Maman's Cheese Soufflé From Jacques Pépin Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Bake

by: Genius Recipes

March9,2021

66 Ratings

Maman's Cheese Soufflé From Jacques Pépin Recipe on Food52 (1)

Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Serves 4

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

If the intimidation of making a soufflé has kept you away, it's time to change that: This recipe is the easiest soufflé you'll meet. This unusual recipe from Jacques Pepin's maman (which just means "mom" in French) is one you might have heard of—it's made the rounds for decades, and its genius is all thanks to a simple miscommunication.

Unlike traditional French soufflés that call for separating the eggs, adding the yolks to the white sauce, beating the egg whites till stiff, and gently folding them in, this recipe has you beat the eggs straight into the sauce. When Jacques' mother was newly married at seventeen, no one told her the eggs needed to be separated—and it worked! The results are slightly less airy, but some might argue they're even more delicious.

The brilliance of this move, in addition to ease, is that it means you can make the whole thing well ahead of time. Let the mixture hang out at room temperature for a couple hours, or in the fridge for a day. When you're ready to bake, heat your oven and go. As mentioned in The Washington Post, this recipe is also built to adapt. Use Gruyère, cheddar, or other cheeses. Switch up chives for another herb. Or make the soufflés in individual ramekins and customize the toppings. As Pépin's daughter Claudine writes, “We usually serve it as a first course, but we love it for brunch and meatless dinners as well.”

Jacques Pepin's maman's cheese soufflé is simple and comforting enough for a weeknight meal, yet impressive enough for a dinner party or holiday feast. Recipe slightly adapted from The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, May 2003).

Note: The pan used in this recipe is the 12.75 x 9” Staub Medium Cast Iron Oval Roasting Dish, available in the Food52 Shop. —Genius Recipes

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Watch This Recipe

Maman's Cheese Soufflé From JacquesPépin

Ingredients

6 tablespoonsunsalted butter, plus additional to butter a 5- to 6-cup gratin dish
¹/₄ cupfinely grated Parmesan cheese
6 tablespoonsall-purpose flour
2 cupswhole milk
¹/₂ teaspoonsalt
¹/₂ teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
5 extra-large eggs (or 6 large ones)
2 ¹/₂ cupsgrated Swiss cheese, preferably Gruyère (about 6 ounces), plus three more optional slices for garnish (roughly 2-inch by 3-inch)
3 tablespoonsminced chives

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 5- to 6-cup gratin dish (we used the 12.75 x 9” Staub Medium Cast Iron Oval Roasting Dish from the Food52 Shop), sprinkle the bottom and sides with half the Parmesan, and set it aside. Melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and mix it in well with a whisk. Cook for 10 seconds, add the cold milk in one stroke and mix it in with a whisk. Keep stirring with the whisk until the mixture thickens and comes to a strong boil, about 2 minutes. It should be thick and smooth. Remove from the heat, and stir in the [food52.com](salt and pepper).
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat well with a fork. After about 10 minutes, the white sauce should be cool enough to proceed. Moving quickly, add the eggs, cheese and the chives to the sauce, and mix well to combine. Pour into the buttered gratin dish and cook immediately, or set aside until ready to cook. If setting aside for a few hours, the soufflé can remain outside at room temperature. If assembling a day ahead, refrigerate and bring back to room temperature before baking.
Sprinkle the surface with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan and arrange the 3 slices of Gruyère in a circle in the center, if using. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until puffy and well browned on top. Although it will stay inflated for quite awhile, it is best served immediately.

Tags:

Souffle
French
Egg
Chive
Milk/Cream
Cheddar
Butter
Cheese
Bake
Quick and Easy
Make Ahead
Serves a Crowd

See what other Food52ers are saying.

AliceToo
Nina Pulis
Sinv TK
Sheila Barron-Teggart
Larry Kennedy
See Also
Creamy Grape Salad Recipe Weight Loss Made Simple: 35 Power Bowl Recipes for Every Meal The Best Instant Pot Tips for Beginners – Easy Instant Recipes Thai Basil Chicken Recipe | ChefDeHome.com

Recipe by: Genius Recipes

Popular on Food52

52 Reviews

Jennyf March 28, 2024

I used individual ramekins for 40 minutes and I think they were over cooked. Next time I will use 375 degrees like Jacque suggests instead of the 400 degrees that the recipe says to do, and maybe only cook 30 minutes. Cooking them on a sheet pan like he does in the video will probably also help. I also added a bit more salt since I was using kosher salt. It tasted great just over cooked

Emily February 27, 2023

Simple, delicious. Would be very easy to swap the chives for finely diced red pepper or would love to try with Fresno chiles for some heat (Not very French I know…)
This is an easy dish that looks extremely impressive. Maman Pepin for the win!

Bluerroses September 20, 2022

A sublime recipe. Made it as written for company. Tonight I made it with good cheddar cheese (all I had). It didn't puff up nearly as much, but tasted great. I'm fascinated with the note that the recipe can be prepped ahead of time--I've gotta try that. An easy and very forgiving recipe. Jacques Pepin (with help from his mom), does it again!

BabyArugula June 6, 2022

First of all, I love the video. This souffle has such a beautiful history.
I cut the recipe down to one-third, and made with parmesan. It was absolutely delicious...airy, with a beautiful crust..rich, yet light.
Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Pepin!

James H. March 3, 2022

This is one of the recipes that if you watch the video and read the recipe, it comes out perfect. I doubled the recipe. I used half cream and half chicken broth for my liquid, but that was the only change I made. Because of the amount I made, it needed 45 minutes of cook time to get the middle of the soufflé to be done. Will definitely make this again.

JudyH November 27, 2021

I have made this delicious recipe several times now and it will always be a staple in my kitchen. It is so easy and everyone loves it. Merci to Jacques maman!!

Sharon R. November 16, 2021

OMG, this was super easy to make and looked and tasted so sublime! If you've ever wanted to make a souffle but were hesitant - here's an absolutely foolproof recipe and one you'll make time and time again! I served mine with sliced proscuitto and dressed arugula and crunchy toast. THANK YOU Mr. Pepin for sharing your Maman's recipe!

Aliceb August 13, 2021

LOOKS YUMMY! Can I sub cornstarch or tapioca for flour to make it gf?

FAQs

How long does cheese souffle last? ›

Serve at once. Souffle may be made up ahead and refrigerated as long as 24 hours.

Discover More ›

Should soufflé be baked in a water bath? ›

If the custard has a starch — i.e., flour — in it, the starch makes the egg less delicate and negates the need for a water bath. That distinction got me thinking about soufflés, because they're basically a heavy-on-the-whites version of a custard that has to be baked in a water bath.

Find Out More ›

Can you refrigerate soufflé batter before baking? ›

Making a soufflé in advance – yes, it's possible and you have three options! Option 2*: Make your batter (everything up until the egg whites) then refrigerate until needed. When ready, whisk egg whites accordingly and fold in with pre-mixed batter and continue following the recipe!

Keep Reading ›

What can go wrong with a soufflé? ›

If the dish is too small, the soufflé will overflow; if too big, it may not rise above the rim and look elegant. 2. It is easiest to separate eggs cleanly when they are refrigerator cold. However, egg whites whip to greater volume when they are at room temperature.

Learn More Now ›

What to eat with a cheese soufflé? ›

Savory Pair-ups: 7 BEST Side Dishes to for Cheese Soufflé

Meat. • 1 Mashed potatoes with bacon.
Produce. • 1 Buttered green beans. • 1 Green salad with vegetables. • 1 Scalloped potatoes.
Condiments. • 1 Biscuits and gravy.
Pasta & Grains. • 1 Angel hair pasta.
Bread & Baked Goods. • 1 Bread rolls.

Know More ›

Why did my soufflé fall apart? ›

Don't overbeat the egg whites or the mixture could fall apart and become grainy. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, which means air bubbles have formed.

Tell Me More ›

How do you know when a souffle is done? ›

A soufflé is done baking when it has risen above the rim of the dish and is nicely browned on top. It should feel mostly firm and only slightly jiggly when you lightly tap the top. Flourless soufflés, such as those made with fruit purée or chocolate, are lighter and cook faster.

Tell Me More ›

What is the best oven setting for souffle? ›

Method. Preparing the soufflé dish: Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and place a baking sheet on the middle shelf. Butter a 15cm soufflé dish generously, then sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and rotate the dish to ensure the butter is evenly coated. Tip out any excess breadcrumbs.

What happens if the oven door is opened while baking a soufflé? ›

A small number of foods get ruined if you open the door before they are done baking .. such as baking a souffle. The souffle will fall and be flat and dense, rather than moist and fluffy ..

View Details ›

Does Panera have souffles? ›

Deliciously crafted souffle made with our savory egg mixture, spinach, a cheddar cheese blend, and Applewood-smoked bacon with a hint of garlic.

Discover More Details ›

What's the difference between a quiche and a soufflé? ›

What is the main difference between a souffle vs quiche? The main difference lies in the base and the texture of these two dishes. While quiche has a savory pastry crust filled with a custard base made from whole eggs and cream, a soufflé relies heavily on whipped egg whites to give it a light and airy texture.

Keep Reading ›

What's the difference between a soufflé and an omelette? ›

Instead of beating them whole and pouring them into a hot pan, as one does for a traditional French omelette, the eggs in a soufflé omelette are separated first. The yolks are beaten in one bowl and the whites in another, the latter until enough air has been incorporated to reach stiff peaks.

Get More Info ›

How to make a soufflé without ramekins? ›

1> Ceramic or Glass Baking Dishes: Small ceramic or glass baking dishes or custard cups can work well. Make sure they are oven-safe. 2> Mason Jars: Small mason jars or heatproof glass jars can be used for individual servings. Just ensure they are tempered for heat resistance.