If you’ve never heard of or tried carrot soufflé, you’re in for a treat!
After just one bite, this fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth dish will be your new holiday favorite.
Made with pureed carrots, sugar, butter, eggs, and spices, this souffle is perfectly sweet, creamy, and loaded with fall flavors.
It’s a cross between a holiday side dish and a dessert, so you can serve it as either.
I really enjoy it with roasted turkey or glazed ham.
Ready to try something new? Let’s get cooking.
Easy Carrot Souffle Recipe
Carrot souffle is a decadent yet light dish that’s perfect for the holidays.
It’s not technically a souffle, but a baked casserole made primarily of pureed carrots.
Think sweet potato casserole, but lighter, fluffier, and more delicate.
And because it’s not a real souffle, you don’t have to worry about the recipe being super complicated.
It’s so easy, it’s foolproof.
What Is Carrot Souffle Made Of?
- Carrots – It’s carrot souffle, after all! Peel and cut them into pieces beforehand to cook them faster.
- Butter – For richness. You can also use margarine if that’s all you have.
- Vanilla Extract – Just a splash to brighten up the flavor.
- Eggs – For a richer flavor and nice, fluffy texture.
- All-Purpose Flour – Just a small amount to create a cake-like consistency.
- Baking Powder – For lift. Without it, the casserole will be very dense.
- Salt – Only add this if you’re using unsalted margarine or butter.
- Granulated and Brown Sugar – For sweetness. You can use just white sugar if you prefer. But I enjoy the deeper flavor you get by adding brown sugar to the mix. (Note: don’t use only brown sugar as it has too much moisture.)
- Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg – For that classic, holiday flavor.
How to Make Carrot Souffle
I know you’ve heard how temperamental soufflé can be.
But as mentioned, this is more like a carrot casserole – so it’s a breeze to make at home.
You’ll find details on the ingredients and method at the bottom of the post. But here’s a quick rundown:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter.
- Peel, cut, and cook the carrots until tender.
- Add the cooked and cooled carrots to a food processor with the butter, vanilla, and eggs and blitz until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices, then blend again until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
And that’s it! Pretty straightforward, right?
Tips for the Best Carrot Souffle
Worried this won’t turn out quite right? Don’t fret! Just follow these tips for the best carrot soufflé ever:
- Use a food processor or immersion blender. This guarantees a smoother finish with no pesky lumps.
- Roast the carrots for more flavor. Just pop them on a tray with a touch of oil and roast until tender. Then, blitz as instructed.
- Taste the mix and adjust the sugar as needed. Some people like this extra sweet, and some don’t. So, start with about half of the sugar in the recipe, taste the mix before baking, and then add more if you want.
- Serve the soufflé casserole right away. When it comes out of the oven, it will be nice and puffy. But it will deflate over time, so it’s not the best dish to make ahead.
- Add fun toppings. Like sweet potato casserole, this would taste great with marshmallows or a crunchy pecan topping.
Recipe Variations
This carrot souffle is perfect as it is, but there are ways to make it your own.
Try any of these variations and let me know how it turned out!
- Add more cozy holiday flavors with a pinch of ground ginger, orange zest, or pumpkin spice.
- Amp it up with toppings. Whether it’s brown sugar streusel, chopped pecans, or mini marshmallows, toppings will make the souffle more spectacular.
- Make individual carrot soufflés – because miniature versions are always so much more adorable.
- Grease 8 ramekins with butter.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and jiggly.
- Want to make them ahead? Boil the carrots a day in advance and puree them in the food processor. Then you can quickly make the batter just before baking.
More Holiday Side Dish Recipes
Sweet Potato Casserole
Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Paula Deen’s Green Bean Casserole
Jiffy Cornbread Casserole
Cracker Barrel Baby Carrots