Boursin Mac & Cheese
If baked feta pasta walked so Boursin mac and cheese could run, this is the dish that won the race. The genius is in the shortcut: instead of making a roux and slowly building a cheese sauce, you melt an entire round of Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs into warm cream right in the baking dish, then stir in sharp cheddar and nutty Gruyère until it becomes the most luxurious, foolproof cheese sauce you've ever made. The Boursin brings built-in garlic, herbs, and tang — all the flavor work is done for you. It's weeknight-easy but tastes like a restaurant spent an hour on it. Serve it alongside a crisp Caesar Salad and you've got the comfort meal of the summer. Yes, summer — this is too good to save for winter.
Dinner · Vegetarian, Comfort Food, Quick · 35 min
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni (or cavatappi, shells, or fusilli)
- 1 package (5.2 ounces) Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese, at room temperature
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
- 1 cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- For the topping: ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley
- Kosher salt for pasta water
Get Our Free 5-Ingredient Summer Dinners PDF
10 effortless recipes with 5 ingredients or fewer — delivered to your inbox, plus one thoughtful recipe every week.
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente — it will continue cooking in the oven. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, place the room-temperature Boursin cheese in the center of a 9×13-inch baking dish (or a 10-inch cast-iron skillet). Pour the heavy cream and milk around the Boursin. Transfer the dish to the preheated oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, until the Boursin is soft and the cream is bubbling at the edges.
- Remove the dish from the oven. Use a whisk or fork to mash and stir the Boursin into the warm cream until smooth and fully incorporated — it should look like a creamy, herby Alfredo sauce.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Add the grated cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan to the Boursin cream mixture in the baking dish, along with the Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Stir until the cheese melts into a smooth, glossy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until it reaches a pourable but rich consistency.
- Fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce, stirring gently until every noodle is coated. Smooth the top into an even layer.
- In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened. Sprinkle the buttered panko evenly over the mac and cheese.
- Bake at 350°F for 15–18 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. For extra-crispy topping, switch to broil for the last 1–2 minutes — watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
- Let the mac and cheese rest for 5 minutes out of the oven (it'll set up slightly). Sprinkle with chopped chives or parsley and serve hot, scooping down through that golden crust into the creamy, herby pasta below.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
Assemble the entire dish through step 5 (before adding the breadcrumb topping), cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, add the panko topping and bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes (from cold) until hot and bubbly. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking if you have the time.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave with a splash of milk, or reheat the whole dish covered with foil at 325°F for 15–20 minutes. The Boursin-based sauce reheats more gracefully than traditional mac — it stays creamy. Freeze for up to 2 months in a well-sealed container; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered. The panko topping will soften after freezing; refresh under the broiler for 2 minutes to re-crisp.
Substitutions
Any Boursin flavor works — Shallot & Chive or Pepper are excellent. Swap half the cheddar for smoked Gouda or fontina for a different profile. No Gruyère? Use all sharp cheddar or add Swiss and a little extra Parmesan. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly thinner). Gluten-free pasta and GF panko work perfectly. Add-ins: fold in sautéed mushrooms, crispy bacon bits, steamed broccoli florets, or pulled rotisserie chicken before baking to make it a one-dish meal.
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
