Description
Creamy boursin cheese pasta brings comfort and elegance to weeknight dinners. Quick Mediterranean-inspired ingredients combine for a luxurious meal that satisfies home cooks seeking simple yet sophisticated flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 packages (5.2 oz or 147 g) Boursin garlic & herb cheese
- 8 oz (226 g) malfadine pasta
- 4 cups (480 g) shaved broccoli
- 2 tbsps (30 mL) olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp (14 g) salted butter
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil, cook pasta until perfectly al dente, and set aside a cup of starchy cooking liquid.
- Aromatic Base: Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high heat, sauté finely chopped onions with crushed red pepper flakes until they turn translucent and develop a golden hue.
- Vegetable Integration: Toss in broccoli florets, allowing them to dance in the skillet until they transform into a vibrant green and reach a tender-crisp consistency.
- Sauce Foundation: Melt cold butter into the vegetable medley, creating a silky backdrop for the upcoming flavor explosion.
- Cheese Transformation: Crumble Boursin cheese into the skillet, whisking vigorously while introducing reserved pasta water to craft a luscious, creamy sauce.
- Pasta Fusion: Introduce cooked pasta directly into the sauce, gently tossing to ensure every strand becomes enrobed in the rich, velvety coating.
- Final Flourish: Remove from heat, brighten the dish with a citrusy splash of lemon juice, and sprinkle additional red pepper flakes for a zesty punctuation.
Notes
- Pasta Water Magic: Reserved starchy water acts as a secret weapon, helping create a silky, emulsified sauce that clings perfectly to noodles.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Cold Boursin requires gentle, continuous whisking to transform into a smooth, creamy sauce without breaking or becoming grainy.
- Vegetable Sauté Secrets: Brief cooking maintains broccoli’s vibrant green color and crisp-tender texture, preventing mushy or overcooked vegetables.
- Flavor Balancing Act: Lemon juice adds brightness and cuts through the richness of butter and cheese, creating a more complex and refreshing final dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg