spinach souffle

spinach souffle

i don’t know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but here it’s been hot – so hot that we actually went for a refreshing dip in the freezing cold pacific ocean last weekend!

ingredients

when it gets this hot, i start craving light (but filling) dinners, like this spinach souffle. ironically, this souffle is normally a vegetarian entree at our thanksgiving table, but it’s light enough and versatile enough to be enjoyed any time of the year.

butter flour butter and flour soy milk

the basis of the souffle is a standard white sauce. i love white sauces, because they can be the base of so many different and delicious meals, and they’re quite easy and quick to make. you just start with a little butter in a pan, add flour, stir, slowly pour in some milk, and then vigorously stir until it thickens. at this point, if you were going to make a white sauce for pasta, i’d add some garlic and salt and pepper and some more milk, and then let it thicken up a bit more.

cheese draining spinach spinach in spinach

but if you’re making this souffle, you add some cheese, then take it off the heat and add the spinach. after that, temper beaten yolks. (temper = put some of the hot white sauce into the egg yolks, then put some of the yolk mixture back into the white sauce, then add all the yolks – the goal is to ensure the yolks don’t scramble.) then, you just fold in the egg whites, dump into a souffle dish, and throw it in the oven. serve it with some salad and good bread, and you have a dish that is perfect all year round!

egg whites beaten yolks tempering the yolks yolks egg whites ready for the oven

one year ago: vegetable pancakes

dinner is served

spinach souffle

  • 4T butter
  • 4T flour
  • 1/2t salt
  • dash cayenne
  • dash nutmeg
  • 1c (soy) milk
  • 6oz jack cheese, grated
  • 1 bunch spinach, rinsed well and chopped (or 10oz frozen spinach, thawed)
  • 4 eggs, separated
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  1. preheat the oven to 350º
  2. grease an 8″square pan or a 9″ souffle dish
  3. melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat
  4. stir in the flour, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg, whisking to combine
  5. slowly add the soy milk, whisking constantly until mixture is smooth and has thickened
  6. add the grated cheese, and continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth again
  7. take the mixture off the heat and add the spinach, stirring well to combine
  8. beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff
  9. beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl until light yellow
  10. add a spoonful of the yolks to the spinach mixture, stirring well
  11. stir a spoonful of the spinach mixture back into the yolks
  12. then, add all the yolks to the spinach mixture and stir until incorporated
  13. fold the whites into the spinach/yolk mixture, using a gentle figure-8 motion
  14. pour the souffle into the greased pan and bake for 45 minutes, until the souffle has risen and is golden brown
  15. serve with a salad and bread and enjoy!

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