Deliciously light and fluffy, Panera Bread 4 Cheese Souffle Recipe is surprisingly easy to make and makes for a beautiful breakfast for special occasions any time of year!
PANERA BREAD 4 CHEESE SOUFFLE RECIPE
Panera Bread’s egg souffle are one of my very favorite foods! For me, that’s odd, because most of my favorite foods are desserts!
Before I made Copycat Panera Bread Ham and Swiss Egg Souffle’ I was intimidated by the process. Souffle has a bad rap as being finicky and difficult to make. I researched other Panera Bread Copycat recipes and almost all of them microwaved the eggs for a few seconds. (The recipes were also all VERY similar. 🧐) Anywho, microwaving eggs then baking them just sounded weird to me. I went in a different direction with my recipe and created more of a traditional egg souffle adding extra ingredients to make it more like Panera Bread.
The Ham and Swiss Egg Souffle was a hit with the family. As well, it was NOT difficult to make. Of course, I used a premade puffed pastry as the crust. I have no desire to make puffed pastry from scratch. You can use refrigerated crescent roll dough for the crust but it won’t be as flaky and it won’t be as close to the Panera Bread’s souffle.
HOW TO MAKE 4 CHEESE EGG SOUFFLE
Egg souffle really isn’t any harder to make than biscuits or waffles and once you get the hang of it you’ll make whipping them up on the regular.
- Pastry – Evenly cut one sheet of thawed puff pastry into six large ramekins or tart pans.
- Make a roux – Melt the butter then add the flour and cook on low. Slowly add milk. Cook and allow it to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
- Eggs – Whisk the eggs until they are fluffy and pale yellow. In a large bowl, slowly add the eggs, the cooled milk mixture, and the shredded cheeses
- Pour the egg mixture into the pastry and cook.
- It’s just that simple!
WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES
- Cream Cheese Sausage Rotel Dip Quiche
- Fluffy Cottage Egg Casserole
- Bacon Havarti Quiche Recipe
- On-the-go Breakfasts
- Crock Pot Crack Chicken
- Panera Bread Ham and Swiss Souffle
PANERA BREAD 4 CHEESE SOUFFLE RECIPE
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 2 and ½ tablespoons Parmesan cheese shredded
- ⅓ cup Manchego cheese shredded, you can also use Colby or Havarti
- ⅓ cup Monterey shredded
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place six 5-inch ramekins or six 5-inch tart pans on a sheet pan to catch any drips.
- Place a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter.
- Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds.
- Next, whisk in the milk and cook until it has thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cooled milk sauce, and cheeses until well combined.
- Unwrap the puff pastry and cut into 6 equal squares. Press each square into your ramekin or tart pan. Press it down in the bottom and up the sides really good.
- Divide the egg mixture between the ramekins.
- Bake until they are puffed up and golden brown. It should take 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition
You can find more recipes at my Recipe Index and at Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck.
Janine says
Hi Paula,
Do you have a rec for alternative baking dishes to use? I don’t have this size ramekins/tart pans. I tried muffin tins and although they were tasty I thought they were too bread-y.
Thanks!
Janine
Paula says
A small loaf pan if you have that or (ok, don’t laugh) I have rolled up foil and made dividers in a 9-inch square pan. I roll up it and put the foil down the center both sides so there are 4 sections. Then I fit the dough in those sections. The foil keeps the dough from flattening while it cooks and keeps the egg mixture in the center. I hope that makes sense.
Kara Nelson says
Cottage cheese?! Never would have occurred to me to add it but I guess it does add extra protein and probably substitutes for the heavy cream I’ve seen in similar recipes, right? My question is, does the texture come through though? I HATE the texture of cottage cheese.
Also – have you ever reheated one of these a day or two later? I’d like to make them for a week of breakfasts but worry a microwave would make them soggy…is a toaster oven or air fryer perhaps a better option?
Paula says
You can’t tell it’s cottage cheese in them. Yes, I warm partially in the microwave and finished to crisp it up in the toaster oven. So good.
Kara Nelson says
Cottage cheese?! Never would have occurred to me to add it but I guess it does add extra protein and probably substitutes for the heavy cream I’ve seen in similar recipes, right? My question is, does the texture come through though? I HATE the texture of cottage cheese.
Chanel Licata says
This was amazing! I cannot say enough good things
Ann says
Very good recipe, I thought the flavors were spot on! thank you.
Greg says
This recipe is so good and much easier than I originally thought it would be. Good instructions.
Diane Fargen says
You forgot to tell us how much or what kind of ham to use. I found this in a different recipe. 2 thick slices deli ham, diced (I used Honey Roasted. You could also use quartered Canadian Bacon slices) I’m not sure if this will change the flavor or not.. and is it enough for that large of a recipe?
Thanks.
Paula says
Hey Diane, this is recipe is just 4 cheese souffle (no ham). I do have this recipe, https://www.callmepmc.com/panera-bread-ham-and-swiss-souffle-recipe/,
that has ham in it. And it’s deli ham. Any flavor.
Debbie says
The recipe instructions refer to ham, garlic, and hot sauce (which aren’t on the ingredient list) and make no mention of when or how to add the cottage cheese. Looks like the ingredient list is for four cheese, but the instructions are for your other ham and cheese recipe?
Paula says
Ugh, not sure why it’s pulling this. Thank you. Trying to fix it now.