soufflé Archives - A Calculated Whisk

Spinach and Bacon Soufflé from Paleo Planet

January 18, 2016 By Becky 10 Comments

Did you know you can make an amazing soufflé without cheese? This spinach and bacon soufflé is gluten free, paleo, Whole30-compliant, and an ideal way to treat yourself to a decadent breakfast or brunch that’s still super healthy.

Big news! Paleo Planet was nominated for Best New Specialty Cookbook as part of Paleo Magazine’s Best of 2015 awards! I’m so happy and excited to be nominated, and so grateful for all your amazing support. If you’re a fan of Paleo Planet, would you take a minute to cast your vote for the book here? Voting is open until January 31st, it’s super quick (you only have to vote in the categories you want to vote in, so you won’t be forced to choose if there’s a category you don’t have an opinion on), and there’s a special discount on the magazine as a reward for taking the survey in case you’re interested in becoming a subscriber.

The nomination is actually perfect timing because I was already planning to share a recipe from Paleo Planet with you today, along with a free download of a special table of contents I put together that lists all the Whole30-compliant recipes in the book (there are over 80 of them!).

So today I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes from the Breakfast & Brunch chapter: Spinach and Bacon Soufflé. Soufflés are notorious for being kind of a pain to make, but I disagree with that: I think they’re relatively easy, super fun, and so worth it.

If you haven’t tried one, you need to add it to your list: the fluffy, airy texture is like nothing else. Plus, this one is packed with spinach and bacon–how can you go wrong?

My first time ever making a soufflé was in April of 2013, and it was actually one of the very first recipes I posted on this site, back in the days when I spent 2 minutes on each photo shoot and hadn’t discovered paleo yet. (If you want to see it, here it is, but you have to promise not to judge!) That one had spinach and parmesan in it, and planted the inspirational seeds for the paleo spinach and bacon soufflé I’m sharing today. I also shared a pumpkin and pecorino soufflé later that year that’s gluten free and grain free but still contains cheese.

When I was developing recipes for Paleo Planet, I challenged myself to make a delicious soufflé with no dairy other than ghee, and lucky for me, it was quite easy! A bit of nutritional yeast provides a hint of cheesy flavor, and bits of bacon interspersed throughout ensure that each bite has textural interest, too. It’s a perfect breakfast or brunch to make when you want to treat yourself to something fancy and a little off the beaten path but still really nutritious.

Pumpkin & Pecorino Soufflé (Gluten-free)

October 30, 2013 By Becky 6 Comments

Me and pumpkin–it’s not over! Whenever I have leftover pumpkin in the fridge, I can’t stop myself from adding it to almost all things. This past weekend, I went to see my little sister, who’s 15, cheer at her high school’s last home game of the regular season. The game fell on my dad’s birthday, so I wanted to bring a little something sweet for the post-game celebration. Unfortunately, in addition to her dairy and soy allergies, my sister is also currently avoiding nuts, citrus, and chocolate as part of an anti-migraine diet. And, of course, I wanted whatever I made to be gluten-free.

Well, what was left that COULD go in these treats? Pretty much just pumpkin (and a few coconut products). I ended up making gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and nut-free pumpkin cupcakes, and while I didn’t think they were good enough to share with all of you, my sister really liked them.

The cupcakes only used a cup or so of pumpkin, so I was left with some extra, which was burning a hole in my pocket/fridge… Can that expression apply to food you really want to use up? Or is it only for money you’re dying to spend?

Spinach and Parmesan Soufflé

April 6, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

This is my first attempt at making soufflé. I like to cook breakfast pretty much every weekend morning, and was in the mood for blueberry muffins. Unfortunately, I was out of frozen blueberries and too lazy to go to the store. I had baby spinach, lots of eggs, and a hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano. Also, I had two four-cup soufflé dishes that had only held lemon mousse so far. Right now, they’re living up to their name since they’re filled with spinach parmesan soufflé. This recipe is adapted from Bon Appétit.

I was so paranoid that the soufflés would fall that I started snapping pictures while they were still in the oven. But, they actually held up really well!

Ingredients (serves 2-3):

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing dishes

6 tablespoons flour

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

3 cups baby spinach

6 egg yolks

8 egg whites, at room temperature

1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375. Place two four-cup soufflé dishes (or eight one-cup dishes for mini soufflés) on a cookie sheet. Grease the bottom and sides of the dishes with butter.

Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for a minute. Add the buttermilk and whisk until combined and almost smooth. Add the spinach, parmesan cheese, egg yolks, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine and remove from the heat.

In a non-reactive bowl, place the room-temperature egg whites and lemon juice, if using (this just makes it a little easier to whip the whites). Beat until the whites hold medium peaks.

Fold the egg whites into the other mixture a little bit at a time. Divide mixture among the dishes, and bake for 30 minutes for one-cup dishes or 40 minutes for four-cup dishes, or until puffy and golden brown. Serve immediately.