This herbed cheese spread dates to 1957 Normandy, when François Boursin added garlic to soft cheese—competitors still can't match the ratio.
Homemade Boursin Cheese
Elevate your snacking game with this delightful homemade Boursin cheese crafted from tangy Greek yogurt and a vibrant mix of fresh herbs! Whip it up in just minutes, blending creamy goodness and aromatic flavors that will have everyone asking for the secret to your delicious dip. Perfect for spreading on crusty bread or pairing with your favorite veggies!
Prep
15
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This isn't really Boursin at all—it's Lebanese labneh wearing a French disguise, a straining technique perfected in Levantine kitchens for centuries, hijacked by François Boursin in 1957 Normandy who slapped garlic and herbs on strained dairy and called it French genius, proving the most 'authentically French' cheeses are often just clever Middle Eastern plagiarism with better marketing.
Regional Twist
In Provence, cooks swap the plain chives for herbes de Provence and add a splash of local olive oil into the drained yaourt grec, creating a denser, more rustic Boursin that tastes like it's been aged in a sunbaked stone farmhouse, not a Parisian fridge.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 à 2 gousses d’ail
- Poivre moulu
- 1/2 botte de persil
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 1kg de yaourt grec 10% (35.3 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 7g de sel fin (1 c. à café bombée) (0.25 oz)
📦Other(1)
- 1 botte de ciboulette
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
335
Protein
16g
Carbs
12g
Fat
25g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Pour the salt into the Greek yogurt, mix well, and transfer everything into a clean cloth. Place it over a strainer and refrigerate for about 12 hours (overnight is best).
- 2
Retrieve your preparation which has drained a lot of whey. You can press it a bit more to extract more water and adjust the final texture to your liking.
- 3
Chop the fresh herbs (parsley and chives) and grate 1 or 2 cloves of garlic. Then mix all the ingredients into the labneh until you achieve a homogeneous texture. Don't forget to finish with a bit of freshly ground pepper.
- 4
You can use the Boursin on toast or for making chicken Boursin pasta. Just cook your pasta and chicken separately, then add 2 tablespoons of Boursin and a ladle of pasta cooking water.
- 5
The preparation can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Drain your Greek yogurt for exactly 12-16 hours at 4°C to achieve 40-50% moisture loss, which concentrates proteins and creates the proper labneh texture; over 24 hours risks excessive drying and a chalky mouthfeel.timing12-16 hours at 4°C | 40-50% moisture loss
- ✓Use 0.7% salt by weight (7g per 1kg yogurt) rather than seasoning after draining, because salt draws out whey through osmosis during drainage, seasoning the cheese evenly while controlling texture; adding salt post-drain leaves surface-level seasoning.ingredient0.7% salt by weight
- ✓Mince garlic to 1-2mm pieces and let sit for 10 minutes before mixing into labneh to allow alliinase enzyme to convert alliin into allicin (the pungent sulfur compound), providing maximum flavor without requiring raw garlic harshness.technique1-2mm pieces | 10 minute rest
- ✓Chop fresh herbs immediately before mixing (within 2-3 minutes) because cut cell walls release chlorophyllase enzyme, which degrades chlorophyll to pheophytin and causes graying; gentle bruising or whole leaves preserve color longer.timing2-3 minutes before mixing
- ✓Use 1:3 ratio of Boursin to pasta water (2 tablespoons Boursin + ~60ml starchy pasta water) to emulsify the cheese into a silky sauce; the starch and heat activate casein proteins while fat disperses evenly rather than pooling.technique1:3 ratio | 2 tbsp Boursin + 60ml pasta water
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
This herbed cheese spread dates to 1957 Normandy, when François Boursin added garlic to soft cheese—competitors still can't match the ratio.
Homemade Boursin Cheese
Elevate your snacking game with this delightful homemade Boursin cheese crafted from tangy Greek yogurt and a vibrant mix of fresh herbs! Whip it up in just minutes, blending creamy goodness and aromatic flavors that will have everyone asking for the secret to your delicious dip. Perfect for spreading on crusty bread or pairing with your favorite veggies!
The Story
This isn't really Boursin at all—it's Lebanese labneh wearing a French disguise, a straining technique perfected in Levantine kitchens for centuries, hijacked by François Boursin in 1957 Normandy who slapped garlic and herbs on strained dairy and called it French genius, proving the most 'authentically French' cheeses are often just clever Middle Eastern plagiarism with better marketing.
Regional Twist
In Provence, cooks swap the plain chives for herbes de Provence and add a splash of local olive oil into the drained yaourt grec, creating a denser, more rustic Boursin that tastes like it's been aged in a sunbaked stone farmhouse, not a Parisian fridge.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 à 2 gousses d’ail
- Poivre moulu
- 1/2 botte de persil
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 1kg de yaourt grec 10% (35.3 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 7g de sel fin (1 c. à café bombée) (0.25 oz)
📦Other(1)
- 1 botte de ciboulette
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
335
Protein
16g
Carbs
12g
Fat
25g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Pour the salt into the Greek yogurt, mix well, and transfer everything into a clean cloth. Place it over a strainer and refrigerate for about 12 hours (overnight is best).
- 2
Retrieve your preparation which has drained a lot of whey. You can press it a bit more to extract more water and adjust the final texture to your liking.
- 3
Chop the fresh herbs (parsley and chives) and grate 1 or 2 cloves of garlic. Then mix all the ingredients into the labneh until you achieve a homogeneous texture. Don't forget to finish with a bit of freshly ground pepper.
- 4
You can use the Boursin on toast or for making chicken Boursin pasta. Just cook your pasta and chicken separately, then add 2 tablespoons of Boursin and a ladle of pasta cooking water.
- 5
The preparation can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Drain your Greek yogurt for exactly 12-16 hours at 4°C to achieve 40-50% moisture loss, which concentrates proteins and creates the proper labneh texture; over 24 hours risks excessive drying and a chalky mouthfeel.timing12-16 hours at 4°C | 40-50% moisture loss
- ✓Use 0.7% salt by weight (7g per 1kg yogurt) rather than seasoning after draining, because salt draws out whey through osmosis during drainage, seasoning the cheese evenly while controlling texture; adding salt post-drain leaves surface-level seasoning.ingredient0.7% salt by weight
- ✓Mince garlic to 1-2mm pieces and let sit for 10 minutes before mixing into labneh to allow alliinase enzyme to convert alliin into allicin (the pungent sulfur compound), providing maximum flavor without requiring raw garlic harshness.technique1-2mm pieces | 10 minute rest
- ✓Chop fresh herbs immediately before mixing (within 2-3 minutes) because cut cell walls release chlorophyllase enzyme, which degrades chlorophyll to pheophytin and causes graying; gentle bruising or whole leaves preserve color longer.timing2-3 minutes before mixing
- ✓Use 1:3 ratio of Boursin to pasta water (2 tablespoons Boursin + ~60ml starchy pasta water) to emulsify the cheese into a silky sauce; the starch and heat activate casein proteins while fat disperses evenly rather than pooling.technique1:3 ratio | 2 tbsp Boursin + 60ml pasta water