This easy breakfast soufflé recipe is made with less than 10 ingredients and simple steps. Fluffy eggs, ham, multiple cheeses, and savory seasonings bake up into beautiful little soufflé cups that are so fun to serve for breakfast or weekend brunches. I love how fancy these look despite how easy they are to make!
This delicious and savory breakfast soufflé is the perfect size for a morning meal, and my kids love the ham and cheese flavor. One of my favorite things about this recipe for mini egg soufflés is the quick prep, so I can just throw them in the oven to bake. It’s one of my favorite ways to eat eggs!
What’s in this Ham, Egg, and Cheese Soufflé recipe?
This cheesy breakfast soufflé is similar to a quiche, but lighter and without the crust. Two kinds of cheese are paired with airy eggs and bites of ham, creating a filling and satisfying breakfast dish.
- Eggs: These individual-sized soufflé cups require 1 egg per serving/ramekin.
- Ham: Use any cooked ham, chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar adds to the filling, while grated Parmesan bakes into the eggs as a coating.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter. This helps create a seasoned roux.
- Flour: Combined with butter, all-purpose flour creates a roux to thicken the egg soufflé mixture.
- Milk: Creates the right consistency to the egg mixture and adds creaminess.
- Spices: Use a mix of garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper.
Variations To Try
Making egg soufflés for breakfast allows a lot of versatility with the add-ins and seasonings. Instead of cheddar, use pepper jack, gouda, mozzarella, or another cheese. Instead of ham, use cooked bacon bits, chorizo, or diced chicken. This means everyone could have a customized soufflé order!
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How to Store and Reheat
Wrap leftover breakfast soufflé cups in foil or plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat covered in aluminum foil in a 350°F oven for about 6-7 minutes.
How to Freeze
While I do not recommend freezing cooked egg soufflés, you can freeze the fully assembled cups before baking.
To freeze, tightly cover each one in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil, for up to 3 months.
To bake, place them on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 40 minutes, and serve immediately.
Notes and Tips
Sometimes, I prefer to make a single egg soufflé for breakfast (instead of individual-sized cups) that can be served and shared. To do this, I double the recipe to make an 8-egg soufflé in a large dish, and bake it for 40 minutes at 375°F.
Breakfast Souffle Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ⅜ stick, plus more for greasing
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup chopped cooked ham
Equipment
- 4 Ramekin(s)
- Baking Sheet
- Hand Mixer
Instructions
- Generously grease the ramekins with butter. Coat the inside of the ramekins with the parmesan cheese. This coating will help the souffles rise.¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Place a baking sheet in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a small saucepan, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Then slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously. Season the mixture with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. While stirring, bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes until the mixture has thickened. Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1¼ cups whole milk, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Over a bowl, crack 4 eggs, separating the yolk and egg and allowing the whites to fall into the bowl. Or, use a slotted spoon to separate the yolks from the whites.4 large eggs
- Whisk the egg yolks, cheese, and ham into the flour and milk mixture.½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, ½ cup chopped cooked ham
- Using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks have formed. Fold the egg whites into the ham and cheese mixture.
- Transfer an equal amount into 4 ramekins. Carefully place the ramekins on the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the souffles are puffy and golden brown.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For gluten-free souffles, use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Feel free to swap the cheddar cheese for a different cheese, such as Colby, pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Gouda, American, or mozzarella.
- You can also swap the ham for cooked bacon or sausage crumbles.
- Make sure to use a clean bowl and do not get any yolks in the egg whites; otherwise, they won’t whip properly.
- A good tip to keep water from seeping out of the egg whites is to add a pinch of cream of tartar.
- Bake these souffles as soon as they are assembled to prevent the ham and cheese from sinking to the bottom.
- Serve immediately, as they will begin to deflate as soon as they leave the oven.
- Alternatively, you can double this recipe and bake one large souffle in an 8-cup souffle dish at 375°F for about 40 minutes.
How to Make a Breakfast Soufflé Step by Step
Prep: Place a baking sheet in the oven, and preheat the oven to 375°F. Then generously grease 4 small ramekins with butter, and evenly divide ¼ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to coat the inside of each one. This coating will help the souffles rise.
Make a Seasoned Roux: In a small saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat, and whisk in 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Then slowly pour in 1¼ cups of whole milk while whisking continuously. Season the mixture with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon of onion powder, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir to combine everything. While stirring, bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes until the mixture has thickened. Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Make the Egg Mixture: Crack 4 egg whites into a large bowl. Either separate the yolks and whites using the shell, allowing the whites to fall into the bowl. Or crack the eggs into the bowl, and use a slotted spoon to remove the yolks from the whites. Then whisk the 4 egg yolks, ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and ½ cup of chopped cooked ham into the flour and milk mixture.
Beat the Egg Whites: Using a hand mixer, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks have formed. This step is necessary to make the egg soufflés rise in the oven, creating an airy, fluffy texture.
Combine Soufflé Filling: Fold the stiff egg whites into the ham and cheese mixture.
Bake: Pour the egg mixture into 4 ramekins. Carefully place them on the preheated baking sheet in the preheated oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the eggs are puffy and golden brown.
Serve: Serve these ham and cheese soufflés immediately along with your other breakfast favorites.
A souffle is a delicate egg-based dish that relies on whipped egg whites to give it its signature rise in the oven. Sweet or savory ingredients can be folded into the base to change the flavor. In this recipe, we added ham and cheese to create personal breakfast souffles!
Yes, you can open the oven to check on your souffles; however, you should limit opening the oven as much as possible to prevent sudden oven temperature changes that could cause your souffles to collapse.
Nope! A perfect soufflé should be puffy, browned, and have a soft (slightly jiggly) or firm (not jiggly at all) center when gently shaken. A runny souffle is undercooked. A properly cooked souffle should pass the toothpick test.
If the eggs weren’t whipped enough, your souffles will not rise. The egg whites need to be whipped to firm peaks. A good tip to keep water from seeping out of the egg whites is to add a pinch of cream of tartar.
Souffles often collapse if they are under- or overbaked. An under-baked souffle will collapse due to being too wet in the middle. An overbaked souffle will collapse in the oven from the stress. It is a delicate balance getting the timing just right, so be sure to check the souffles for doneness as soon as the crowns start to brown. Every souffle will eventually collapse, though, so also be sure to serve them as soon as they come out of the oven.
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