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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Gluten Free Souffle

    Published: Apr 16, 2024 by Nicole Spiridakis ·

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    The fluffiest gluten free souffle with spinach and parmesan cheese makes a beautiful vegetarian main dish. I love making this dish for a special meal's centerpiece, although it's also perfect for a casual weekend dinner.

    A plate of gluten free souffle on a napkin. Roasted veggies accompany it.

    If you love souffle (and who doesn't?) you'll love this easy gluten free version! Easier than you'd expect, with the simple swap of sweet white rice flour as its base, this beautiful gluten free souffle is so fresh and flavorful. I love adding spinach to my souffle, but you can try other varieties (a sweet potato or pumpkin souffle is lovely in fall), and it makes a special centerpiece to any meal. Add a side of gluten free cornbread for a rustic touch, add a side of roasted cauliflower, or serve slices of quiche with bowls of asparagus soup.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love Souffle
    • What is a Souffle?
    • Ingredients Needed
    • Why Use Sweet White Rice Flour?
    • How to Make a Gluten Free Souffle
    • Souffle Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage & Reheating Options
    • More Gluten Free Dinner Recipes
    • Gluten Free Souffle

    Why You'll Love Souffle

    The gluten free souffle featured in this post is inspired by an Alice Waters recipe from her cookbook, The Art of Simple Food. To make the roux (a sauce used to thicken sauces, soups, and souffles), we swap sweet white rice flour (mochiko) for all-purpose flour. This simple substitution creates a gluten free base for the souffle; the rest of the ingredients are gluten-free already. I love a souffle packed with tender baby spinach leaves and lots of Parmesan cheese and served with a crisp salad and roasted potatoes.

    • So easy. Look, I get it—making a souffle can feel a bit intimidating! But if you follow along with my instructions I promise you will able to make it.
    • Pretty. When you take a souffle out of the oven, take a moment to admire its gorgeously puffed top!
    • Vegetarian and gluten free. With my recipe, you will be able to ensure any vegetarian or gluten free diner at the table is well fed.
    A serving of gluten free souffle on a plate.

    What is a Souffle?

    A soufflé is a puffed-up French baked egg dish that gets its name from the souffler, meaning to breathe or puff. If a souffle is done right it will emerge from the oven gloriously fluffy and puffed up (though it will start to deflate immediately after being removed from the oven's heat). Souffles can be made sweet or savory, complicated or simple. I wrote an article for NPR that includes a recipe for sweet potato souffle, chocolate souffle, and strawberry souffle plus a few more if you want to try other options.

    The ingredients for gluten free souffle are shown labeled and portioned out: egg whites, egg yolks, sweet white rice flour, milk, cream, spinach, parmesan cheese, spring onions.

    Ingredients Needed

    Here's a glance at everything that goes into this gluten free souffle recipe, with full ingredient amounts included in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    • Spinach - I use baby spinach leaves.
    • Green onions - Or you can sub 4 thinly sliced cloves of garlic.
    • Heavy cream - I don't think there really is a substitute for heavy cream in this recipe - it gives the souffle the beautiful richness that distinguishes it from other egg dishes. In a pinch, you could try half-and-half.
    • Butter - Use unsalted butter.
    • Parmesan cheese - You can use grated or shredded Parmesan.
    • Sweet white rice flour - Sweet white rice flour, often also seen as mochiko, helps to create a gluten-free roux.
    • Milk - Whole milk is best!
    • Eggs - Use large eggs in this recipe. You need 4 egg yolks and 6 egg whites.
    • Salt - I always use fine sea salt in my recipes!

    What Kind of Eggs are Best for Souffle?

    Fresh, large eggs are best! If you have chickens or neighbors who share their freshly laid eggs with you, souffle is a wonderful way to showcase them. That said, any type of egg will work, although try to use eggs that you've purchased recently rather than a carton that has been in the fridge for a while. Make sure to bring the egg whites to room temperature before whipping them for the best results.

    Why Use Sweet White Rice Flour?

    Sweet white rice flour, also sold as mochiko, is a naturally gluten free glutinous flour - meaning it's sticky and has wonderful binding properties for gluten free baking, sauces, and more. In cakes and bread, sweet white rice flour is often combined with a starchy gluten free flour such as tapioca flour along with a gluten free flour or flours such as oat, sorghum, brown rice, and more. I use it in my gluten free flour blend along with tapioca and oat flour to create a simple, effective gluten free 1:1 flour substitute.

    A plate serves gluten free souffle and roasted potatoes on a white background.

    How to Make a Gluten Free Souffle

    There are more than a few steps for making gluten free souffle, but they're not complicated. You can get an idea of how to make this souffle below. Check the recipe card for the detailed instructions.

    Spring onions in a pot of heavy cream.
    Steep cream.
    The roux is whisked in a pot.
    Make roux.
    • Prepare: Preheat the oven to 375℉ and butter a 6-cup souffle or gratin dish.
    • Wilt spinach: Chop or tear the spinach and steam it until wilted.
    • Steep: Put the green onion and cream in a small saucepan over low heat, bring to a boil, then let it steep.
    • Make roux: Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the sweet white rice flour, and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
    The roux is whisked in a pot.
    Add milk.
    Egg yolks are added to the roux.
    Add cheese.
    • Add milk: Whisk in the milk and stir until thick.
    • Add cheese: Add the salt and stir in the Parmesan.
    The souffle base with spinach in a glass bowl.
    Add yolks and cream.
    Whipped egg whites in a bowl.
    Whip egg whites.
    • Combine: Stir in the egg yolks, spinach, and cream mixture.
    • Beat egg whites: Whisk or beat the egg whites until they form firm peaks.
    Whipped egg whites in a bowl.
    Combine.
    The base and egg whites are combined with a rubber spatula.
    Fold in remaining whites.
    • Fold: Gently fold ¼ of the whites into the base to lighten it.
    • Finish: Gently fold in the remaining whites.
    The souffle is placed in the souffle pan.
    Add to pan.
    A gluten free souffle cools on a wire rack.
    Pan.
    • Add to pan: Scrape the batter into the prepared dish.
    • Bake: Place in the oven and bake until golden brown and set.

    Souffle Tips

    At its heart, souffle-making is a fairly simple endeavor. Good eggs are the most important ingredient here, followed by the advice to bring the egg whites to room temperature before you whip them. You want to get enough air into the whites so that they make the souffle rise nicely, but you don't want to overbeat them otherwise they can get too dry. A few more tips for gluten free souffle are below:

    • Use fresh eggs: Use the freshest eggs you can get. This means that those eggs you've had kicking around the refrigerator for a few weeks might not be the best to use in your souffle. If you have laying chickens, you're all set, but for the rest of us, a fresh box from the farmers market or supermarket will work fine.
    • Remove all yolks from the whites: When separating the eggs, be careful not to leave even a speck of yolk in the whites. Eggs just out of the refrigerator separate more easily, but make sure to get the whites to room temperature before whipping, as they will whip to a higher volume when not cold. This is important when you're making a souffle because the puffiness comes only from the egg whites.
    • Use a clean bowl: Make sure the bowl and beaters are absolutely clean and dry when you start whipping the white.
    • Work quickly: Once whipped, work quickly but gently to fold the whites into the souffle base. The goal is to maintain as much airiness as possible before baking.
    • Make ahead: You can make the souffle base up to 24 hours in advance of when you plan to bake the completed souffle. Place it in an airtight container in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature along with the egg whites before proceeding with the recipe.
    • Don't open the oven door! This is so difficult, but try not to open the oven door to peek at your souffle's progress. I've done this far more than I should admit and have suffered a somewhat deflated souffle.
    • Other flavor suggestions: Try different cheeses, other vegetables such as asparagus, red pepper, or pureed sweet potatoes, and fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, and rosemary.
    A white plate with a serving of gluten free souffle plus roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes.

    Serving Suggestions

    Souffle needs an accompaniment of vegetables, either a crisp salad or a side of greens. As shown in the photos, I love to roast red and white cream potatoes (cut them in half and rub them with olive oil and salt) and sweet potatoes, then add them to a serving of souffle. And a bowl of crisp-caramelized roasted cauliflower and/or broccoli is always welcome.

    Or, toss a skinny, spindly bunch of asparagus in a bit of olive oil and salt and roast them for about 20 minutes at 375℉. Souffles are also lovely served with fresh fish such as salmon: slip a pound of salmon into a bath of lemon juice, white wine, and salt and pepper and bake it at 375℉ for about 30 minutes. You could also keep it very simple and serve a souffle with a loaf of crusty, fresh bread.

    A fork digs into a plate of gluten free spinach souffle.

    Storage & Reheating Options

    While a souffle has the best presentation soon after it emerges from the oven, you can save leftovers to enjoy another time! Here's how to do it:

    • Fridge - Place leftover souffle in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • To Reheat - You can reheat the souffle in the microwave in 30-second increments until hot, or gently reheat it in a 350℉ oven until heated through.

    More Gluten Free Dinner Recipes

    • Pasta Bake
    • Broccoli Soup
    • Gluten Free Asparagus Quiche
    A blue napkin with a fork to the right of a plate of gluten free souffle.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Gluten Free Souffle

    Nicole Spiridakis
    The fluffiest gluten free souffle with spinach and parmesan cheese makes a beautiful vegetarian main dish. Easily make it gluten-free by using sweet white rice flour in the roux.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine French
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 362 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
    • 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced and with the green parts discarded
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for the dish
    • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • 4 tablespoons sweet white rice flour
    • 1 ⅓ cups whole milk
    • 4 egg yolks
    • 6 egg whites
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 375℉. Butter a 6-cup souffle or gratin dish and dust it with a few tablespoons of the Parmesan.
    • Chop or tear the spinach finely. In a small frying pan, steam the spinach in a tablespoon of water until wilted, then drain.
    • Put the green onion and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring slowly to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes.
    • Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, stir in the sweet white rice flour, and cook for 1 minute while stirring. Whisk in the milk and stir until it thickens. Add the salt and stir in the remaining Parmesan. Turn off the heat and stir in the egg yolks, spinach, and green onion-cream mixture.
    • In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form firm peaks but are still somewhat soft. Gently fold ¼ of the whites into the base to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites.
    • Scrape the batter into the prepared dish and bake until golden brown and set, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Use fresh eggs: Use the freshest eggs you can get. This means that those eggs you've had kicking around the refrigerator for a few weeks might not be the best to use in your souffle. If you have laying chickens, you're all set, but for the rest of us, a fresh box from the farmers market or supermarket will work fine.
    • Remove all yolks from the whites: When separating the eggs, be careful not to leave even a speck of yolk in the whites. Eggs just out of the refrigerator separate more easily, but make sure to get the whites to room temperature before whipping, as they will whip to a higher volume when not cold. This is important when you're making a souffle because the puffiness comes only from the egg whites.
    • Use a clean bowl: Make sure the bowl and beaters are absolutely clean and dry when you start whipping the white.
    • Work quickly: Once whipped, work quickly but gently to fold the whites into the souffle base. The goal is to maintain as much airiness as possible before baking.
    • Make ahead: You can make the souffle base up to 24 hours in advance of when you plan to bake the completed souffle. Place it in an airtight container in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature along with the egg whites before proceeding with the recipe.
    • Don't open the oven door! This is so difficult, but try not to open the oven door to peek at your souffle's progress. I've done this far more than I should admit and have suffered a somewhat deflated souffle.
    • Other flavor suggestions: Try different cheeses, other vegetables such as asparagus, red pepper, or pureed sweet potatoes, and fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, and rosemary.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 12gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 212mgSodium: 508mgPotassium: 262mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2123IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 233mgIron: 1mg
    Disclaimer: Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is an estimate (I'm not a nutritionist and can't guarantee accuracy!). Even when not specified, be sure to check that all the ingredients you use are gluten free if you need them to be by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer.
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know in the comments how it went!

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    Comments

    1. Helen says

      April 19, 2024 at 9:14 am

      4 stars
      So thorough! You help make it easier for us novices. This is a delicious recipe and so doable due to your clear instructions. Great helpful photos. Couldn’t be more clearly laid out. Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Lindsay says

      March 07, 2012 at 9:56 am

      That was such a wonderful post. Even on this mid-week, mid-day lunch break I am blanketed by the wholesome, calming, cozy feeling of a sitting down to a Sunday night meal... Sundays are my favorite time to be in the kitchen and now that I am done with grad school and returning to weekends that are my own, I am loving them more than ever!

      Reply
    3. Anne Zimmerman says

      March 07, 2012 at 7:00 am

      I so want to make a soufffle!

      Reply
    4. Pam says

      March 06, 2012 at 2:30 pm

      There is nothing more lovely than Sunday dinner, and you convey the message well! Can you tell us more about the lovely lady whose picture you posted? She looks like someone I would enjoy knowing!

      Reply
    4.50 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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