What can I use instead of Boursin cheese? The best substitutes for Boursin cheese are Rondelé, cream cheese, fromage fraise, quark, marscapone, Neufchâtel, Chevré, and gorgonzola dolce. Vegans can try dairy-free cream cheese or cashew cheese.
Boursin is a French brand of Gournay, a cow’s milk cheese made since the 1960s. It has a soft, spreadable texture and delicate flavor similar to cream cheese but contains more cream, making it rich, decadent, and slightly crumbly. Garlic and herb flavor Boursin is delicious with crackers, pasta sauce, or in quiche.
Here are the 10 best substitutes for Boursin cheese.
The Best Boursin Cheese Substitutes
Rondelé
The best substitute for Boursin cheese is Rondelé.
Rondelé is an American brand created as a local competitor for Boursin. This smooth, spreadable cream cheese was developed in the 1970s by Claude Bourguignon, a Canadian based in Wisconsin.
Various flavors and fat-content levels were devised, and in 1990, the brand was sold to Kraft. Today, it is owned by the French company that produces the Président label, so you’ll find it branded Président Rondelé.
Replace Boursin with Rondelé as a savory spread on crackers, bagels, or toast. Enjoy it as a dip for raw vegetables.
You can use equal amounts of Rondelé as Boursin, but note that it is not as rich, made with milk rather than cream.
Cream Cheese
Another excellent substitute for Boursin is cream cheese.
Cream cheese is a soft, fresh, white cheese made from milk and cream. With Philadelphia and Laughing Cow as popular brands, cream cheese has a rich flavor and smooth texture.
Philadelphia and Laughing Cow are popular cream cheese brands.
To replace Boursin with cream cheese as a spread, try to match the flavor: garlic and herb cream cheese, for example, can substitute for Boursin Garlic and herb.
To make a copycat Boursin for a cheese plate or dip, combine a tub of cream cheese with ¼ cup butter to create that decadent flavor and soft, spreadable consistency.
Cream cheese is an ideal substitute for Boursin as a cooking ingredient.
Use full-fat cream cheese instead of Boursin to create a creamy pasta sauce, a luscious addition to mashed potatoes, or to enrich a quiche.
Use equal amounts of cream cheese to substitute for Boursin when cooking.
Fromage Fraise
Fromage fraise is a delicious alternative to Boursin cheese.
In French, fromage fraise means fresh cheese. If you buy fromage fraise, you’ll find a soft yogurt-like cheese that contains live cultures but has the flavor of cream cheese.
Fromage frais was one of the original ingredients of Boursin cheese. However, it is lower in fat and blander in flavor.
Use fromage fraise as the basis for a dip, adding garlic, herbs, and spices. Or replace Boursin with fromage frais in sauces for pasta, chicken, or potatoes.
Fromage fraise is also excellent in desserts and baked goods.
Substitute fromage fraise for Boursin cheese 1:1.
Quark
Quark makes a versatile substitute for Boursin cheese.
This German cheese is made from heavy cream and buttermilk, so it tastes like a tangy, cheesy yogurt.
It is lower in fat than Boursin but has a similar lush thickness and makes a tasty topping for fruit or granola.
Enjoy quark instead of Boursin as a schmear on a bagel or crusty bread. Add it to a sauce, or use it as a baking ingredient.
Quark can also replace Boursin cheese when making dips or appetizers: add chives, parsley, garlic, and other fresh herbs to mimic Boursin’s flavor.
Use equal quantities of quark to replace Boursin cheese with a lower-fat alternative.
Marscapone
Another soft cheese substitute for Boursin cheese is marscapone.
Marscapone is a soft Italian cheese that is closer in texture to sour cream than cream cheese. With almost double the amount of cream than cream cheese, marscapone is decadently delicious.
The regular use of marscapone is a layer in tiramisu so that it can replace Boursin in desserts or cheesecakes.
Use marscapone instead of Boursin cheese when you need to enrich a sauce, soup, risotto, or scrambled eggs.
However, the flavor and consistency of the two kinds of cheese are not precisely the same – marscapone is much more fluid, so use your judgment as you add it.
Neufchâtel
The American version of Neufchâtel is a good substitute for Boursin cheese.
Neufchâtel is an ancient variety of French cheese with a soft, crumbly texture like Boursin but with a bloom and rind similar to Brie or Camembert.
Made in Normandy since the eleventh century, Neufchâtel is mold-ripened, made from cow’s milk, and usually comes in a heart shape.
In the nineteenth century, an American version was developed, using cream and without the aging process. This variety of Neufchâtel can be substituted for Boursin as it tastes similar to cream cheese.
Use American Neufchâtel instead of Boursin cheese in dips, spreads, quiches, and savory tarts. It’s also ideal for baking, especially in pastries, as it has a delightful sweetness.
Replace Boursin cheese with a similar volume of Neufchâtel.
Chevré
A delicious substitute for Boursin cheese is chevré.
This French goat’s milk cheese ranges from soft and creamy to dry and crumbly, depending on how it has aged. It’s often sold in log shapes, rolled in herbs or peppercorns.
Softer, younger chevré is a perfect substitute for Boursin cheese, with its herbal coating and buttery, spreadable consistency.
Enjoy chevré on a cheese plate, with crackers or French bread, alongside fruit and nuts. It’s delicious with pears, figs, grapes, and a glass of chilled white wine.
Replace Boursin cheese with chevré, with the proviso that goat’s milk cheese can have a more robust, earthy flavor that is an acquired taste.
Gorgonzola Dolce
Gorgonzola dolce makes a decadent replacement for Boursin cheese.
An aged Italian cow’s milk cheese, gorgonzola is veined with blue mold and has a tangy flavor and crumbly texture. It’s a common ingredient in blue cheese dressing.
Gorgonzola dolce refers to a younger variety of cheese with a mild, creamy flavor with a hint of sweetness. The texture is smoother but still crumbly.
Enjoy gorgonzola dolce as an alternative to Boursin cheese on a cheese plate, as a salty after-dinner snack, or to accompany fruit and port. It also makes a delightful addition to salads.
You can use equal amounts of gorgonzola as Boursin cheese, but make sure you enjoy the more piquant flavor.
Dairy-Free Cream Cheese
A vegan alternative to Boursin cheese is dairy-free cream cheese.
Dairy-free cream cheese can be made from various plant-based alternatives, including almond milk, potato starch, coconut oil, and tofu.
Choose a flavored vegan cream cheese to replace Boursin and enjoy a similarly herbaceous or peppery spread.
Use an equal quantity of dairy-free cream cheese instead of Boursin cheese on crackers as a topping for a baked potato or pasta or to fill a savory crepe.
Cashew Cheese
Another vegan alternative to Boursin cheese is cashew cheese.
Cashew cheese is a popular homemade cream cheese replacement containing raw cashew nuts, water, and nutritional yeast.
Soaking cashew nuts overnight makes them moist, luscious, and simple to blend into a spread with a delicious buttery flavor and thick, creamy texture.
To replace Boursin cheese, flavor the cashew cheese with salt, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, lemon juice, etc., and let it firm up in the fridge.
Use cashew cheese as a 1:1 swap with Boursin as a spread, a schmear, a dip, an appetizer, or a salad.
Resources
- https://www.allrecipes.com/article/cream-cheese-substitutes/
- https://www.bonappetit.com/story/boursin-cheese
- https://www.boursin.com
- https://cookgem.com/substitutes-for-boursin-cheese/
- https://www.cooksinfo.com/rondele-cheese/
- https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-n-143447
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-chevre-cheese-995611
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