If you've ever reached for a package of Boursin cheese at the grocery store, you know just how delicious it is, but you also know it isn't cheap. We have a grocery budget of just $135/person per month so we have to make choices about what we buy. The good news is that you can make a homemade version in just a few minutes using simple ingredients you may already have in your refrigerator and herb garden.
This homemade Boursin-style cheese starts with cream cheese. You add butter, fresh Parmesan, garlic, basil, and green onions to create a creamy, flavorful spread. Itās perfect for crackers, fresh vegetables, sandwiches, grilled chicken, or even tossed into warm pasta. I especially love making it during the summer when fresh herbs are growing right outside the back door.
Ways to Use Garlic Herb Cheese
One of my favorite ways to serve it is with grilled peaches, a drizzle of local honey, and toasted sourdough. The sweet peaches paired with the savory herb cheese create an appetizer that looks elegant enough for guests but takes only minutes to put together. If youāre buying peaches, be sure to follow these directions to keep them fresh for weeks!Ā
Whether you're entertaining, meal prepping for the week, or simply trying to stretch your grocery budget, this easy homemade cheese is one recipe you'll find yourself making again and again.
Why I Make Things from Scratch
Making homemade versions of everyday grocery items has become one of my favorite ways to save money without sacrificing flavor. While store-bought specialty cheeses are certainly convenient, they're often one of the more expensive items in the dairy case.
When you start with a block of cream cheese and a handful of fresh herbs, you can create a gourmet-style spread for a fraction of the cost. Better yet, you control every ingredient that goes into it. There are no unnecessary preservatives, fillers, or ingredients you can't pronounce, just simple, real food. I buy cream cheese in bulk around the holidays when it is at the lowest price of the year. You can learn more about that and how I store it in this YouTube Video.Ā
Homemade recipes also help reduce food waste. Have a few green onions left from taco night? A basil plant overflowing in the garden? A piece of Parmesan that needs to be used? This recipe turns those odds and ends into something delicious instead of letting them end up in the compost.
It's one more example of how cooking from scratch doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes all it takes is a few everyday ingredients and five minutes in the kitchen to create something that tastes like it came from a specialty cheese shop.
Pantry Staples
Buying ingredients that are versatile give you lots of options for making recipes. If you are working on building you pantry, you can use this list of pantry staples as a starting point. It has the essentials that I recommend when starting your pantry.
Boursin Style Herb Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 T butter, softened
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 T fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 T green onions, finely chopped
- Ā¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Ā½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Ā¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Mix everything together, then refrigerate for at least an hour so the flavors meld.
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