These Easy Smothered Pork Chops Start With Canned Soup And Boursin

It's remarkable what you can do with just a can of soup and a block of Boursin cheese, given the right recipe. Together, they make for quite the flavor base, with enough notes and textures to satisfy the palate until the last spoonful. Pair them with pork chops, and you've got a no-fuss main course that still arrives at the dining table hearty and comforting beyond imagination.

Creating a three-ingredient smothered pork chops recipe, Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye started with searing the seasoned pork chops before setting them aside and whipping up the sauce. This is when the cream of mushroom sauce and Boursin cheese are brought together over medium-high heat. Once the sauce has adequately thickened up, put the pork chops back into the pan and cook them for another five minutes. In no more than 15 minutes, you should have a plateful of pork chops coated in a creamy mushroom sauce, ready to serve.

On your plate, the sauce and its complexity complement the meat's savory nature while also elevating its mild tone to another level of intensity. The cream of mushroom sauce provides an umami creaminess that sets the tone for the entire dish, further intensified by the Boursin cheese's buttery tang. Little garlicky and herby nuances weave through that richness, adding an aromatic layer that keeps it from a monotonous fate. The texture is no less than silky, full-bodied perfection, as expected when you've got cream soup and melted cheese fused together.

Experimenting with this dish can be as easy as trying different Boursin cheese flavors. Other than the incredibly popular Garlic & Fine Herb, you can also opt for the Caramelized Onion & Herb rendition to load the dish up with even more savory goodness. On the slightly spicier side, Hot Honey & Roasted Garlic is a great way to add just a subtle touch of heat that doesn't overpower the entire dish. Rosemary & Black Garlic is another splendid pick for those who want both fragrance and sharpness wrapped up in a subtle undertone.

As for the soup, you can always try out other condensed cream varieties. A cream of onion soup delivers a similar earthy umami taste, only with sweet and savory hints that make your pork chops taste utterly scrumptious. For something milder and more buttery, a cream of potatoes soup should do the trick. For something that builds into the Boursin cheese's own tangy, herby richness, a garlic parmesan cheese soup will check all of your boxes.

Moving on to additions that could take this dish beyond its homemade comfort, you can try Martha Stewart's secret to adding depth to her cooking: bouillon cubes. Just throw a few cubes into the sauce and enjoy that savory depth you rarely get with typical pork chops. Not to be underestimated, garlic is another foolproof addition to this dish. That peppery aroma will work a miracle on the sauce, elevating the entire taste profile while merely sitting in the undertone. If you want full-blown heartiness, simmer the sauce with tomato purée, and perhaps even add a few slow-roasted tomatoes to the pan as well.