This Super Simple Creamy Boursin Mashed Potatoes Recipe is one of the easiest ways to make ridiculously flavorful mashed potatoes with just a handful of simple ingredients. Buttery Yukon Gold potatoes, creamy Boursin cheese and warm milk come together for an ultra-fluffy side dish with basically zero effort. And if you've never put Boursin in your mashed potatoes before, prepare yourself. This might become your new secret ingredient.
Why You'll Love It
As someone who develops recipes for a living, I am forever looking for shortcuts that make food taste like I did way more work than I actually did. And Boursin mashed potatoes are a perfect example. Instead of adding minced garlic, fresh garlic, garlic powder, herbs and a bunch of other seasonings separately, Boursin does most of the heavy lifting for us.
The main ingredients are Yukon Gold potatoes, butter, milk and Boursin cheese. That's pretty much it. I specifically love Yukon Gold potatoes here because they're naturally creamy and buttery. They're also a little less starchy than russet potatoes, which makes them more forgiving when you're mashing. If this is your first time making homemade mashed potatoes, they're a great potato to start with.
My other trick is saving some of the potato cooking water before draining. Adding a little bit back into the potatoes helps loosen everything without making them feel heavy. And although you certainly could break out a potato ricer or food mill, you absolutely don't need to. A regular potato masher gets the job done beautifully.The end result is rich, fluffy, garlicky, herby mashed potatoes that taste way fancier than the amount of effort required.
That's my favorite kind of potato recipe.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: I love Yukon Gold potatoes because they have a naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture. Other yellow potatoes work beautifully, too. You can substitute russet potatoes, but they'll give you a slightly fluffier, starchier end result.
- Kosher Salt: We're using kosher salt in both the cooking water and the finished potatoes. Salting the water seasons the potatoes from the inside rather than relying entirely on seasoning at the end.
- Cold Water: Always start your potatoes in cold water rather than dropping them directly into boiling water. This helps them cook more evenly from the outside to the center.
- Salted Butter: Four tablespoons add plenty of richness without turning this into one of those mashed potatoes recipes that requires lots of butter. Unsalted butter works, too. Just adjust the salt at the end.
- Boursin Cheese: Here's our secret ingredient! I'm using a 5.3-ounce wheel of Boursin, which gives us creaminess, cheese, garlic and herbs all in one ingredient. That's also why there's no need to add minced garlic or fresh garlic separately. Oh, and if you want more boursin-y, add another block for a more robust flavor!
- Milk: Whole milk is my preference. Warm it slightly or bring it to room temperature before adding it to the potatoes. Cold milk can cool everything down too quickly. For an even richer version, you can substitute half-and-half or heavy cream. I wouldn't recommend coconut milk here because its flavor can compete with the garlic and herb Boursin.
- Reserved Potato Cooking Water: Don't dump it all down the drain! The starchy water is perfect for loosening the potatoes a little bit at a time until you get the consistency you want.
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: Add as much black pepper as you like before serving. It works perfectly with the herbs and garlic in the Boursin.
How to Make It
- PREP THE POTATOES: Use a potato peeler to peel the Yukon Gold potatoes, then cut them into evenly sized quarters. Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them cook at the same rate.
- START WITH COLD WATER: Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them completely with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
- BOIL: Place the large pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are completely fork-tender. You don't want any resistance when you pierce the center.
- RESERVE THE POTATO WATER: Before draining, scoop out about 1 cup of the starchy potato cooking water and set it aside. Drain the potatoes thoroughly.
- WARM THE GOOD STUFF: Return the empty pot to the stove. Add the salted butter, milk and Boursin cheese. Stir until the butter and cheese begin to melt together.
- MASH: Return the drained potatoes to the pot. Use a potato masher to gently mash everything together until creamy. Don't go absolutely wild here. Overworking potatoes can make them gummy.
- MAKE THEM FLUFFY: Stir in a little bit of reserved potato water, about ¼ cup at a time, until the consistency is light, creamy and fluffy. You probably won't need the entire cup.
- SEASON: Add the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- SERVE: Serve immediately while they're hot and creamy. I like adding a little extra butter and black pepper on top because we're already here.
- SAVE: Let leftovers cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When reheating, add a splash of milk or heavy cream to loosen them back up.
Tips for the Best Boursin Mashed Potatoes
The biggest thing I've learned from making mashed potatoes over the years is that texture matters just as much as flavor.
Start the potatoes in cold water so they cook evenly. Make sure they're truly fork-tender before draining. And don't overwork them once they're cooked.
A potato masher is my favorite tool for this recipe because I like a little bit of texture. If you want exceptionally smooth potatoes, run the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill before mixing them with the warm butter, milk and Boursin.
Just don't use a food processor or blender. The aggressive blades can release too much starch and turn beautiful fluffy potatoes into potato glue. And nobody invited potato glue to Thanksgiving!
Can I Add Garlic?
You definitely can, but taste the potatoes first.
Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs already brings plenty of garlicky flavor, which is one reason I love using it. If you're a major garlic person, add a small amount of roasted or sautéed fresh garlic.
You could also add a little garlic powder, but I'd start conservatively. It's much easier to add more than to rescue potatoes that suddenly taste like garlic powder with a side of potato.
Can I Use Russet Potatoes Instead?
Absolutely.
Russet potatoes contain more starch and tend to make lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes have a naturally rich, buttery texture that I especially love with Boursin.
You can even use a combination of russet and yellow potatoes if you want a little bit of both.
For this particular potatoes recipe, though, Yukon Golds are my favorite way to do it.
What to Pair It With
These Boursin mashed potatoes are rich, creamy and savory, so I love using them as the cozy base of a dinner rather than piling on a bunch of competing sides.
My Garlic Steak Bites would be incredible served over these potatoes. The steak gets seared and finished in a fresh garlic and rosemary butter sauce, so you can spoon all those buttery pan drippings right over the potatoes.
For something green, try my Cacio e Pepe Roasted Green Beans and Carrots. The roasted veggies, Parmesan and black pepper are the perfect contrast to these rich, creamy potatoes, and they work especially well for a holiday dinner.
For an extra-easy dinner, pair them with my 3-Ingredient Crockpot Meatballs. They're made with Boursin and marinara, so the flavors naturally tie together while the saucy meatballs give you something delicious to spoon over the potatoes.
And if you're making these as part of a holiday dinner, I'd make my whole beef tenderloin or my pan seared filet mignon along with a simple roasted green vegetable or crisp salad to balance all that creamy, buttery goodness.
And for more related recipes, be sure to try these out:
- Beer Mac and Cheese with Guinness & Irish Cheddar
- Baked Boursin Cheese Pasta Recipe with Creamy Tomatoes
- Boursin Cheese Pasta with Broccoli
- Green Pasta Sauce with Boursin, Spinach & Basil
- 4 Ingredient Creamy Tomato Pasta Recipe with Sausage & Boursin Cheese
Recipe
Super Simple Creamy Boursin Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
- 2½-3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt for cooking water
- Cold water as needed
- 4 tablespoons Salted butter
- 1 5.3-ounce wheel Boursin cheese (or 2 if you want it more boursin-y tasting!)
- ½ cup Milk warmed or room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt plus more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Add the peeled and quartered Yukon Gold potatoes to a large pot and cover completely with cold water.
- Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and place the pot over high heat.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are completely fork-tender.
- Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the potato cooking water. Drain the potatoes thoroughly and set aside.
- Return the empty pot to the stove and add the salted butter, milk and Boursin cheese. Stir until warmed and beginning to melt together.
- Return the potatoes to the pot and mash gently with a potato masher until creamy, being careful not to overwork them.
- Stir in the reserved potato cooking water about ¼ cup at a time until the mashed potatoes are light, creamy and fluffy. No need to use it all.
- Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve immediately while warm and creamy.
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