Boursin Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Make Boursin Mashed Potatoes Recipe for rich, herb-swirled potatoes that pair with any roast.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) chunks
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for the cooking water
- 5.2 ounces (150 g) Boursin garlic and fine herbs cheese, at room temperature, cut into 4-6 pieces
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick / 56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream, warmed
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk, warmed
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoons additional warm heavy cream or whole milk, as needed to adjust consistency (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the potatoes until tender
Place the peeled Yukon Gold chunks into a large pot and cover with cold water by about an inch, then salt the water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then maintain a gentle boil and cook until each chunk is very tender and easily pierced with a knife—fifteen to twenty minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander, then immediately return the potatoes to the warm pot over very low heat for a minute or two, stirring gently so the excess surface moisture evaporates and the edges look dry and slightly fluffy. This yields hot, steam-lifted potato pieces ready for ricing or mashing.
Step 2: Rice or mash the potatoes to a smooth, lump-free texture
Remove the pot from heat and transform the tender chunks into a uniformly smooth base using a potato ricer, food mill, or a heavy masher—work immediately while the potatoes are hot. Press or mash until there are no visible lumps and the texture reads silky and cohesive but not gluey; the surface should look velvety with tiny airy pockets where steam escaped. Keep the same cooking vessel and a masher or ricer at hand so the scene stays coherent and clean.
Step 3: Fold in butter for gloss and silk
Drop the room-temperature butter pieces into the hot mashed potatoes and gently fold with a spatula until the butter is fully melted and the mash becomes glossy and silk-like. This step should produce a sheen across the surface—ribbons and soft folds that catch the light—signaling properly emulsified fat. Leave the masher or a rubber spatula resting on the rim, lightly streaked with potato, to show the recent action without any hands.
Step 4: Incorporate Boursin and warm dairy for herb-infused creaminess
Add the room-temperature Boursin garlic-and-fine-herbs cheese pieces, stirring and mashing gently until the cheese has melted into the potatoes and the herb flecks are evenly distributed. Gradually pour in the warm cream-and-milk mixture while stirring, starting with about two-thirds and adding more until the texture is smooth, creamy, slightly loose but still moundable with soft peaks. The finished mash should show fine herb speckles from the Boursin and a glossy, satiny surface. Keep the warm cream in a small jug nearby for visual continuity.
Step 5: Season, adjust consistency, and plate warm
Season the Boursin mashed potatoes with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, taste, and adjust. If the mash thickens while holding, whisk in an extra tablespoon or two of warm cream or milk to loosen it to the desired creaminess. Transfer the potatoes to a warmed shallow serving bowl, smooth the top with a spatula, and if desired scatter finely chopped chives or flat-leaf parsley just before serving for a fresh green contrast. Serve hot alongside roasts or gravies; the final image shows the plated dish, glossy peaks, a melting butter sheen and finely chopped herbs crowning the surface.
Notes
- Warm the cream and milk before adding to keep the mash silky.
- Use a potato ricer or food mill for the smoothest texture.
- Taste and season in stages because Boursin adds salt and herbs.
- If the mash thickens while holding, whisk in a tablespoon of warm cream at a time.
- For extra richness, use European-style butter.