Homemade Boursin

For those of you who aren’t sure what Boursin is, it’s a fancy soft French cheese that comes in several flavors (such as Pepper, Shallot & Chive, Garlic & Roasted Red Pepper, and my personal favorite, Garlic & Fine Herbs).  You can read more about Boursin here. 

Boursin is amazing on veggie sandwiches (roasted veggies and Boursin on multigrain bread make a great light summer dinner!)…it’s great just on bread, crackers, and veggies…and, it makes the creamiest mashed cauliflower (or potatoes) you can imagine.  I use it to make my husband’s favorite sandwiches (turkey, lettuce, and cheese spread).

As delicious as Boursin is, it’s hard to justify spending upwards of $5 for a meager five ounces of it…so, I now make my own!  In addition to cost-saving (8 oz of Neufchatel cheese is only $1.49!), I can put low-fat ingredients into my homemade version. 

The best part about making homemade Boursin is that I get to be creative and customize the flavors I make.  For example, if I want a sweet cheese for a fruit tray, I might mix dried currants, minced walnuts, and a dash of cinnamon.  Or if I want to dress up grilled chicken breasts, I might make a sun-dried tomato and basil spread.  If I want a really pretty cheese and cracker tray, I might mix a tablespoon or two of red wine into the spread, form the cheese in a ball, and roll it either in fresh minced parsley or finely chopped pecans.  The possibilities are endless.

Homemade Low-Fat Garlic & Herb Boursin-Style Cheese Spread

(Yield:  8 oz)

Base:

~4 oz Greek (or Greek-style) yogurt

~4 oz Neufchatel cheese (any kind of cream cheese will do, but I like Neufchatel because it’s got ⅓ less fat than regular cream cheese)

Flavorings (use anything you like, such as herbs, spices, dried fruits, nuts, etc.):

~2 TB fresh minced chives

~½ teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for at least an hour and serve.