Boursin Mashed Potatoes

These creamy, cheesy, and buttery boursin mashed potatoes will become your favorite easy side dish! Vary the flavors of the cheese to keep things interesting! Feeds a large family or reheats beautifully so the leftovers don't go to waste.

What Is Boursin?

Boursin is a brand name of Gournay cheese - named for a French commune - that is creamy, spreadable, and similar in texture to cream cheese. There are several brands of Boursin available and any of them will be delicious in these creamy mashed potatoes. The cheese can be found in the refrigerated section of most standard grocery stores. Here are some flavors you may see:

Flavors of Boursin:

• Garlic & Fine Herbs
• Shallot & Chive
• Basil & Chive
• Cracked Black Pepper
• Fig & Balsamic
• Caramelized Onion & Herbs

When testing these Boursin mashed potatoes, I used the Garlic & Fine Herbs flavor - it's my favorite! I make these mashed potatoes every year for holidays or other special occasions (mostly because a block of Boursin is a little pricier than I usually spend on ingredients for mashed potatoes) but they are easy enough to make for any weekday meal.

What If I Can't Find Boursin?

If you can't find Boursin in your grocery store, look for Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb Cheese instead. It is similar enough in texture and flavor and will work very well for this recipe.

What Kind Of Potatoes Are Best?

I used russets for these Boursin mashed potatoes. You can also use Yukon Gold varieties. These two types of potatoes are the best for making fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes. Yukon Gold will yield slightly denser mashed potatoes and have a natural buttery flavor. They will also be slightly yellow in color. Whichever one you choose, your mashed potatoes will be delicious!

What Ingredients Do I Need?

You only need a few simple ingredients to make these delectable potatoes. Let's take a look at them

• Russets or Yukon Gold Potatoes: You'll need 3 pounds. Peel the potatoes, rinse them with cold water, and then cut into quarters (or large chunks, if your potatoes are big)
• Warm milk: Whole milk will yield the creamiest potatoes, but feel free to use low fat varieties if you want to cut some calories. Warming the milk will prevent it from leeching heat out of your nice warm potatoes.
• Salt: I salt the water the potatoes are boiling in and I also add a little salt to the mashed potatoes themselves. The amount will vary as peoples tastes are different, so start with just a little bit of salt and add more as needed.
• Butter: I've found that the creaminess of the Boursin reduces the need to add a ton of unsalted butter to the potatoes, so about 4 tablespoons (half a stick) works out well.
• Boursin Garlic & Fine Herb: Most grocery stores sell Boursin in 5.2-ounce block, so grab one of them for this recipe. You can use any flavor you like!

Why Salt The Water?

Salting the water the potatoes boil in is similar to salting your pasta water. When the potatoes heat up in the hot water, the starches open up and are able to absorb the salt. Once the potatoes cool, the starches close back off, making it more difficult to really get the seasoning down to the center of the potato. So salt away!

Add Potatoes First!

When making pasta, you boil the water first and then add the pasta. When boiling potatoes, you want to do the opposite. Place the potatoes in the pot at the start, cover with water, and let the potatoes sit in the water as it comes to a boil. Doing things in this order will ensure you have the best texture in your potatoes.

Can I Use A Hand Mixer Instead of A Potato Masher?

If you prefer a completely lump-free bowl of Boursin mashed potatoes, you can use your hand mixer instead of a potato masher. But be careful! You want to keep the mixer on low speed and stop mixing as soon as your potatoes are smooth. Over mixing will cause your potatoes to be heavy and gummy (trust me, I've gotten distracted and done this many times!)

I now prefer the texture of mashed potatoes using a regular ol' manual masher, but if you are feeding some folks that can't tolerate any lumps in their potatoes, go ahead and use the mixer!

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To reheat, you can use the stovetop or microwave. Stir in a drizzle of extra milk to help return the creamy texture to the potatoes.

To Freeze, spoon finished mashed potatoes into a freezer-safe zip top bag. Freeze for up to 6 weeks (potatoes are prone to becoming freezer burned, so I recommend using them sooner than later)

To Thaw, place frozen mashed potatoes into a pot over low heat. Stir as the potatoes thaw, drizzling in a little extra milk as needed to make the potatoes creamy.

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