Name: Corn Soufflé
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup butter, divided; 1/4 cup fine bread crumbs. I used Italian seasoned bread crumbs.; 2 large or 3 small ears of corn, kernels cut off and set aside, cobs reserved; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 3 tablespoons minced shallot; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided; 1 teaspoon pepper, divided; 5 tablespoons all purpose flour; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 6 large egg yolks; 1 1/2 ounces very finely grated Romano cheese; 3 tablespoons finely minced chives; 7 large egg whites, room temperature; 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

This corn souffle is a family favorite side dish for holiday dinners. It rises perfectly and will impress your guests as you carry it to the dinner table.

Corn Soufflé in the dish with a plate in front with one serving.

This corn soufflé is the real deal. It rises tall and lofty in the oven and is so impressive when you bring it to the table.

In fact, you might want your guests to come into the kitchen as you pull this soufflé from the oven before it begins to slowly deflate.

Corn Soufflé fresh from the oven showing how high it rose.

This corn soufflé is loaded with the the flavor of fresh corn. The base includes corn cob steeped milk and cream, as well as pureed fresh corn kernels.

There's also a bit of Romano cheese, shallots, garlic, chives, and eggs. Lots of eggs.

The eggs give the soufflé its loft. You will love watching through your oven window as the soufflé rises well over the top of the dish.

Corn Soufflé in a dish with one serving removed.

I've always been intimidated by making soufflés, but after making this one, I'm ready to make more. They sound more scary to make than they actually are. While they might not be ideal for serving a large crowd, they are perfect as a holiday or special occasion side dish for dinner for four to six.

As the last dish you pull from the oven, you can bask in the "oohs and ahhs."

This corn soufflé was totally wonderful. It was crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The flavors were so amazing and complex.

Corn Soufflé in the souffle dish with some servings in black plates.

Ingredients in this Corn Soufflé:

For the soufflé dish: Butter and bread crumbs. The bread crumbs help the soufflé climb up the sides of the dish. I used seasoned Italian-style breadcrumbs, but regular fine breadcrumbs are fine too. I have not tried using panko.

Fresh corn on the cob, cream, and milk: Strip the corn off of the cobs and then simmer the milk and cream with the stripped cobs to infuse the milk with flavor.

Butter, shallot, garlic, and salt and pepper: For sautéing the corn kernels.

Butter and flour: For making a roux for the base.

Romano cheese, chives, and cayenne pepper: For folding into the soufflé right before baking.

Eggs: You will need seven egg whites and six egg yolks, separated.

Corn Soufflé with servings on small black plates.

Tips and Tricks:

Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding cream of tartar just as the egg whites are getting foamy. The cream of tartar is essential. It's simply a powdered acid that stabilizes and speeds up the whipping of the egg whites. It also adds a little bit of tartness to the flavor.

Make sure that your egg whites do not contain any egg yolk. Separate your eggs one at a time, placing the white into a small bowl, and once you know it is cleanly separated, add it to the rest of the whites. It's not a problem if a little egg white gets into the yolks, but your egg whites should be free of any yolk, oil, or anything else.

To add the whipped egg whites to the rest of the ingredients, fold 1/3 of the beaten whites into the base to lighten the texture. Once they have been folded in, fold in the rest of the beaten egg whites using a rubber spatula, being careful not to deflate them. If you have a few white streaks, that's okay.

Make sure your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend using an oven thermometer to adjust the baking temperature to be 375 degrees F.

Finally, don't open the oven door to check on the soufflé until the initial baking time has elapsed.

While you may use a lot of pots and pans to make this soufflé (I did), it's totally worth it. I definitely suggest a trial run before serving this to guests. It's actually pretty easy to make, but a trial run will boost your confidence and help you develop a rhythm. Plus, you get to enjoy this corn soufflé one more time!

Serving and Storage:

Serve this corn soufflé right away. If you have leftovers, cover and refrigerate them. They are fabulous reheated in the microwave for breakfast. After all, soufflés are mostly eggs.

More Corn Recipes:

Cheesy Corn Casserole.

Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn

Jalapeño Corn Cakes

Roasted Corn and Zucchini Salad

More Side Dish Recipes:

Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Cheese Curd In Paradise
Corn Souffle from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Blogghetti
Easy Zucchini Casserole from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Jeweled Rice from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Pomegranate Acorn Squash with Burrata from Palatable Pastime
Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese from The Spiffy Cookie
Spinach Souffle from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Sri Lankan Spicy Potatoes from Magical Ingredients
Sweet Chili Candied Pumpkin Seed Deviled Eggs from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Truffle Risotto with Mushrooms and Asparagus from Art of Natural Living

Not only is this a fabulously elegant side dish, you can also serve it as a main dish for a holiday lunch with a side salad.

Corn Soufflé

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 1 HourCook time: 50 MinTotal time: 1 H & 50 M

This corn souffle is family favorite side dish for holiday dinners. It rises perfectly and will impress your guests as you carry it to the dinner table.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup butter, divided
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs. I used Italian seasoned bread crumbs.
2 large or 3 small ears of corn, kernels cut off and set aside, cobs reserved
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons minced shallot
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 large egg yolks
1 1/2 ounces very finely grated Romano cheese
3 tablespoons finely minced chives
7 large egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish with 2 tablespoons of butter and coat the bottom and sides with breadcrumbs.
Cut the stripped corn cobs in half, and place them in a medium saucepan. Add the milk and the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook on low for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steep.
In a small sauté pan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the minced shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add the sliced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the corn kernels, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sauté for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve 3/4 cup of the corn.
Place the rest of the corn, garlic, and shallots into a blender. Add the cooked milk to the blender and puree for one minute.
In small saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about five minutes. While the mixture is cooking, slowly mix in the milk and corn purée, whisking constantly, to make a béchamel. Simmer until thick like cake batter. Scrape the mixture into a large metal bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and the cayenne pepper. Whisk.
Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes. Add the reserved 3/4 cup corn and the egg yolks, one at a time, whisking between each addition. If the butter has separated, mix briefly with a hand mixer to emulsify. Stir in the Romano cheese and chives.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and whip on medium with the whisk attachment until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat on medium high until shiny and you have stiff peaks.
Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the milk and egg yolk mixture and fold it in gently.
Scrape the rest of the egg whites over the mixture and gently fold them in with a rubber spatula. If you have some white streaks, that is fine. Scrape the mixture into the buttered soufflé dish.
Bake for 50 minutes without opening the oven door. The interior temperature of the soufflé should be 190 degrees F. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.