Cheese Souffle's Perfect Pairings: A Culinary Adventure

Cheese soufflé is a light, fluffy, and ethereal dish that is surprisingly easy to make. It is best served immediately after being taken out of the oven, as it can deflate quickly. A cheese soufflé can be served as an appetizer, entrée, or even the main course.

When deciding what to serve alongside a cheese soufflé, it is important to remember that the dish is already quite rich, so it is best to pair it with something that is not too fatty. Moist side dishes with complementary flavours are ideal. Salads, especially those with bitter greens, are a popular choice, as they help to cleanse the palate. Other options include scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes with bacon, bread, and various vegetables.

Salads

Green Salad with Vegetables

You can go crazy with your favourite veggies or choose from some of the most commonly used ones, like carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives. Add some sour cream as a dressing for a creamy texture, or use mustard sauce from scratch with oil and egg yolk or yoghurt instead of mayonnaise.

Rocket Salad

This peppery leaf is a great base for a salad to accompany a cheese soufflé. You could add some vinaigrette for a tangy kick.

Romaine Hearts with Vinaigrette

Romaine lettuce has a great crunch and is a perfect base for a salad. Add some vinaigrette for a tangy kick.

Garden Salad

A simple garden salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and onion is a great fresh option to serve with cheese soufflé.

Bluegrass Salad

A bluegrass salad is a great option to serve with cheese soufflé, but it is unclear what this salad entails.

Some other ideas for salads to serve with a cheese soufflé include:

• A salad with romaine lettuce, orange slices, sweet red onion slices, fennel, and pecans, with a raspberry vinaigrette, and crusty French bread.
• A salad with walnuts and prosciutto.
• A salad with watercress and a walnut oil dressing.

Scalloped potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet)
• 1/2 medium yellow or white onion
• 3 cups of whole milk (or half-and-half/cream for a richer flavour)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Slice the potatoes and onion into thin, even slices, ideally 1/8-inch thick. In a medium skillet, melt the butter and add the flour, whisking for about a minute. Slowly add the milk, followed by the broth or vegetable stock, whisking continuously. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Layer half of the potatoes at the bottom of the baking dish, followed by half of the onion, half of the sauce, and 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat these layers with the remaining ingredients. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is browned. Let the dish stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Tips:

• For an even creamier texture, use Yukon Gold potatoes.
• To ensure even cooking, slice the potatoes as thinly and evenly as possible.
• For a crisp topping, change the oven setting to broil after baking and broil until the cheese is golden brown.
• This dish can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to two days before serving.

Breads

A cheese soufflé is a delicious, fluffy dish that can be served as a main meal or for brunch. To elevate this tasty treat, it is often accompanied by a side of bread. Here are some bread options that will perfectly complement your cheese soufflé:

White Bread

White bread is a versatile option that pairs well with the cheese soufflé. It is recommended to use plain white sandwich bread, as whole wheat or whole grain bread may be too dense and heavy. Buttered white bread slices can be layered with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, creating a delicious combination. The crusts can be trimmed or left on, depending on your preference.

Baguette

A baguette is a type of long, thin French bread with a crispy crust and chewy texture. Pairing a cheese soufflé with a baguette adds an elegant touch to your meal. The crusty exterior and soft interior of the baguette provide a nice contrast to the fluffy soufflé.

Pullman Bread

Pullman bread, also known as sandwich bread, is a type of soft, fluffy white bread with a delicate texture. It is an excellent choice for a cheese soufflé as it soaks up the liquid from the egg mixture, creating a delicious blend of flavours and textures.

Bread Cubes

Bread cubes, preferably made from fresh white bread, can be added directly to the cheese soufflé mixture. These cubes provide a crunchy texture and soak up the flavours of the cheese and other ingredients. This technique creates a cohesive dish that combines the best of both worlds—the soufflé and the bread.

When serving a cheese soufflé, consider toasting or warming the bread to enhance its flavour and texture. Additionally, you can experiment with different types of bread, such as sourdough, rye, or multigrain, to add variety and interest to your meal.

Fruits

A cheese soufflé is a rich and indulgent dish, so it is best paired with something fresh and light to cut through the creaminess. A fruit salad or berries are a great way to do this, and they complement the salty, savoury notes of the cheese.

For a more complex fruit dish, consider a salad of romaine lettuce, orange slices, sweet red onion, fennel, and pecans, with a raspberry vinaigrette. The sharpness of the cheese will be a great contrast to the sweet and tangy vinaigrette, and the orange and pecans will add a nice textural element. If you want to keep things simple, apples or pears are a great choice, and you could even include some walnuts for an extra crunch.

If you want to get creative, you could try poaching pears in red wine, or serving a side of strawberries in framboise. For a more refreshing option, a cucumber and courgette pickle is a great choice.

Vegetables

A cheese soufflé is a delicate dish, so it is best served with simple vegetable side dishes that don't have intense flavours. Here are some vegetable side dishes that go well with a cheese soufflé:

Green Salad with Vegetables

Salads go well with soufflés as they help cleanse the palate and make way for better-tasting soufflés. A green salad topped with vegetables is a great option. You can choose your favourite veggies or select some of the commonly used ones, such as carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives. For a creamy texture, add some sour cream as a dressing, or use a mustard sauce made from scratch with oil, egg yolk, or yoghurt.

Buttered Green Beans

Buttered green beans are another excellent side dish for a cheese soufflé. You can steam or boil the green beans, drain them, and then mix in some butter to add a creamy texture. Other green vegetables like broccoli and spinach also pair well with cheese soufflés.

Sautéed Mushrooms, Red Peppers, and Broccoli or Asparagus

A mixture of sautéed mushrooms, red bell peppers, and broccoli or asparagus tips in olive oil is a tasty vegetable side dish to accompany a cheese soufflé. This combination provides a nice contrast in flavours and textures to the light and airy soufflé.

Vegetable, Herb, and Cheese Soufflé

If you want your vegetables incorporated into the soufflé itself, you can try a vegetable, herb, and cheese soufflé. This variation includes shredded fontina cheese and a mixture of fresh herbs, including parsley, chives, chervil, and tarragon, baked into individual ramekins.

Frequently asked questions