This easy cauliflower soufflé is fluffy on the inside, golden on top, and packed with cheesy deliciousness! You can bake one big soufflé or six smaller ones.
Is there anything better than a steaming hot and fluffy soufflé? With this easy cauliflower soufflé recipe, you’ll be amazed how simple it is to make one right in your own kitchen!
But what exactly is a soufflé?
This food comes to us from 18th century France. It’s a baked egg-based dish that, depending on the ingredients, can be served as a side, the main course, or a dessert.
While I do love a great chocolate soufflé, I wanted this dish to be savory in flavor. I was craving fluffy, cheesy goodness.
And the result is EXACTLY what I wanted! Soft on the inside with a perfectly-crispy golden top, it’s a delicious balance of sophisticated dining and comfort food.
How to make easy cauliflower soufflé
If you’ve been intimidated by cooking soufflés in the past, you’ll love how simple this version is.
Step 1: Boil the cauliflower florets with the teaspoon of salt for 10-15 minutes until soft. Drain, mash well, then set aside.
Step 2: Add the butter to a large frying pan. Once melted and hot, add the flour and stir for about 1 minute. Finally, add the hot milk and stir well. The sauce should start to thicken.
Step 3: Once thickened, remove from the heat.
Step 4: Add the salt, pepper, and egg yolks to the sauce and mix well. Then, mix in the shredded cheese and mashed cauliflower.
Step 5: Once the cheese has melted, add the parsley and stir again.
Step 6: In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff.
Step 7: Fold the cauliflower mixture very gently into the egg white mixture.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spoon this mixture into 6 individual ramekins or a large casserole dish. The mixture will rise quite a bit while cooking, so don’t overfill the containers.
Step 9: Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until the tops are golden and the mixture is firm, then remove from the oven.
That’s it! I like to garnish with fresh herbs before serving.
What makes a soufflé fluffy?
The key to a fluffy soufflé is the egg whites. By beating them into stiff peaks, we trap air bubbles that expand while baking.
Meanwhile, the heat gives the other ingredients some structure that will help hold up the soufflé after it’s done baking. This is the key to keep the dish from collapsing.
Keep in mind that it’s completely normal for your soufflé to deflate a little after baking!
Is this recipe keto-friendly?
In terms of nutrition, there are about 7 net carbs in this recipe. Paired with other low-carb foods throughout the day, you should be able to eat this dish and stay within your limit of carbohydrates.
However, the recipe does contain three tablespoons of flour. If you follow strict keto, that might not work for you.
So it really depends on whether you follow an IIFYM (if it fits your macros) approach or a strict ingredient-focused version of keto.
Storage
I recommended serving this dish immediately. Unfortunately, it will not keep very well in the refrigerator.
Soufflés will inevitably deflate over time as the air bubbles trapped in the egg whites start to cool. So the sooner you eat it after baking, the fluffier it will be.
Other delicious cauliflower recipes
Is there anything cauliflower can’t do? When prepared properly, it’s a delicious way to enjoy healthier versions of comfort foods. Here are a few of my favorite cauliflower recipes that I know you’ll love!
For even more amazing dishes you can make with your new favorite vegetable, check out this roundup of my top low-carb cauliflower recipes!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Easy Cauliflower Soufflé
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh cauliflower florets
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1¼ cup whole milk, (heated)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 large eggs, (yolks and whites separated)
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, (chopped — for garnish)
Instructions
- Boil the cauliflower florets with the teaspoon of salt for 10-15 minutes until soft. Drain, mash well, then set aside.
- Add the butter to a large frying pan. Once melted and hot, add the flour and stir for about 1 minute. Finally, add the hot milk and stir well. The sauce should start to thicken.
- Once thickened, remove from the heat.
- Add the salt, pepper, and egg yolks to the sauce and mix well. Then, mix in the shredded cheese and mashed cauliflower.
- Once the cheese has melted, add the parsley and stir again.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff.
- Fold the cauliflower mixture very gently into the egg white mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spoon this mixture into 6 individual ramekins or a large casserole dish. The mixture will rise quite a bit while cooking, so don’t overfill the containers.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until the tops are golden and the mixture is firm, then remove from the oven.
