boursin mashed potatoes

I knew I needed mashed potatoes to go with my herb roasted pork loin last week, but I didn't want plain old potatoes. I decided to spruce them up in the fastest, easiest way possible... with some Boursin cheese!

Boursin is a tangy, creamy cheese that comes in a few different flavors (I used "garlic & fine herbs"). It's great as an ingredient in dishes or just by its self on top of some crackers. I'm not getting paid by Boursin to use their product, I just like it. It's a little pricey, but every now and then I can swing it.

Boursin is far from the least expensive cheese out there and I know that many of you may not be able to find it at your grocery store. BUT, you can also make this "from scratch" instead of with the Boursin short cut! To your potatoes add about 6 oz. of regular goat cheese (or chevre), along with some minced garlic (about a tablespoon) and some chopped herbs (dry or fresh - try basil, oregano, and parsley). Either way, the low cost of the potatoes helps stretch out the higher cost of the relatively expensive cheese.

I garnished with some fresh parsley that I had on hand.


Total Recipe cost: $7.55
Servings Per Recipe: 6 (about one cup each)
Cost per serving: $1.25
Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 35 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
2.5 lbs.	potatoes	$2.35
1 (5 oz.) package	Boursin Cheese	$4.98
1/2 cup	milk	$0.17
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.05
TOTAL		$7.55

STEP 1: Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes into one-inch cubes. Place the prepared potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by one inch. Place a lid on top and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.

STEP 2: Once the potatoes are tender (they should fall apart when poked with a fork), drain them in a colander. Return them to a warm pot (with the burner turned off) and add about 1/4 cup of milk, Boursin, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes, adding more milk as needed to keep them moist (I used about 1/2 cup total). Taste the potatoes and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

Step By Step Photos

This is what the Boursin cheese looks like. If you can't find Boursin, there are likely similar products in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. If you're on a super low budget, those Philadelphia cooking creams would probably be pretty tasty too! I was just feeling fancy this week :)


First, prepare the potatoes by washing them, peeling them, and then cutting them into one inch cubes. If you cut the potatoes into larger chunks, they'll take longer to cook. Add enough water to cover the potatoes by one inch. Place over high heat with a lid and bring to a boil.


Boil the potatoes until they fall apart when pierced with a fork (always test the largest piece you can find). Drain the potatoes and then return them to the warm pot... with the burner turned off.


Add a little milk to keep them moist and break the potatoes up a bit. Add the Boursin and mash it in.


Season the potatoes with salt and pepper to your liking. Add more milk as needed to keep the potatoes moist. Someday I'll actually buy a potato masher instead of trying to use a wooden spoon/spork. Someday.


Enjoy the simple, starchy goodness (in moderation, of course!).