This Cheese Soufflé is light, airy, and packed with rich Gruyère flavor. It’s an impressive, but approachable French dish perfect for a special brunch, a cozy dinner, or anytime you want to impress with something classic and elegant. The combination of fluffy egg whites and creamy cheese sauce creates a delicate texture that rises beautifully in the oven. An elegant soufflé is easier to make than you think.
Why You Will Love This Fluffy Cheese Soufflé Recipe
- Classic French dish: This is the quintessential recipe for an elegant cheese soufflé, with bold flavor and perfect texture.
- Made with quality Gruyère: Gruyère cheese melts beautifully and gives this soufflé its distinct nutty, savory flavor.
- Simple ingredients: Butter, flour, milk, eggs, and cheese—ingredients you probably already have at home—come together to create this restaurant-quality dish.
- Perfect for brunch or dinner: Serve this cheese soufflé as a centerpiece for brunch, a dinner party, or a luxurious weeknight meal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter: Can substitute with unsalted butter.
- Flour: Easily substitute with gluten-free, all-purpose blend.
- Milk: While whole milk preferred, you can use 2%. Avoid using skim milk.
- Gruyère cheese: Can substitute with Comté, Emmental, sharp white cheddar, or a mix of melting cheeses.
- Fresh eggs: No direct substitution.
- Dijon mustard: Omit, or substitute with stone-ground mustard or mustard powder.
- Fresh chopped parsley or chives: Use fresh thyme or tarragon, instead.
- Cream of tartar: Substitute with a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano is a great substitute.
How to Prepare a Cheese Soufflé
- Line the inside of a large ramekin with butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, using a microplane to grate finely. Tap to remove excess.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a pan or pot. Add flour and whisk constantly. Cook for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth.
- When incorporated, turn off the heat and slowly whisk in the Gruyère cheese, until melted and smooth.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Stir in Dijon mustard, and remove from heat.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by slowly adding a spoonful of the warm cheese mixture while whisking, then whisk them all back into the cheese sauce.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat to stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cheese mixture in three stages to avoid deflating the mixture.
- Carefully pour or spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared ramekin.
- Place ramekin in a water bath (the water should come about halfway up the sides of the ramekin).
- Bake for at least 40-45 minutes, or until puffed and golden (if the top starts to brown before the soufflé is set, gently top with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chopped herbs, if desired.
How to Serve and Store
- Serve immediately straight from the oven while the soufflé is puffed and airy. This is when it’s at its best!
- Cheese soufflé is not ideal for storing, as it will deflate as it cools, but leftovers can be gently reheated in a low oven, if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did my cheese soufflé collapse? Soufflés naturally deflate as they cool, so serve immediately after baking for the best presentation. Be sure to fold egg whites gently and avoid overmixing to maintain volume.
- Can I make a cheese soufflé ahead of time? It’s best baked and served fresh. However, you can prepare the cheese base ahead, refrigerate it, and whip and fold in egg whites just before baking.
- Can I substitute a different cheese? Yes! Comté, sharp cheddar, or a blend of cheeses work beautifully—just choose good melting cheeses for best results.
- Do I need a water bath?A water bath ensures even, gentle heat, preventing cracking or overbaking along the edges. While you can bake without one, the texture and rise may not be as consistent.
- Can I prepare individual cheese soufflés? Absolutely! You can bake smaller individual soufflés in ramekins, just be sure to adjust bake time to approximately 20 minutes.
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Fluffy Cheese Soufflé
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Fluffy Cheese Soufflé is light, airy, and packed with rich Gruyère flavor. It’s an impressive, but approachable French dish.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, plus more for lining the ramekin
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup quality Gruyère cheese, finely grated
- 4 fresh eggs, separated
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter for lining baking dish or ramekin
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated on a microplane
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line the inside of a large ramekin with butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, using a microplane to grate finely. Tap to remove excess.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a pan or pot. Add flour and whisk constantly. Cook for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth.
- When incorporated, turn off the heat and slowly whisk in the Gruyère cheese, until melted and smooth.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Stir in Dijon mustard, and remove from heat.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by slowly adding a spoonful of the warm cheese mixture while whisking, then whisk them all back into the cheese sauce.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat to stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cheese mixture in three stages to avoid deflating the mixture.
- Carefully pour or spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared ramekin.
- Place ramekin in a water bath (the water should come about halfway up the sides of the ramekin).
- Bake for at least 40-45 minutes, or until puffed and golden (if the top starts to brown before the soufflé is set, gently top with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chopped herbs, if desired.
- ENJOY!
Equipment
Four-Ounce Individual Ramekins (Set of 6)
Buy Now →Notes
- Use really good ingredients—especially quality Gruyère cheese, fresh eggs, and fresh herbs—for the best flavor.
- Ensure the roux (butter and flour mixture) is fully cooked before adding milk to avoid a raw flour taste.
- When tempering egg yolks, add a little of the warm cheese sauce slowly while whisking to prevent scrambling.
- Beat egg whites to stiff peaks for proper rise but do not overbeat (they should be glossy, not dry).
- Gently fold egg whites into the base mixture in three stages to maintain as much air as possible.
- Prepare your ramekin well by buttering thoroughly and coating with finely grated Parmesan to help the soufflé climb the sides evenly.
- The water bath helps provide gentle, even heat and reduces the risk of cracking or uneven rise.
- The bake time is just an approximation as other factors (individual ovens, stiffness of the egg whites, etc.) can affect how quickly or long it will take the eggs to set and the soufflé to become fluffy.
- If the top of the soufflé is getting browned before the inside is fully-baked, gently place a piece of foil (non-stick side down) over the soufflé.
- Use smaller ramekins to make individual soufflés (baking time will need adjustment).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Brunch, Side Dish, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Moderate
- Cuisine: French
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WELCOME! My name is Melissa Latin aka. Charlotte Fashion Plate. Happy to meet you! I am more than just recipes. I love fashion and style too! Most importantly, I love my Family (my Hubby and my Fur Babies). My Husband (aka my “Kitchen Bitch”) means the world to me. He’s pretty damn cool too. Not only is he one of the nicest guys you will ever meet, he also has had a lengthy career in professional hockey. Not only winning two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early ’90’s, but most recently winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers, amongst many other accolades. If you live in Charlotte and play hockey, or have a family member who plays, be sure to contact him!
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