Step One: Prepare the Tomatoes. Begin by adding 2 pints (approximately 3 ½ to 4 cups) of fresh cherry tomatoes along with your finely minced shallot (or onion) to a large, oven-safe baking dish. Ensure the dish is large enough to comfortably hold all the ingredients and allow for stirring later.

Step Two: Season and Coat. Drizzle in about ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes and shallots. Stir everything gently to ensure the tomatoes and shallots are thoroughly coated. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste, remembering that seasoning throughout enhances overall flavor.

Step Three: Place the Boursin. Gently push some of the cherry tomatoes aside in the baking dish to create a clear space in the center. Carefully place your two small rounds of Boursin (or one large round) into this space. The cheese will melt and blend beautifully with the tomatoes as they roast.

Step Four: Bake to Perfection & Cook Pasta. Transfer the baking dish to a preheated 425ºF (220ºC) oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened, begun to blister, and the Boursin cheese is hot, bubbly, and slightly golden. While the vegetables and cheese are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook your chosen pasta until it’s perfectly al dente, according to package directions. Don’t forget to reserve some pasta water before draining!

Step Five: Create the Creamy Sauce. Carefully remove the hot baking dish from the oven. Immediately add the minced garlic to the hot mixture – the residual heat will perfectly temper it. Using a wooden spoon or a fork, gently break up the roasted cherry tomatoes and mix them thoroughly with the melted Boursin cheese until a wonderfully creamy, chunky “sauce” begins to form. Finally, stir in a generous amount of fresh chopped basil, allowing its aroma to infuse the sauce.

Step Six: Combine and Serve. Transfer the cooked and well-drained pasta directly into the baking dish with your freshly made Boursin tomato sauce. Fold and toss everything together until every piece of pasta is beautifully coated in the rich, creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Serving Suggestions

Garnish your warm, comforting Boursin pasta with a final sprinkle of additional fresh basil and/or a dusting of grated Parmesan cheese for extra depth and presentation. This dish pairs wonderfully with a crisp green salad and some crusty bread for soaking up every last drop of that amazing sauce. Serve immediately and savor every forkful!

Storing and Reheating Your Delicious Leftovers

One of the many perks of this baked Boursin pasta is how well it stores and reheats! To save any delicious leftovers, simply transfer the pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. This makes it a fantastic meal prep option for lunches or quick dinners throughout the week.

To Reheat for Best Results:

1. Microwave Method: For a quick reheat, place your portion in a microwave-safe dish and warm it in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it is thoroughly heated through. A splash of water or milk can help restore creaminess if needed.
2. Oven Method: For a more gentle and even reheat, particularly for larger portions, add a few tablespoons of water or broth to the baking dish (or an oven-safe container) with the pasta. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Place the cold dish into an oven, then set the temperature to 350ºF (177ºC). Bake until the pasta is heated through, stirring a few times during the reheating process to ensure even warmth and moisture.
3. Stovetop Method: If you prefer the stovetop, transfer the pasta to a skillet or saucepan. Add a few tablespoons of water or broth, stir frequently, and heat over medium-low heat until warmed through and creamy again.

Chef’s Expert Tips for the Best Boursin Pasta

• Don’t Skip the Broiling (If Possible). Using the broiler for just a minute or two at the end of baking is a game-changer! It encourages the tomatoes to blister further, concentrating their sweetness, and gives the Boursin cheese a delightful golden, slightly toasted edge. This adds an incredible depth of flavor. If your baking dish isn’t broil-safe, simply increase the oven temperature to 450ºF (232ºC) for an additional 5-10 minutes to encourage blistering and browning.
• Fresh Ingredients Make All the Difference. While convenience is key, for the absolute best results and the most vibrant flavor in your Boursin cheese pasta, prioritize fresh ingredients. Fresh cherry tomatoes will be sweeter and juicier, freshly minced garlic delivers a pungent aroma, and fresh basil provides that essential bright, herbaceous finish.
• Timing Your Garlic Just Right. The trick to achieving perfect garlic flavor without any bitterness is to add the minced garlic *after* the cherry tomatoes and Boursin have finished baking. The residual heat from the hot dish is precisely what’s needed to gently warm the garlic, allowing its fragrant oils to release without overcooking or burning it, which can turn it acrid.
• Salt Your Pasta Water Generously. Always remember to heavily salt your pasta water – it should taste like the sea! This is your primary opportunity to season the pasta itself, which is crucial for a flavorful overall dish.
• Reserve Pasta Water. Before draining your cooked pasta, always scoop out about a cup of the starchy pasta water. This liquid is gold! If your sauce seems too thick or needs a little extra body, a splash of this water will help emulsify it, creating a silkier, more cohesive consistency.

Choosing the Perfect Pasta Shape

For this creamy Boursin Pasta recipe, I highly recommend opting for a medium-cut pasta shape. These types of pasta are ideal because their surfaces, whether ribbed, tubular, or twisted, are excellent at capturing and holding onto the rich, thick sauce, ensuring a flavorful bite every time. While you can certainly use 12 ounces of any pasta you enjoy, here are a few of my top recommendations that truly shine in this dish:

• Rigatoni: Its large, ridged tubes are perfect for scooping up the creamy Boursin and tomato chunks.
• Cavatappi: These corkscrew-shaped pastas have deep grooves that hold the sauce beautifully.
• Rotini: Similar to cavatappi, their spirals are fantastic for clinging to the rich sauce.
• Fusilli: Another spiral-shaped pasta that ensures every bite is coated in flavor.
• Farfalle (Bow Tie): Elegant and fun, these shapes also provide good surface area for the sauce.
• Penne: A classic choice, penne’s ridged tubes are always a reliable option.
• Mafalda: With their long, wavy edges, Mafalda pasta offers a unique texture and great sauce adherence.

Get Creative: Exciting Flavor Enhancements

This Boursin pasta recipe is incredibly versatile, making it the perfect canvas for your culinary creativity! Feel free to add your own special touch to this already delicious dinner. Here are a few suggestions to inspire you and elevate your dish even further:

• Fresh Spinach: For a boost of greens and added nutrition, stir in 2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach into the hot tomato and cheese mixture (before adding the pasta). Stir well; the residual heat will quickly wilt the spinach into the sauce.
• A Touch of Cream: For an even more luxurious and decadent sauce, drizzle in a quarter to a half cup of heavy cream or half-and-half just before adding the pasta. It will make the sauce exceptionally rich and smooth.
• White Wine Infusion: Add about a half cup of dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) to the tomato and Boursin mixture before baking. The alcohol will cook off, leaving a sophisticated depth of flavor.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: For an extra-rich, concentrated tomato flavor, chop and stir in ¼ to ½ cup of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained) either before baking with the cherry tomatoes or after the sauce has formed.
• Parmesan Cheese Boost: For a little extra salty, umami sharpness, stir a generous handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the finished sauce. You can also garnish each serving with an additional sprinkle.
• Caramelized Onions: For a deeper, sweeter onion flavor, prepare a batch of caramelized onions separately. Stir them into the sauce just after the tomatoes and Boursin have been baked. If using caramelized onions, you can omit the minced shallot in the initial step.
• Spicy Kick: If you enjoy a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the tomatoes before baking, or stir them into the sauce at the end.

While Boursin is a soft, creamy, and spreadable cheese, making it seem similar to cream cheese, they are fundamentally different in flavor and texture, especially when heated. Boursin is a Gournay cheese specifically flavored with herbs and garlic, offering a distinct, rich, and savory profile. Cream cheese, on the other hand, is tangier and lacks the nuanced herb infusions. In most recipes, particularly savory cooked dishes like pasta or chicken, cream cheese cannot be directly substituted for Boursin as it won’t yield the same complex flavor or luxurious melting consistency. However, in very specific applications, like a cold canapé spread, cream cheese might be a last-minute substitute, but for this baked pasta, Boursin is essential for the authentic taste.

Absolutely, Boursin can be heated, even at high temperatures! Despite being commonly enjoyed cold as a spread, Boursin cheese holds up remarkably well to heat. It will soften, melt, and lose its original shape, transforming into a wonderfully creamy and smooth consistency. This characteristic makes it absolutely perfect for creating rich, flavorful sauces for pasta, chicken, and other baked dishes, just like in this recipe. You won’t experience separation; instead, you’ll get a beautifully integrated, luscious sauce.

Boursin is a popular brand of soft, spreadable Gournay cheese. It’s known for its characteristic creamy texture and distinctive flavorings, most famously “Garlic & Fine Herbs.” While often referred to simply as “Boursin,” it is a specific type of fresh, unripened cheese (similar to a fresh cream cheese or chèvre in texture, but with a unique taste) that is blended with various herbs, spices, and sometimes other additions like cranberries and peppers. Its rich, tangy, and herbaceous profile is what makes it so versatile and beloved in both cold and hot culinary applications.

While the pasta is best served fresh for optimal texture, you can certainly do some prep work in advance. You can chop your shallots and garlic a day or two ahead. The tomato and Boursin mixture can be assembled in the baking dish and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. When ready to eat, simply bake as directed and cook your pasta fresh. Leftovers, as mentioned above, also reheat beautifully.