London dry gin adds herbal notes that pair well with olive and cheese.
Use mozzarella brine if you can't find burrata. Fresh mozzarella balls packed in liquid work the same way, though they taste a little milder.
Use blue cheese stuffed olives if you don't want to stuff your own. They're a stronger, saltier garnish but still feel savory and fun.
Make it extra dirty by bumping the olive brine up to 1 ounce. Taste first, since burrata brine already adds salt.
Make it spicy by drizzling a few drops of Calabrian chili oil over the top instead of plain olive oil. If you love heat, try my hot and dirty martini next.
Love savory cocktails as much as this burrata martini? Try my salt and vinegar martini, giardiniera martini, or French onion soup martini next.
Garnish Ideas
- Burrata stuffed olives on a pick, for the "eyeball" look
- Burrata stuffed olives with a tiny dot of black olive or a black peppercorn pressed in as a pupil
- A small basil leaf tucked beside the pick, like a caprese salad
- A thin ribbon of prosciutto wrapped around the olives
- Flaky sea salt and a little extra cracked pepper on top
My go-to is three burrata stuffed olives on a black cocktail pick. It's simple, it's spooky, and it's basically a snack in your glass.
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How to Make a Big Batch of This Burrata Martini
This big batch makes 8 martinis, and you can mix it ahead so you don't have to shake drinks all night.
Combine in a pitcher or large bottle:
- 16 oz vodka
- 4 oz dry vermouth
- 6 oz olive brine
- 8 oz burrata brine
- 6 oz cold water
The water stands in for the melted ice you'd get from shaking, so the drinks taste right straight from the fridge.
Chill the batch for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. Keep it under a day since burrata brine is a fresh dairy product. Depending on the brand, one container of burrata may not give you 8 ounces of brine, so plan on 2 containers for a full batch. Bonus: that's more cheese for your olives.
To serve, give the batch a quick stir, since the burrata brine can settle. Pour about 5 ounces into each chilled glass, then add the olive oil, pepper, and olive pick right before serving. You can stuff all the olives and load the picks ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge.
Burrata Martini FAQs
Burrata water is the lightly salted liquid that fresh burrata is packed in to keep it moist. It tastes mildly salty and milky, and bartenders use it in cocktails for its savory flavor and silky texture.
Yes, the liquid burrata is packed in is safe to drink as long as the cheese is fresh and within its date. It's mostly water, salt, and a little whey from the cheese. Keep it refrigerated and use it within a day of opening.
A burrata martini tastes like a smoother, creamier dirty martini. It's salty and savory from the olive brine, with a soft milky finish from the burrata brine. The olive oil and black pepper on top make it taste like a sip of a caprese plate.
Yes, the liquid from fresh mozzarella works as a swap for burrata water. It's a little milder and less creamy, so your martini will taste closer to a classic dirty martini. Use the same amount.
Pin It for Later!
Save this Boo-Rata Dirty Martini to your Halloween or fall cocktails board on Pinterest so it's ready when it's time to plan your spooky season happy hour.
Want More Halloween Cocktails?
- Poison Apple Martini
- Candy Corn Martini
- Ghost in the Graveyard Cocktail
- Headless Horseman Cocktail
- Easy Halloween Cocktails with Vodka
Boo-Rata Dirty Martini (Burrata Martini)
This burrata martini is a creamy, savory twist on the classic dirty martini, made with vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine, and the liquid from your container of burrata. It's silky, salty, and topped with a drizzle of olive oil and cracked black pepper.
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- ½ oz dry vermouth
- 1 oz olive brine
- 1 oz burrata brine
- freshly cracked black pepper, for garnish
- olive oil drizzle, for garnish
- burrata stuffed olives
Instructions
- Chill your glass. Fill a martini glass or coupe with ice water, or pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes while you mix.
- Add vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine, and burrata brine to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake for about 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker feels very cold. Shaking gives the burrata brine a soft, silky texture on top.
- Dump the ice water out of your glass and strain the martini in.
- Float a few drops of olive oil on top, then finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Garnish with 2 to 3 burrata stuffed olives on a cocktail pick and serve right away.
Notes
How to Make Burrata Stuffed Olives
These take about 5 minutes and make the whole drink.
- Slice open your ball of burrata and scoop the creamy center into a small Ziploc baggie.
- Gather your pitted Castelvetrano olives in a bowl and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- When you're ready to stuff the olives, cut a small hole in one corner of the baggie.
- Carefully squeeze the cheese into each olive.
- Place 2 to 3 olives on a cocktail pick when you're ready to serve.
Why I do it this way: the Ziploc trick works just like a piping bag, without buying one. Keep the hole small. You can always snip it bigger, but a big hole gets messy fast. Stuff the olives right before your guests arrive and keep them in the fridge until you serve.
Save the outer shell of the burrata. Tear it over a salad or toast, or set it out on your snack board.
Substitutions and Variations
Swap the vodka for gin if you prefer a gin martini. A London dry gin adds herbal notes that pair well with olive and cheese.
Use mozzarella brine if you can't find burrata. Fresh mozzarella balls packed in liquid work the same way, though the flavor is a little milder.
Use blue cheese stuffed olives if you don't want to stuff your own. They're a stronger, saltier garnish but still feel savory and fun.
Make it extra dirty by bumping the olive brine up to 1 ounce. Taste first, since burrata brine already adds salt.
Make it spicy with a few drops of Calabrian chili oil instead of plain olive oil on top.
Garnish Ideas
- Burrata stuffed olives on a pick, for the "eyeball" look
- Burrata stuffed olives with a tiny dot of black olive or a black peppercorn pressed in as a pupil
- A small basil leaf tucked beside the pick, like a caprese salad
- A thin ribbon of prosciutto wrapped around the olives
- Flaky sea salt and a little extra cracked pepper on top
My go-to is three burrata stuffed olives on a black cocktail pick. It's simple, it's spooky, and it's basically a snack in your glass.
How to Make a Big Batch of This Burrata Martini
This big batch makes 8 martinis, and you can mix it ahead so you're not shaking drinks all night.
Combine in a pitcher or large bottle:
- 16 oz vodka
- 4 oz dry vermouth
- 6 oz olive brine
- 8 oz burrata brine
- 6 oz cold water
The water stands in for the melted ice you'd get from shaking, so the drinks taste right straight from the fridge.
Chill the batch for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. Keep it under a day since burrata brine is a fresh dairy product. Depending on the brand, one container of burrata may not give you 8 ounces of brine, so plan on 2 containers for a full batch. Bonus: that's more cheese for your olives.
To serve, give the batch a quick stir, since the burrata brine can settle. Pour about 5 ounces into each chilled glass, then add the olive oil, pepper, and olive pick to each one right before serving. You can stuff all the olives and load the picks ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge.
