Sweet Potato Soufflé
This Sweet Potato Soufflé features smooth baked sweet potatoes, warm spices, whipped egg whites, and a crisp pecan streusel topping. Light, flavorful, and ideal for any holiday table.
8 Servings
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Base:
- 5 –6 large sweet potatoes approximately 2½ pounds
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 7 large eggs separated
- ½ cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Optional Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup light or dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare the Baking Dish and Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Bake the Sweet Potatoes:
- Thoroughly wash and pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until tender throughout. Once cooked, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and allow the potatoes to cool slightly.
Prepare the Streusel Topping (Optional):
- In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar and flour. Add the cubed cold butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped pecans and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside.
Make the Sweet Potato Base:
- Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and mash thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. While still warm, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg yolks, milk (or cream), and vanilla extract. Beat using an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add the melted butter, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated and free of lumps. Set aside.
Whip the Egg Whites:
- In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add approximately ½ cup of the whipped egg whites to the sweet potato mixture and stir to lighten the base. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
Assemble and Bake the Soufflé:
- Pour the prepared sweet potato mixture into the greased baking dish, spreading evenly. If using, sprinkle the streusel topping evenly across the surface.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the soufflé is puffed and lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Notes
To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour in both the soufflé base and the streusel topping with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Ensure that all additional ingredients, such as baking powder and spices, are certified gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.