Boursin Mac and Cheese (Printable version)
Creamy pasta with Boursin and cheddar cheeses, ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or short pasta of choice
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 7 oz Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese
03 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
→ Topping
10 - 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
11 - 1 tbsp melted butter
12 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F if preparing the baked version
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until bubbling but not browned.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 3-4 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Add Boursin cheese, cheddar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until cheeses are completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
06 - Add cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce. Stir until pasta is evenly coated.
07 - Pour mac and cheese into a greased baking dish. In a small bowl, mix panko, melted butter, and Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and bubbly.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- Boursin does the heavy lifting with garlic and herbs already built right in
- The sauce comes together in under ten minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours
- Leftovers reheat beautifully, if they actually survive that long
02 -
- The sauce thickens as it cools, so it should look slightly looser than you think is right
- Adding cold cheese to hot sauce can make it grainy, so let everything come to similar temperatures first
03 -
- Grate your own cheddar instead of buying pre-shredded, the anti-caking coating prevents smooth melting
- Warm your milk in the microwave for 30 seconds before adding it to the roux