Butternut Squash Souffle Airy And Delicate

I quickly mix the ingredients in my food processor. It’s the perfect fall and winter side dish! Airy, delicate and just barely sweet, this tasty souffle is a wonderful fall or winter side dish. It’s also quite easy to make (don’t let the water bath deter you), so I make it often for my family. It is sweetened with just a little honey and flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. It’s not overly sweet, though, so you can certainly serve it as a side dish. It’s not really suitable as a dessert.

Ingredients

You’ll only need a few ingredients to make butternut squash souffle. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Cubed raw butternut squash: I make life easier by buying it pre-cubed, either at Whole Foods or in the supermarket. You can obviously buy a whole squash and cube it yourself. Another easy option is to use frozen butternut squash. Soft unsalted butter: I love creamy European butter, but any unsalted butter will be great in this recipe. Honey: Either the real thing or a sugar-free alternative. Maple syrup works too. The souffle’s texture, however, is best when using real honey. The other options have slightly higher water content and this slightly affects the souffle’s texture. Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff. Ground cinnamon: Make sure it’s fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish, and I’m speaking from experience… Kosher salt: Just a pinch to balance out the sweetness of the honey. Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.

Instructions

Making this butternut squash souffle is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: Your first step is to steam the butternut squash cubes in the microwave. You can also use a basket steamer on the stovetop, but I find the microwave is the easiest and fastest. The next step is to place the steamed squash cubes with the remaining ingredients in your food processor and process them into a smooth frothy mixture. I haven’t tried using anything other than the food processor in this recipe. The last step is to pour the mixture into buttered ramekins, place them in a water bath (which simply means baking them in a rimmed baking dish half-filled with warm water), and bake the souffle until it’s cooked through. This should take about 30 minutes in a 350F oven.

Expert tip

When making a souffle or a custard (including a cheesecake), a water bath is a way to ensure even cooking and prevent the dish from overcooking. So despite it being an extra thing to do in this recipe, I highly recommend that you use a water bath.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

Anything goes with this souffle, really. It’s such a versatile side dish. However, for convenience, I often serve it with a main course that I can bake in the same 350°F oven, such as:

MeatloafMeat pieHoney baked chicken

Storing leftovers

Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave on 50% power prior to serving. The souffle does lose some of its airiness, but its flavor is excellent even on the fourth day.

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