Baked Cherry Tomato and Boursin Pasta Recipe
This Baked Boursin Pasta recipe combines blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy Boursin cheese, and fresh basil for a luscious and comforting pasta dish. Cherry tomatoes and shallots are roasted with olive oil until blistered and caramelized, then mixed with melted, bubbling Boursin cheese to create a rich sauce. Tossed with perfectly al dente pasta, this dish is aromatic, flavorful, and simple to prepare — perfect for a cozy weeknight meal or a special dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Herbs
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (3 1/2– 4 cups)
- 1 shallot, minced (or 1/2 small onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus extra for garnish
Dairy
- 2 rounds Boursin cheese (150g each) or 1 large (250g) round
Pantry
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces medium-cut pasta
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425ºF to prepare for roasting the tomatoes and cheese.
- Prepare the baking dish: In a large 9×13” broil-safe baking dish, combine the cherry tomatoes and minced shallot (or onion). Pour the olive oil over them.
- Season and toss: Add salt and pepper to taste, then toss the tomatoes and shallot with the olive oil until everything is evenly coated.
- Add the Boursin cheese: Create a well in the center of the tomato mixture just large enough to hold the Boursin cheese round, and place the cheese there.
- Bake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the tomatoes blister and the cheese starts to brown.
- Cook the pasta: About 10-15 minutes before the roasting is done, bring a large pot of boiling salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain and keep pasta warm: Drain the pasta using a colander and cover it with a plate to keep it warm.
- Broil the cheese and tomatoes: Once baking time is up, switch the oven to broil. If your baking dish is broil-safe, broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully until the cheese is bubbly and the tomatoes have blisters. Alternatively, bake at 450ºF for another 5-10 minutes if not broiling.
- Make the sauce: Remove the dish from the oven carefully, add the minced garlic. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes and stir together with the melted Boursin cheese creating a creamy chunky sauce.
- Add fresh basil: Stir the chopped fresh basil into the cheesy tomato sauce.
- Combine with pasta: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss or stir until the pasta is fully coated. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with extra fresh basil if desired. Enjoy your creamy baked Boursin pasta!
Notes
- Use broil-safe bakeware for best results during the broiling step; otherwise, extend baking time at higher heat.
- Medium-cut pasta such as penne, rigatoni, or ziti works best for holding the sauce.
- For a vegetarian version, ensure the pasta and cheese comply with vegetarian standards.
- Feel free to add red pepper flakes for a subtle heat.
- Leftover pasta can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
Keywords: Baked Boursin Pasta, creamy pasta, roasted cherry tomatoes, easy pasta recipe, baked pasta with cheese, vegetarian pasta dish
