If there’s one thing I love most about holiday side dishes, it’s that they fill you with different flavors right at the first bite; almost taking away the spotlight from the main courses.

This is especially true with this carrot soufflé because it doesn’t matter which piece you get, it’s always indulgent. Trust me, this recipe won’t be as daunting as it sounds.

What is a Soufflé?

A soufflé is super light and fluffy French baked dish made from beaten egg whites and yolks. This fluffy treat can be served as a savory side dish or as a sweet dessert depending on your preference.  It’s a really fun dish to watch especially as it rises while being baked.

Ingredients

The simple ingredients for this carrot soufflé recipe can be easily found in your grocery store. Even better, these are no-fuss ingredients. It comes as wholesome as possible. Here’s a short list of what you’ll need.

Carrots – our recipe superstar comes as naturally as possible. Make it farm to table for an added rustic vibe.

Brown sugar – for just the right amount of sweetness that doesn’t dry out the whole dish.

Baking powder – all soufflés must rise. This does the job quite perfectly.

Vanilla extract – a flavor base that smoothens out the flavor blend. (Check out my Homemade Vanilla Extract HERE.)

Cinnamon spice – This mild spice adds natural sweetness to this dish. It also gives us that distinct holiday feeling in every bite.

All-purpose flour – serves as the body of our carrot soufflé which, when baked, grows in volume.

Eggs – the ingredient that binds our mixture together and makes our consistency firm and not crumbly.

Evaporated milk – The source of the rich and smooth flavor of the dish as a whole. It also balances out any overwhelming spices in the mixture. Try making your own with this Homemade Evaporated Milk recipe.

Melted unsalted butter – This keeps our dish moist. The mild unsalted flavors don’t affect the mixture much so we still get the authentic taste of the carrot souffle.

Making Ahead Instructions

To make this ahead, you can cook the carrots and refrigerate them a day ahead. Then let it come to room temperature before blending it with the rest of the ingredients.

Another way to make it in advance is also to bake it a day ahead, let it cool, and cover it with aluminum foil before placing it in the fridge. Once you’re ready to serve, simply reheat it in a preheated oven at 350 F for 6-8 minutes.

Can You Freeze a Souffle?

Oh yes, you can! This is actually a great way to make them ahead of time. You can make them a day before by simply holding the baking process. Instead, cover and freeze these bad boys until you’re ready to use them.

When you’re ready, leave it to cool down to room temperature before baking. Now, you might see a difference in volume between frozen and immediately baked carrot soufflé but that’s totally alright. The difference is too little to notice especially when the texture is so good!

What to Serve with it?

You can serve almost anything with this carrot soufflé because of its wholesome flavors. What I suggest is to think about what kind of meal you want to serve. If it’s for lunch or dinner, you can try it as a side dish to the following:

• Spiced Roast Turkey
• Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham
• Steamed Greens
• Cajun Whole Roast Chicken

Alternatively, this carrot soufflé recipe goes well with Homemade Whipped Cream if you plan to serve it as a dessert. Add some Crème Anglaise or this Caramel Sauce to make it even more decadent!

Other Baked Side Dish

• Mexican Cornbread
• Cornbread Dressing
• Spoon Bread
• Duchess Potatoes

How to Make Carrot Souffle

Follow along with my easy instructions to see how to make my carrot souffle in your own kitchen!

Peel and cut the carrots into chunks, then add carrots into a medium saucepan. Water should cover the carrots at least an inch. Cook until soft about 15-20 minutes. Drain water from the carrots and return the pot back to the stove, on low heat. Let the moisture dry out from the carrots.

Place in a large bowl while carrots are still hot, then add brown sugar, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Followed by flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg spice.

Thoroughly mix using a masher.  Whisk in eggs, milk, and melted butter. Continue mixing using a wooden spoon or spatula, until fully combined. Pre- heat oven to 350 Degrees F or 177 Degrees C. Spray an 8×8 casserole pan or oven-safe dish. Pour mixture into a baking dish- about ¾ full.  Bake for about 30-40 minutes.