Easy Boursin Tomato Pasta
Creamy, cheesy, and ready in no time — this easy Boursin Tomato Pasta is pure weeknight magic. The flavor-packed Boursin cheese melts right into the sauce and the tomatoes add juicy pops of sweetness to every bite! It’s easy, quick, and a perfect kid-friendly pasta for busy nights. Even the picky eaters will be asking for seconds!
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Why We Love this Recipe
- Wildly popular! This pasta recipe is wildly popular—and for good reason! It’s incredibly easy, packed with flavor, and versions of it have already gone viral!
- Quick and simple! Our take on Boursin tomato pasta comes together in just 28 minutes and requires minimal ingredients! A perfect weeknight meal.
- Flavor-packed. This easy pasta recipe is savory and satisfying, with juicy tomatoes and tender pasta tossed in a rich, creamy sauce that brings every bite together.
- Hidden veggies. Our creamy baked pasta contains veggies that mix so perfectly into the sauce that even picky eaters won’t mind them.
- Super customizable. Add meat, spice, or throw in extra veggies to make this dish your own!
Note: If you love quick and tasty pasta dishes with a creamy sauce, be sure to try our amazing cream cheese pasta, veggie pasta, or our mac and cheese with ham and broccoli!
🤔 What is Boursin Cheese?
Boursin Cheese is a soft, creamy, spreadable cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s kind of like cream cheese but a bit softer and with more flavor. The most popular kind is Garlic & Fine Herbs, but there are other tasty options too—like Shallot & Chive, Cracked Black Pepper, and Rosemary & Black Garlic. It’s great in dips, spreads, or stirred into sauces.
🛒 Ingredients
Notes on key ingredients are provided below. Please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Tomatoes– Cherry or grape tomatoes are best!
- Shallot– Finely chopped to ensure it cooks thoroughly.
- Garlic– We’re big fans of fresh, minced garlic, but jarred minced garlic works just fine too. Quick tip: If you’re going with fresh, don’t miss our post on three super easy ways to peel garlic!
- Parsley and basil- Fresh is best (especially for the basil), but you can use dried.
- Boursin– We used the ‘Garlic and Fine Herbs’ variety, but any of the flavors will work!
- Pasta– We love Cavatappi because of its curved, twirly texture that traps the sauce and its flavors, but any other twisty pasta will work, e.g. fusilli or rotini.
🧑🏽🍳 How to Make Boursin Tomato Pasta
Step 1. Set oven to 425°. In a casserole dish, toss the tomatoes with garlic, shallot, oil, seasonings and parsley.
Step 2. Place Boursin cheese in the center of the tomatoes and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes start to slightly burst.
Step 3. Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water for your sauce.
Step 4. Remove tomato/Boursin mixture from the oven. Add in reserved pasta water, cooked pasta, and basil. Mix together until creamy!
Serve Boursin cheese pasta with extra basil, parmesan and/or red pepper flakes (optional) and enjoy!
🔄 Variations and Substitutions
There are lots of different ways you can make this Boursin tomato pasta. Here are some ideas:
- Add protein. Shredded or grilled chicken, sausage, or shrimp would be great additions to this Boursin pasta dish.
- Incorporate more veggies. Asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini or spinach are sure to boost this dish and add a pop of color.
- Spice up your Boursin cheese pasta by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for an added kick!
- Make even cheesier. Stir in or sprinkle with shaved Parmesan—it’ll take this dish to a whole new level of cheesy goodness!
- Make this dish dairy-free by using Boursin’s dairy-free variety.
- Make your meal gluten-free by using a gluten-free, short pasta. We like Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta (just be careful not to overcook cause it can get mushy) and Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice & Quinoa Fusilli Pasta.
- Serve this pasta however you like—whether it’s for lunch, dinner, as a side, or buffet-style for a group.
✔️ Expert Tips and Tricks
- Finely chop the shallot so it cooks through evenly and doesn’t stay crunchy.
- Don’t overcook tomatoes—they should be just starting to burst or look a little wrinkly, not totally mushy. If overcooked, the tomatoes may release too much liquid which can make your sauce too watery.
- Adjust seasoning. Feel free to add more or less salt, pepper or Italian seasoning to your tomatoes and veggies as desired. Depending on which variety of Boursin you use, you may want to add to or tone down your flavors.
- Choose the right pasta. The pasta should be twirly, twisty or have grooves to hold your sauce, like Cavatappi, or rotini.
- Salt the pasta water– This helps season each noodle and boost the flavor of the Boursin and tomato recipe.
- Cook pasta al dente (so it’s slightly firm when bitten). If the pasta is left too long in the boiling water or sauce, it can become mushy.
- Stir the Boursin into the pasta until it’s fully melted and creamy. If it’s not mixed well, you might end up with clumps instead of a smooth sauce.
🥗 Side Dish Options
Our Boursin tomato pasta would pair nicely with any of the following sides:
- Grilled proteins– Chicken, pork, beef or fish! We love pairing this pasta with our Panko pork chops, Italian sausages with veggies, or our garlic butter pork bites.
- Side salad– A salad with fresh ingredients is a great way to add some brightness to the meal. Our baked Boursin pasta also pairs perfectly with our blackened shrimp Caesar salad—it’s a tasty way to add a boost of protein to the meal.
- Garlic bread– Great for scooping up that extra sauce!
- Veggies– A side of veggies, like our roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli, or green beans, would be a great way to finish off the dish.
🔥 Reheating and Storing
Storing: You can refrigerate leftover pasta in an airtight container for up to 4 days. We don’t recommend freezing this dish.
Reheating: Reheat Boursin tomato pasta on medium heat on the stove or in the microwave. Because the pasta tends to absorb liquid, we recommend adding some water or even chicken broth when reheating.
Tips for Picky Eaters
- Cut veggies and herbs into small pieces. If kids are veggie-adverse, consider chopping parsley and basil as finely as possible so they feel more incorporated or even “hidden” in the dish.
- Kids pick the pasta. Any twirly or short pasta with grooves will work, fusilli, rotini, penne, shells or bowties.
- Set aside some plain pasta. Let kids try the tomato Boursin sauce on its own before topping their pasta.
- Pick a veggie side! Let the kids choose a veggie side they like, like carrot sticks, cucumbers, steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus!
❓FAQs
We don’t recommend freezing creamy sauces, as they can turn gritty or grainy once thawed.
Yes, you can assemble our Boursin tomato pasta ahead of time. Combine the tomatoes with shallot, garlic, oil, seasoning, and parsley in your casserole dish (Step 1), and store it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to have it for dinner, just add cheese to the dish, bake it, cook your pasta, and combine everything together (Steps 2-4).
You can find Boursin cheese in the gourmet cheese section of your grocery store or in the dairy case with other soft cheeses. You can also find this cheese on Amazon!
If you can’t find Boursin cheese, goat cheese, feta or cream cheese make great substitutes. Just go for the seasoned versions—or add your own herbs and spices to match the flavor.
Craft For This Recipe
Paper Plate Tomato
Tomato lovers will adore this easy paper plate tomato craft for kids! A fun and simple activity using a paper plate, construction paper, and paint.
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🍅 Boursin Tomato Pasta
Equipment
- 1 casserole dish 9×13
- 1 medium pot
Ingredients
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 4-5 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 small shallot (finely chopped)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp fresh, chopped parsley
- 1 package of Boursin cheese (any variety- we used Garlic Herbs)
- 8-10 ounces dry pasta (we used Cavatappi )
- 1/4 cup pasta water
- 1 small handful fresh basil (torn into small pieces)
- 1/4 cup shaved parmesan (optional )
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional )
Instructions
- Set oven to 425°. In a casserole dish, toss tomatoes with minced garlic, chopped shallot, oil, seasonings and parsley.
- Place Boursin cheese in the center of the tomatoes and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes start to slightly burst or look slightly wrinkled.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente according to instructions on package, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
- Remove dish from the oven. Add in reserved pasta water, cooked pasta, and basil, and mix together. Serve with parmesan or red pepper flakes, as desired.
Video
Notes
- Finely chop the shallot so it cooks through evenly and doesn’t stay crunchy.
- Don’t overcook tomatoes—they should be just starting to burst or look a little wrinkly, not totally mushy. If overcooked, the tomatoes may release too much liquid which can make your sauce too watery.
- Adjust seasoning. Feel free to add more or less salt, pepper or Italian seasoning to your tomatoes and veggies as desired. Depending on which variety of Boursin you use, you may want to add to or tone down your flavors.
- Choose the right pasta. The pasta should be twirly, twisty or have grooves to hold your sauce, like Cavatappi, rotini, or penne.
- Salt the pasta water– This helps season each noodle and boost the flavor of the Boursin and tomato recipe.
- Cook pasta al dente. If the pasta is left too long in the boiling water or sauce, it can become mushy.
- Stir the Boursin into the pasta until it’s fully melted and creamy. If it’s not mixed well, you might end up with clumps instead of a smooth sauce.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
