Meatless Monday: Boursin Pasta Salad With Cherries, Corn And Cucumber

This week we are celebrating pasta salad season with a delicious, colorful Boursin Pasta Salad with Cherries, Corn and Cucumber!

What exactly is Boursin? Boursin is a brand of soft cheese, somewhat similar in texture to cream cheese, flavored with garlic and herbs. I found it in every grocery store in my area so I feel somewhat safe saying it's easy to find. Its creamy texture and outstanding flavor make it the perfect dressing base for pasta salad when combined with some Greek yogurt, vinegar and olive oil.

While the cherries are non-traditional for pasta salad, they add a sweet pop of flavor that goes perfectly with the savory garlic-and-herb dressing. The cucumber adds a refreshing crunch, as do the toasted almond slices.

This salad is delicious when enjoyed immediately after making but ideally 30 minutes — one hour after preparation. Since the dressing is cheese-based as opposed to mayo-based, it will not retain its initial creaminess as the cheese goes back to its cream cheese texture after being refrigerated for a couple hours.

Find more great vegetarian and dessert recipes on my blog!

Boursin Pasta Salad with Cherries, Corn and Cucumber
Serves approximately 6 - 8 as a side

Ingredients

• 8 ounces short cut dried pasta (I used rotini)
• 1 cup fresh cherry halves (I used Rainier)
• 1 cup chopped cucumber, 1/4 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups corn, cooked and cooled
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup almond slices, toasted
• 5.2 ounce package Boursin (garlic and fine herb)
• 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar (sub: apple cider vinegar)
• Salt and pepper, for seasoning

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the box directions for al dente. Drain. Allow the pasta to cool — either run under cold water or wait until it cools. If waiting, drizzle olive oil over the pasta so it doesn't stick together
2. Make the dressing: whisk together the Boursin, yogurt, vinegar, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper
3. Add the pasta, cherries, cucumber, corn, onion and almonds to a large bowl. Add the dressing and stir carefully to combine. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired