Boursin Mac and Cheese (Printable)

Creamy pasta with Boursin and cheddar cheese sauce, 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 Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F if preparing the baked version with crispy topping.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly in a colander and set aside.
03 - In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles but does not brown.
04 - Gradually whisk milk into the roux. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Add Boursin cheese, cheddar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir continuously until all cheeses are completely melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.
06 - Add cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce. Stir gently but thoroughly until every piece of pasta is evenly coated.
07 - Pour mac and cheese into a greased baking dish. In a small bowl, combine panko, melted butter, and Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the surface. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
08 - Serve immediately while hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The Boursin cheese creates an incredibly velvety sauce that clings to every single piece of pasta
  • One pot does most of the work, and the optional breadcrumb topping adds that perfect crunch everyone fights over
  • This recipe scales beautifully for crowds, making it my absolute favorite for potlucks and comfort food cravings
02 -
  • Reserve about half a cup of pasta water before draining, because sometimes the sauce thickens up as it sits and that starchy water brings everything back to life
  • The béchamel can sometimes look slightly grainy before the cheese is fully melted, so give it another minute of stirring before panicking
  • If you are making this ahead of time, undercook the pasta by a minute or two since it will continue absorbing sauce while it waits
03 -
  • Grate your own cheddar instead of buying pre-shredded cheese, since the anti-caking coating on bagged cheese can make your sauce slightly grainy
  • Let the mac and cheese rest for about 5 minutes after baking so the sauce sets up a bit and makes serving much cleaner

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