Spinach and Bacon Breakfast Souffle with Puff Pastry
A copycat Panera Spinach and Bacon Souffle, that taste like it was made by someone that loves food, not profit margins. Made with eggs, bechamel, three cheeses, sauteed spinach, and bacon baked inside flaky puff pastry.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time45 minutes mins
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American, French
Servings: 6 to 6 servings
Calories: 356kcal
- 1 puff pastry thawed
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¾ cup shredded cheese I used a blend of Gruyere, cheddar, and Parmesan cheese
- 2 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
- 6 slices bacon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch nutmeg
Cook fillings
Cook the bacon until just barely crisp but still flexible. You want it about 80 percent cooked since it will finish in the oven. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan. Set aside 4 half slices of bacon for the tops. Chop the remaining bacon for the filling.
Return the pan with the reserved bacon fat to medium heat. Add the chopped spinach and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, just until wilted. Lay on paper towel to dry.
Prepare pans
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease cast iron pans or ramekins and place them on a sheet pan.
Roll puff pastry slightly to smooth creases and cut into squares. Press each square into a pan or ramekin, fitting into the bottom and up the sides with a little overhang. Chill while making the filling.
Make bechamel
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute until lightly foamy but not browned.
Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and melt in the cream cheese. Let cool for about 3 minutes.
Prepare soufflés
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Slowly whisk in the warm bechamel.
Stir in the shredded cheese, sautéed spinach, and chopped bacon.
Divide filling evenly among pastry lined pans or ramekins, filling about ¾ full.
Lay one reserved half slice of bacon across the top of each souffle. Fold any excess pastry lightly across the top of the egg mixture.
Bake
Bake for 23 to 28 minutes, until pastry is deeply golden, centers are set but still have a slight jiggle, and the bacon on top is lightly crisped.
If pastry is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving. The custard will finish setting and become beautifully creamy. Serve in the pan or ramekin or transfer to a plate and serve.
- Cool bechamel slightly before adding to eggs. D
- o not skip drying the spinach.
- Tent soufflés with foil if pastry browns too quickly.
- Store leftovers in refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Reheat at 325°F.
Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 220mg | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1131IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 2mg