Boursin Cheese Pasta with Tomatoes (Print)

Creamy pasta combines herbed Boursin cheese with caramelized cherry tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil and fresh basil.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1.3 lbs cherry tomatoes
02 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

03 - 5.3 oz Boursin cheese (Garlic & Fine Herbs)
04 - 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

→ Pasta

05 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or similar)

→ Oils and Seasonings

06 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Fresh basil, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Place cherry tomatoes in a large baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, add minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired; toss to coat thoroughly.
03 - Nestle the whole Boursin cheese round in the center of the tomatoes and drizzle with a bit more olive oil.
04 - Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and caramelize, and cheese becomes soft and melty.
05 - Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and stir the melted Boursin cheese into the roasted tomatoes to form a creamy sauce. Stir in heavy cream if using.
07 - Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water to the baking dish; toss until pasta is fully coated with sauce.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste and garnish with fresh basil before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese melts into the roasted tomatoes and becomes a silky sauce without any cream required, though you can add it if you're feeling indulgent.
  • It's genuinely impossible to mess up, which means you can cook it confidently even on nights when you're running on fumes.
  • Everyone assumes you spent way more effort than you actually did.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—that starchy liquid is what turns a creamy sauce into something that actually clings to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the dish.
  • If your Boursin seems stubborn about melting, just smash it harder with your spoon or break it into smaller pieces before stirring; it will come together once it's warm.
03 -
  • Keep the pasta water close by while tossing; you can always add more but you can't take it back, so start with less and build to the consistency you want.
  • If your baking dish is deep and the sauce seems thick, add a splash of cream right before serving rather than during roasting, so it stays bright and doesn't get heavy.
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