Asparagus Soufflé
Light and airy Asparagus Soufflés are incredibly easy to prepare - no beating or folding of egg whites, no bechamel sauce prep. Everything goes into the food processor (or blender), and presto! you have an elegant and impressive asparagus side dish.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 280kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus trimmed (see Note below)
- 1 tablespoon oil olive, canola, vegetable – all will work
- Butter for greasing soufflé dishes
- 6 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
- 7 large eggs
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese whole or part-skim
Instructions
- Cut the asparagus into 1 to 1 1/2- inch pieces and place in a large skillet. Stir in oil; cover. Heat over medium high heat just until sizzling. Shake the pan (don’t take off the cover) and reduce heat down to medium-low. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or just until tender. Remove from pan; place on paper towel to drain and cool.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter six (6-ounce) ramekins or soufflé dishes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese into each dish. Roll the ramekin around so the cheese coats the sides and bottom. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet.
- In a food processor, combine eggs, cream, Gruyere cheese, mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Blend until smooth.
- With the machine running, add asparagus pieces a few at a time. Gradually add ricotta cheese in spoonfuls and continue processing until smooth. Pour into prepared dishes.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Tip on removing tough asparagus ends: Asparagus spears have a tough end that needs to be removed before cooking. Grab the tough end with one hand (between your thumb and first finger). Grab the tip with your other hand and gently bend the tip end downward, holding the tough end still. The spear will snap in two at the right point, where the tough part stops. Discard tough ends (or reserve for another use).
Note on doubling this recipe: If you double this recipe, process it in two batches unless you have a very large food processor. I tried to do it all at once and ended up with soufflé batter all over my kitchen!
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 264mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1362IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 262mg | Iron: 3mg