French Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Soufflé au Fromage
Airy beaten egg whites folded with rich Gruyère and baked until dramatically puffed and golden — a showstopping French classic.
Contains common allergens
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Instructions
6 steps- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously butter a 6-cup soufflé dish. Dust the inside with grated Parmesan, tapping out the excess.
- 2
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the warm milk until smooth and thickened (béchamel). Remove from heat.
- 3
Whisk the egg yolks into the warm béchamel one at a time. Stir in the Gruyère cheese, dry mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper until the cheese is melted. Let cool slightly.
- 4
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to firm, glossy peaks. Do not overbeat.
- 5
Vigorously stir one-third of the egg whites into the cheese mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites just until no streaks remain.
- 6
Pour into the prepared dish. Run your thumb around the inside rim of the dish to create a "top hat" effect. Bake for 25-30 minutes without opening the oven door, until puffed and deeply golden. Serve immediately before it falls!
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
55/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving410
Calories
23 g
Protein
9 g
Carbs
31 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
The cheese soufflé is a classic French dish that showcases a foundational pastry technique: folding whipped egg whites into a flavored base to create dramatic height and lightness in the oven. It has a reputation for intimidating home cooks, largely because of its habit of deflating shortly after leaving the oven, though the science behind it is more forgiving than the mythology suggests.
Listahan note
This version treats the béchamel and egg-white stages as two separate, carefully executed steps, since rushing either one is what actually causes a soufflé to fail, not bad luck.
Technique cues
- Whisking the egg yolks into the warm, not hot, béchamel prevents them from scrambling, which would otherwise leave lumps of cooked egg through the base.
- Beating the egg whites to firm, glossy peaks and stopping there is critical; overbeaten whites turn dry and lose the elasticity needed to trap air and rise.
- Running a thumb around the inside rim of the buttered dish creates a slight groove that helps the soufflé rise straight up in a dramatic dome rather than sticking unevenly to the sides.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Beat the egg whites while the cheese béchamel base cools slightly, so both are ready to fold together at the right temperature.
- Make-ahead
- The béchamel base can be made a few hours ahead and gently rewarmed; the egg whites must be beaten and folded in fresh right before baking.
- Leftover move
- A soufflé doesn't reheat into its original form, but leftover pieces can be stirred into a warm pasta as a rich cheese sauce.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Make the béchamel in the same saucepan you'll fold the yolks into, keeping the whisking bowl for whites completely separate and grease-free.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Butter and flour
Béchamel base
Purpose: Cooked together into a roux and thinned with milk, they form the thick base that carries the cheese and holds the egg yolks.
Handling: Cook the roux for a full minute before adding milk to cook out the raw flour taste.
Adaptation: There isn't a strong reason to substitute here; the roux technique is fundamental to a proper soufflé base.
Gruyère cheese
Signature flavor
Purpose: Melted into the béchamel, it gives the soufflé its rich, nutty, savory character.
Handling: Grate finely so it melts smoothly and evenly into the warm base.
Adaptation: Comté or a sharp aged cheddar can substitute for a similar savory depth.
Egg yolks and egg whites
Structure
Purpose: The yolks enrich the base while the whipped whites, folded in separately, are what create the soufflé's dramatic rise.
Handling: Separate cleanly, whisk the yolks into the warm béchamel, and beat the whites in a completely clean, grease-free bowl.
Adaptation: There's no substitute for eggs here; they are the entire mechanism behind a soufflé's structure.
Dry mustard and cayenne
Background spice
Purpose: Small amounts sharpen the cheese flavor without adding noticeable heat.
Handling: Whisk them into the béchamel along with the cheese so they distribute evenly.
Adaptation: A pinch of smoked paprika can replace cayenne for a different, milder background note.
Technique notes
- Make sure the bowl and beaters for the egg whites are completely clean and dry; any trace of fat prevents the whites from whipping properly.
- Fold, don't stir, the egg whites into the cheese base; vigorous stirring knocks out the air that creates the rise.
- Do not open the oven door while baking; a rush of cold air is one of the most common reasons a soufflé collapses early.
Ingredient swaps
- Herb addition direction
- Fold in finely chopped chives or fresh thyme along with the cheese for extra flavor.
- Lighter direction
- Reduce the cheese slightly and add a bit more dry mustard for a lighter, less rich soufflé.
- Individual portions direction
- Divide the batter among smaller ramekins for individual soufflés with a shorter, more predictable bake time.
Serve alongside
- Simple green salad
- Crusty bread
- Sliced tomatoes
- Dry white wine
- Sparkling water
- Champagne
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- A soufflé is best served immediately and does not hold its structure once it cools.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated but will be dense rather than airy when reheated.
- Freezing is not recommended for the same reason; the dish's texture depends on being served fresh from the oven.
Equipment
- 6-cup soufflé dish
- Electric mixer for the egg whites
- Rubber spatula for folding
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