Rich and creamy, yet light and fresh, a pan of Boursin cheese pasta with summer vegetables is an easy, meatless, 30-minute meal for the warm weather months. Garden-fresh tomatoes, corn, and zucchini or yellow squash come together in a flavorful garlic and herb cheese sauce!
Table of Contents
Summer recipes call for simple, garden-fresh ingredients, as well as plenty of easy shortcuts that get dinner on the table quickly. From a 5-ingredient pasta with cherry tomatoes to one-skillet pork medallions with corn, tomatoes, and bacon, or rice salad with corn, bacon, and pimentos, these healthy, flavorful, and veggie-heavy 30-minute meals are the way to go. Now you can add our boursin cheese pasta to your list of easy, breezy, summertime favorites!
What does Boursin cheese taste like?
If you’re not familiar with Boursin cheese, this is an incredibly creamy, perfectly crumbly gourmet cheese that can be spread on crackers alongside your next charcuterie board, or heated and stirred into pasta sauces, soups, and casseroles. The flavorful Gournay cheese has a spreadable consistency that’s similar to whipped cream cheese, and is seasoned with a blend of garlic, parsley, and chives.
When Boursin cheese melts into a creamy pasta sauce, it adds tons of instant flavor! Similar alternatives to Boursin cheese include Rondele and Alouette brands, both of which will also work well in this dish. You can often find these spreadable cheeses in your grocer’s deli section if you don’t see them in the dairy aisle with the other cheeses.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a boursin garlic and herb cheese pasta recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Short pasta: any short pasta cut will work, including penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or rotini. I used fusilli corti bucati here.
- Extra virgin olive oil: to saute the vegetables.
- Garlic: the grated or minced garlic infuses the olive oil, adding even more savory flavor to the dish.
- Tomatoes, corn, and zucchini or yellow squash: fresh summer veggies that bulk up the pasta, while also providing great flavor, texture, and nutrition.
- Boursin cheese: I use the garlic and fine herbs cheese, but any similar variety will work.
- Basil pesto: use a prepared store-bought pesto sauce or make your own at home when basil is abundant.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance all of the other ingredients in this pasta dish.
How to Make Pasta Sauce with Boursin Cheese
Use a round puck of the foil-wrapped gourmet cheese as the perfect base for your creamy, cheesy pasta sauce! You’ll find the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of well salted water.
- Sauté the veggies in garlic-infused olive oil.
- Add the Boursin cheese, pasta, pesto, and a bit of the pasta cooking water.
- Stir until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce comes together. Add extra pasta water, as needed.
- Divide among bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
What to Serve with Pasta with Boursin Cheese
Serve the easy boursin cheese pasta as a vegetarian main course with any of these sides:
- Garlic Bread or Breadsticks
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- No-Knead Cast Iron Focaccia, Crusty French Baguette, Focaccia Bread, No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread, Soft Dinner Rolls, or Homemade Crescent Rolls
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins, Pumpkin Muffins, or Pumpkin Bread
- Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Wedge Salad with Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, Caesar Salad, or our favorite House Salad with Candied Pecans
- Fennel Salad with Apples and Creamy Cider Dressing
- Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower or Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Tomatoes and Onions or Sauteed Spinach
Storage Tips
This pasta is best when served warm, immediately from the pan. The pasta continues to absorb the sauce as it sits, so it will have a dry texture if left out for too long.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe, since the vegetables will have a soft, watery texture when thawed and the pasta may be mushy.
Reheat the boursin cheese pasta in a skillet, covered, over low heat just until warmed through. You will likely need to add some liquid to loosen up the sauce, such as broth, warm water, or extra pesto sauce. You can also reheat the leftovers in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until warm.
Boursin Pasta Recipe Variations
- Omit the pesto if you don’t have any on hand. It adds an extra boost of basil and garlic flavor, but the dish will still work without it.
- Use the vegetables that your family enjoys. For instance, replace the tomatoes and zucchini with extra corn, or just use a lot of cherry tomatoes. You can also try broccoli, spinach, frozen peas, or sundried tomatoes.
- Don’t have fresh tomatoes or fresh corn on the cob? Substitute with canned diced tomatoes (drained) and frozen or canned corn.
- Add bacon for a rich, smoky flavor. Simply fry the bacon in the skillet until crisp, and then remove it to a plate but reserve the drippings in the pan. Use the drippings to saute the vegetables in lieu of the olive oil. Stir the cooked bacon back into the pasta at the end.
- Add cooked shrimp for an instant flavor boost and more protein.
Tips for the Best Boursin Cheese Pasta Recipe
- Cook the pasta in well-salted water. This is your opportunity to really season the noodles, so don’t be shy when you salt the water. The pasta cooking water also adds flavor to the sauce.
- Don’t forget to reserve some of the pasta cooking water to use in the sauce. The starches in the water help add texture to the mixture and bring the dish together.
- Boil the pasta for about 1 minute less than al dente, since the noodles will continue to cook in the skillet with the vegetables and sauce. You don’t want to end up with mushy or gummy overcooked pasta.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice provides a bright, acidic finishing touch that nicely balances the rich, creamy boursin cheese pasta sauce. Sprinkle with fresh basil or fresh parsley and grated Parmesan for even more flavor! Red pepper flakes are a great way to add some spicy heat, too.
More Easy Pasta Recipes to Try
Cheesy Pasta with Zucchini and Bacon
45 minutes mins
Broccoli and Cheese Alfredo Pasta Bake
45 minutes mins
One Pot Chicken and Spinach Pasta
35 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Easy Boursin Cheese Pasta with Summer Vegetables
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (¾ of a package) short pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, or fusilli
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 ears corn, kernels cut off the cob (or 1 ½ cups frozen or canned corn)
- 1 small zucchini or yellow summer squash, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 (5.2 ounce) package Boursin cheese (I use Garlic & Fine Herb flavor)
- 1 tablespoon prepared basil pesto (use store-bought pesto or homemade pesto)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese; chopped fresh basil; fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for about 1 minute less than al dente (the pasta will continue to cook a bit more in the skillet with the sauce). Reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta cooking water; drain the pasta.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, corn, zucchini, and ¼ teaspoon of salt; cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add the Boursin and let it heat up until it’s starting to melt. Add the cooked pasta, pesto, and a splash or two of the pasta cooking water, stirring until a creamy sauce comes together. Gradually add extra pasta water as needed, to thin the sauce to your desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the pasta evenly between serving bowls. Top each serving of pasta with chopped fresh basil, grated Parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired.
Notes
- Omit the pesto if you don’t have any on hand. It adds an extra boost of basil and garlic flavor, but the dish will still work without it.
- Use the vegetables that your family enjoys. For instance, replace the tomatoes and zucchini with extra corn, or just use a lot of cherry tomatoes. You can also try broccoli, spinach, frozen peas, or sundried tomatoes.
- Don’t have fresh tomatoes or fresh corn on the cob? Substitute with canned diced tomatoes (drained) and frozen or canned corn.
- Add bacon for a rich, smoky flavor. Simply fry the bacon in the skillet until crisp, and then remove it to a plate but reserve the drippings in the pan. Use the drippings to saute the vegetables in lieu of the olive oil. Stir the cooked bacon back into the pasta at the end.
- Add cooked shrimp for an instant flavor boost and more protein.
I really liked this- especially for how easy it was to make! What a summer week night hit!
Just in case anyone was wondering, my store didn’t have Boursin and I subbed Laughing Cow garlic & herb (all 8 wedges in 1 package). It worked great!
Thank you so much, Corinne!
Could I add cooked ground beef to this, browned with onions and garlic, perhaps?
Do you think that could taste good, or no?
By the way, I *love* your website! I have used many of your recipes (such as taco pie, ground beef Stroganoff, peach and blackberry chicken, pork chops with apples and mustard cream sauce, and fried cabbage with apples and onions) and the results have been delicious every time.
Thank you very much!!
Hi Laura! Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re so glad you enjoy the recipes!
For this dish, we recommend cooked shrimp for added protein, finding beef a little too heavy. We hope you enjoy!
Ten Stars- Excellent!
Like everything that comes from Blair’s Creative Kitchen.
Easy, fresh and all so good. this will impress all on your list.
Love you stuff… Thank you
Thank you so much, Mark! This made our day.