“Phil & Serb’s three-cheese soufflé is all about balance: Gruyère for melt, aged Cheddar for a sharp edge and Parmigiano-Reggiano for nutty depth. The béchamel is made patiently, the egg whites folded gently, and the finished soufflé goes straight from oven to table at its highest, lightest moment.”
This recipe now belongs to every family who cooks it.
The method
1Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F), with a rack in the lower third. Brush a 4-cup soufflé dish, or four 6 oz ramekins, with the softened butter using upward strokes. Dust with the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, turning to coat and tapping out the excess.
2Melt 3 tbsp butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the warm milk until smooth, then cook for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in Dijon, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper. Let it cool for 2 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time.
3Fold the Gruyère, Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano into the warm sauce until melted and silky. Transfer to a large bowl and let the mixture cool until just lukewarm.
4In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form but the whites still look glossy. Stir one-third into the cheese base to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest in two batches using a cut-and-roll motion until no streaks remain.
5Pour the mixture into the prepared dish until about three-quarters full. Run your thumb around the inside rim through the batter to create a channel for a neat rise. Put it in the oven, immediately reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F), and bake for 30–35 minutes, or 20–22 minutes for ramekins, until puffed, golden and gently jiggly. Keep the oven door closed for the first 25 minutes.
A visual guide
See the key stages
Key moments to look for as you cook. Use these visual cues alongside the written method.
Step 1
Prepare a path to rise
Brush the butter from base to rim in straight upward strokes, then coat the dish evenly with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Step 4
Fold without losing the air
The whites should hold glossy stiff peaks. Loosen the cheese base with one-third, then fold in the rest until the streaks just disappear.
Step 5
Serve at its highest
The soufflé is ready when it is tall, deeply golden and still gently jiggly. Take it straight from oven to table.
Cook's notes & swaps
A little help from the OPR kitchen
These are optional pointers for making the recipe your own while keeping the spirit of the original.
The upward brush strokes
Brush the butter vertically from base to rim. It gives the soufflé a straight, clean path to rise.
Keep the door closed
Do not open the oven during the first 25 minutes. A rush of cold air can deflate the airy structure.
Families who've made this
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Helpful answers
Questions about Phil & Serb's Three-Cheese Soufflé
Why do you brush a soufflé dish with upward strokes?
Brushing the butter vertically from the base to the rim gives the soufflé mixture a straight path to rise up the sides of the dish.
How stiff should the egg whites be for a soufflé?
Beat them until they hold stiff peaks but still look glossy. Fold them into the cheese base gently, stopping when the last white streaks disappear.
Why should you keep the oven door closed?
Do not open the oven during the first 25 minutes. A rush of cold air can deflate the light structure before it has finished setting.
How long do individual soufflés take to bake?
Four 6 oz ramekins take about 20–22 minutes, while one 4-cup soufflé dish takes 30–35 minutes. They should be puffed, golden and still gently jiggly.
