Tasty Bites: Carrot Soufflé

By Beth V

Looking for an incredibly delicious, easy all-purpose side dish that will certainly please every palate in your household? This one features carrots, a seasonal ingredient that is full of healthy beta-carotene, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins A, K and C and potassium and is said to help reduce cholesterol, heart-attack risk and cancer risk.  My mom always said they are good for your eyes.  Did your mom say that, too?

My sister, Bonnie, introduced this recipe to me and it has been universally enjoyed by every adult and child who has tried it. The carrots undergo a bit of a makeover. After being cooked until soft, they are pureed and baked together with eggs, butter, cinnamon, sugar and a few other ingredients into a smooth, rich, custardy soufflé. The total cooking time on this dish is a little over an hour, but the active preparation time is less than five minutes. The rest of the time can be spent doing other things while the oven does its magic; just don’t forget to set your timer.

We start with a pound of carrots. I used the peeled and cut “baby” carrots, which also cut down on preparation time, but any carrots will work. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the carrots are easily pierced through with a fork, about 40-45 minutes.

Drain the carrots and place in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add 3 eggs, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon right into the food processor or blender bowl. Process all of the ingredients together until smooth and uniform in texture, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Pour the puree into a glass baking dish or pie plate that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until lightly browned, the custard is set and a knife inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean.

The texture is wonderful - smooth and creamy with the tiniest bit of crunch on top from the sugar sprinkles. This tastes great alongside any type of meat. I have had great success making this ahead and freezing or refrigerating it, then reheating the thawed dish until warmed through, either tightly covered in the oven or even in the microwave. The texture does not suffer at all and it tastes every bit as good as when it first comes out of the oven. I have also substituted sweet potatoes for the carrots and they taste just as delicious, providing a fresh alternative to the standard sweet potato casserole. The recipe is also easily doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.

I hope you’ll enjoy this as much as we have!

Carrot Soufflé
Serves 4-6

1 lb peeled “baby” carrots

3 large eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until carrots are easily pierced through with a fork. Drain and place in the bowl of a food processor or blender.

Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor/blender bowl and process until smooth and uniform in texture, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Pour the puree into a dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray, sprinkle with a pinch or two of cinnamon and sugar and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until lightly browned and set. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean or with a few small crumbs attached.

Beth is a stay-at-home mom of three wonderfully active children ages seven, four and one. She is married to Jason V (who also writes for us here at MAD21) and spends her days teaching, changing diapers, sweeping up Cheerios, stepping over Legos, keeping peace among the kids, and enjoying the creative outlet of cooking.