Cheese Guide · Beginner

Boursin Cheese: What It Is & How to Make It at Home

Everything about Boursin cheese — what it is, how it's made, a from-scratch Gournay-style recipe with real fermentation, uses in cooking, and how it compares to cream cheese.

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Garlic and herb fresh cheese with bread and herbs

Updated Aug 2026 · 8 min read

Boursin is the cheese that made herbs and garlic a selling point. Created in 1957 by François Boursin in Normandy, France, it was the first commercially sold flavored fresh cheese in the country — a Gournay-style cream cheese enriched with garlic and fine herbs, wrapped in foil, and marketed with the line “du pain, du vin, du Boursin.” It is soft, unaged, and spreadable, sitting somewhere between cream cheese and fromage blanc in texture but richer than both.

What Boursin cheese is

Boursin is a fresh, unaged cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk and cream. It belongs to the Gournay cheese tradition of Normandy — simple fresh cheeses where milk is gently acidified, the curds are drained, and the result is blended with cream for richness. Boursin takes that base and folds in garlic, herbs, pepper, or other flavorings.

~70% fat in dry matter (double-cream class)
120 cal per 28g serving (Garlic & Herbs)
1957 year François Boursin created the original

The cheese is now owned by the Bel Group (the company behind Babybel and The Laughing Cow) and produced in France, the US, and Canada. The original and best-selling flavor remains Garlic & Fine Herbs.

Boursin varieties and flavors

Garlic & Fine Herbs The original. A blend of garlic, parsley, and chives in the cream cheese base. The flagship flavor since 1957.
Shallot & Chive Milder and more savory than the original, with a gentle onion note.
Cracked Black Pepper Simple pepper crust on the exterior of the same creamy base.
Fig & Balsamic A sweet-savory seasonal variety. Pairs well with crackers and fruit.

Boursin also sells pre-crumbled versions for cooking, snack-sized bites, and a liquid cooking cream for sauces.

How Boursin is made

Commercial Boursin follows a straightforward fresh-cheese process: pasteurized milk and cream are combined, cultured to develop a mild tang, and allowed to form a delicate curd. The curds are drained, blended with additional cream to reach the signature high-fat spreadable texture, and then garlic, herbs, or other flavorings are folded in. There is no aging or rind development — the cheese goes straight from production to packaging.

The process is rooted in the Gournay tradition, where the key step is a gentle lactic-acid fermentation using mesophilic cultures (primarily Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc). This is the same family of cultures used for chèvre and fromage blanc.

How to make Boursin-style cheese at home

There are two approaches. The quick method uses store-bought cream cheese as a shortcut. The from-scratch method is a true fermentation project that produces a tangier, more complex cheese.

Quick method (no fermentation): Beat 225 g (8 oz) softened cream cheese with 115 g (4 oz) softened butter until smooth. Fold in 2 minced garlic cloves, chopped fresh parsley and chives, and a pinch each of dried oregano, basil, dill, thyme, and black pepper. Shape, wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours.

From-scratch method (true lactic fermentation):

  1. 1
    Warm the milk Heat 1 L (1 quart) of whole pasteurized milk to about 30°C (86°F) in a water bath.
  2. 2
    Add culture Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon mesophilic culture over the surface. Let it rehydrate for 2 minutes, then stir gently for 1 minute. Alternatively, use 2 tablespoons of cultured buttermilk as a starter.
  3. 3
    Add rennet (optional) Dilute 1–2 drops of liquid rennet in 60 mL (1/4 cup) cool unchlorinated water. Stir into the milk gently for 30 seconds. This helps the curd set more firmly.
  4. 4
    Ferment Cover and hold at room temperature for 12–18 hours. The cultures will acidify the milk and form a delicate curd. A clean break — a knife inserted at an angle splits the curd cleanly — means it is ready.
  5. 5
    Drain Ladle the curds into a cheesecloth-lined colander. Let whey drain for 6–12 hours in the fridge until the curds are thick and spreadable.
  6. 6
    Blend and flavor Mix the drained fresh cheese with 2–3 tablespoons of softened butter or cream, salt to taste, 1–2 minced garlic cloves, and finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, thyme). Shape into a log or round.
  7. 7
    Chill Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to let the flavors meld. Consume within 5–7 days.

The from-scratch version uses the same lactic fermentation that produces chèvre, fromage blanc, and traditional Gournay cheese. The 12–18 hour culture step is where the real flavor development happens.

How to cook with Boursin

Boursin pasta Toss a wheel of Boursin with hot pasta and roasted cherry tomatoes — it melts into a creamy herb sauce in seconds. This is the viral baked-feta-pasta concept applied to Boursin.
Stuffed chicken Spread Boursin under the skin or inside a pocket cut in a chicken breast, then bake. The cheese melts into the meat.
Mashed potatoes Stir a quarter-wheel into hot mashed potatoes for garlic-herb richness without measuring individual seasonings.
Spread and appetizer The simplest and most traditional use: on baguette slices, crackers, or crostini, with wine. The original "du pain, du vin, du Boursin."

Boursin also works well stirred into scrambled eggs, piped into stuffed mushroom caps, dolloped on flatbreads, and blended with sour cream or yogurt for a quick dip.

Boursin vs cream cheese

Fat content Boursin runs about 70% fat in dry matter (double-cream class). Standard cream cheese is about 55%. Boursin is richer.
Texture Boursin is lighter, softer, and more crumbly. Cream cheese is denser and smoother. Boursin spreads more easily at fridge temperature.
Flavor Boursin is always sold pre-flavored (garlic, herbs, pepper). Cream cheese is typically plain with a mild tang.
Uses Boursin is primarily a spread and cooking cheese. Cream cheese is the go-to for baking (cheesecake, frosting) and bagel spreads.

For cheesemakers, the key difference is method: Boursin follows the French Gournay lactic-set tradition, while American cream cheese uses a denser acid-and-rennet coagulation process.

Storage and shelf life

Unopened commercial Lasts until the best-by date, typically 2–4 months when refrigerated at 2–4°C (35–40°F).
Opened commercial Consume within 1–2 weeks. Re-wrap tightly in foil or transfer to an airtight container.
Homemade 5–7 days refrigerated. No commercial stabilizers means it spoils faster. Dress with cream just before serving for maximum freshness.

Boursin does not freeze well — the high cream content causes grainy, separated texture upon thawing. If you must freeze it, use the thawed cheese only in cooked dishes, not as a spread.

Keep exploring cheese

For more fresh cheese projects, see how to make cheese at home for the universal cheesemaking steps, or homemade cream cheese for a closely related recipe. If you are ready for rennet-set cheeses, the rennet calculator sizes your dose before you start.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What kind of cheese is Boursin?
Boursin is a Gournay-style fresh cheese — soft, unaged, and made from cow's milk enriched with cream. It belongs to the same family as cream cheese and fromage blanc but has a lighter, more crumbly texture and is always sold pre-flavored with herbs, garlic, or pepper. It is not aged or ripened.
Is Boursin cheese pasteurized?
Yes. Boursin is made from pasteurized milk and cream, confirmed by the manufacturer (Bel Group). Because it is pasteurized and not a mold-ripened or blue cheese, it is generally considered safe during pregnancy by health authorities including the NHS.
What is the difference between Boursin and cream cheese?
Boursin has a higher fat content (about 70% fat in dry matter vs 55% for cream cheese), a lighter and more crumbly texture, and is always sold pre-flavored. Cream cheese is denser, smoother, and typically sold plain. Boursin follows the French Gournay fresh-cheese tradition, while American cream cheese uses a different acid-and-rennet coagulation process.
Can I make Boursin cheese at home?
Yes. The quick method blends softened cream cheese with butter, garlic, and herbs. The from-scratch method uses a mesophilic culture to ferment milk into a fresh lactic-set cheese, then blends the drained curds with cream, butter, garlic, and herbs — a true fermentation project that produces a tangier, more complex result.
How long does Boursin cheese last?
Unopened commercial Boursin lasts until its best-by date, typically 2–4 months refrigerated. Once opened, consume within 1–2 weeks. Homemade Boursin-style cheese keeps about 5–7 days refrigerated since it contains no commercial stabilizers.
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