Best-Ever Cheese Soufflé

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Diners — and the chefs who feed them — are embracing retro dishes. Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli perused old supper-club menus for inspiration and came away with ideas for dishes like this cheese soufflé, a classic that never goes out of style. This light and airy soufflé boasts both Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gruyère cheeses and gets a little sharp complexity from Dijon and dry mustard. Pair it with a vinaigrette-dressed salad and baguette for an elegant lunch.

Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs
Yield:
6 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to grease dish

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

  • 4 large eggs, separated, plus 3 large egg whites

  • 3 tablespoons dry sherry

  • 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (2 packed cups)

  • 2 tablespoons sour cream

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish and coat it with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

  2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Stir in flour to make a paste. Gradually whisk in cream and bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking, until very thick, 3 minutes. Transfer base to a large bowl; let cool. Stir in egg yolks, sherry, Gruyère, sour cream, salt, Dijon mustard, dry mustard, cayenne, and the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

  3. Put egg whites in a large stainless steel bowl. Add cream of tartar. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until firm peaks form. Fold one-third of the whites into the soufflé base to lighten it, then fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.

  4. Scrape mixture into prepared dish. Run your thumb or a towel around the inside rim of the dish to wipe away any crumbs. Bake for about 35 minutes, until soufflé is golden brown and puffed. Serve right away.

    Best-Ever Cheese Souffle
    © Matthew Armendariz

Suggested Pairing

Fresh, white peach–inflected Pinot Grigio.

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