Boursin Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes
- Preparation 10 min
- Cooking 20 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing Absolutely
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🥔 The mashed potatoes that will steal the show from the main course
These Boursin garlic and herb mashed potatoes are the side dish everyone will ask for at every dinner. The secret is ridiculously
simple: a block of Boursin that melts directly into the hot potatoes with butter and cream. The result is silky, fragrant
with garlic and herbs, with a richness in the mouth that transforms a basic dish into a gastronomic experience. Perfect for a Sunday
dinner, a Christmas meal, a gathering with friends, or whenever you want to impress effortlessly.
🔥 Three ingredients that change everything
The magic of this recipe is that Boursin does all the seasoning work for you. No need to measure garlic, chop herbs, or calculate salt. The
cheese already contains the perfect blend. All that’s left is to adjust the texture with cream and pepper.
It’s the kind of smart shortcut that gives restaurant-worthy results without any particular skill. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll
never go back to ordinary mashed potatoes.
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🥔 Choose the right potatoes
Yellow potatoes (Yukon Gold) are the ideal choice for creamy mashed potatoes thanks to their naturally buttery texture. Starchy potatoes (Russet) give lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes but absorb more liquid. Avoid red potatoes or fingerlings. They stay too firm and give a grainy texture.
💧 Drain the potatoes well
Excess water in potatoes is the number one enemy of good mashed potatoes. After draining them, return them to the hot pot over low heat for 30 seconds while stirring to evaporate remaining moisture. This simple step makes the difference between watery mashed potatoes and dense, silky ones.
🧈 Add butter first, cream second
Butter should always be incorporated first into the hot potatoes. The fat in butter coats the starch molecules and prevents the mashed potatoes from becoming sticky. If you add cream first, the water in the cream activates the starch and the mashed potatoes become pasty. The order of ingredients changes everything.
🧀 Boursin should be at room temperature
Take the Boursin out of the fridge 30 minutes before using it. Cold cheese doesn’t mix as evenly into hot potatoes and risks leaving chunks. At room temperature, it melts instantly on contact with the hot mashed potatoes for perfect flavor distribution.
⚠️ Never use a food processor or blender
A food processor overworks the potato starch and turns mashed potatoes into glue. Use a potato masher, ricer, or sieve for perfect texture. A masher gives slightly rustic mashed potatoes with character, a ricer gives smooth, homogeneous results.
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Ingredients
- 2 lb (1 kg) yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- ¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream (35%), plus more as needed
- 5 oz (150 g) Boursin garlic and herbs
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
For serving
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Olive oil
- Fleur de sel
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Preparation
- Cook the potatoes in a large pot of well-salted water until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
- Mash with the butter, cream, and Boursin. Add a little more cream if the texture is too thick. Taste before salting, as the Boursin already seasons well. Season with pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh chopped parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of fleur de sel.
Boursin garlic and herbs already contains a good dose of salt, garlic, and herbs. In most cases, you’ll only need a turn of the pepper mill. Always taste before salting. Excess salt with Boursin can make the mashed potatoes too salty quickly.
Yes. They reheat well in the microwave or in a pot over low heat with a little extra cream to restore their silky texture. You can also keep them warm in a double boiler for up to 30 minutes before serving. They keep for 3 days in the refrigerator.
Plain cream cheese with chopped garlic and fresh herbs can work in a pinch, but the result won’t be identical. Boursin has a richer texture and more concentrated seasoning. Philadelphia with herbs is the closest substitute.
Boursin garlic and herbs is the classic and best choice for this recipe. Boursin shallot and chives also works very well for a milder variation. Avoid Boursin pepper. It dominates the potato flavor too much.
Yes. Replace the heavy cream with hot whole milk and reduce the butter by half. Boursin already provides enough richness to compensate. You can also use light Boursin, but the final texture will be slightly less creamy.
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