Carrot Souffle
Carrot Souffle is not technically a fussy “souffle,” but an easy Southern casserole with pureed sweet carrots, warm spices, sugar and maple syrup, then topped with a crunchy pecan topping! Don’t be intimidated by the word “souffle” – it’s called that because it contains eggs and baking powder to create a fluffly, airy, souffle-like consistency. This is a perfect Thanksgiving side dish or Easter side dish and it’s a great “orange” alternative to sweet potatoes!
This recipe is sllightly different than others because it incorporates a hint of maple syrup, Apple Pie spice and vanilla extract. The Apple pie spice contains: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and allspice, so you can already imagine the great flavor this easy carrot dish has!
It’s a sweet side dish like Pineapple casserole and roasted Butternut Squash with Apple Butter glaze and can also be served as a dessert!
If you’ve ever been to Picadilly Cafeteria or been to Neyow’s Creole Cafe in New Orleans, then you’ve had this delicious dish! Both restaurants offer this as a staple menu item year-round.
Ingredients
- You can easily switch out a few ingredients and make this Dairy Free and Gluten Free!
- We made this the first time using vegan butter and gluten-free flour and it was absolutely delicious! Specifically, we used EarthBalance™ Vegan butter and White Gold™ Gluten Free/Vegan All Purpose Flour.
- For the carrot souffle, you’ll need 2 pounds of raw carrots, a stick of butter, a cup of granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, Apple Pie spice, vanilla extract, maple syrup, 4 large eggs and a little bit of salt.
- For the pecan topping, you’ll need chopped pecans, light brown sugar, melted butter and more all-purpose flour.
How to make carrot souffle
Overview: peel, cut and boil the carrots on the stove, transfer to a food processor, add seasonings, then pour it into a 9 x 13 pan and top it with a pecan mixture. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes. That’s it!
- Peel and slice carrots.
- On the stove, bring a large pot of water to boil; add the sliced carrots and cover. Cook 20 minutes or until carrots are tender; drain and set aside
- Add the drained carrots to the food processor and pulse until they form a smooth consistency.
- Add in the melted butter, granulated sugar, apple pie spice, vanilla, maple syrup, eggs, flour and salt. Combine all this in the food processor to a smooth consistency. Taste for salt at this point.
- Lightly grease (with spray oil or butter) a 9 x 13 baking pan. Pour carrot mixture into the baking dish; set aside
- To make the crunchy pecan topping, get a large mixing bowl; add in light brown sugar, chopped pecans, melted butter and flour; combine this and sprinkle it over the carrot mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack of the oven at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until the center comes out clean with a toothpick.
But boiled carrots in food processor
Pulse till smooth and add seasonings; place in prepared baking dish
In a mixing bowl, combine pecan topping ingredients and spoon over the top
Recipe Tips
- For best results, serve this carrot casserole in a shallow baking dish so that everyone gets a good scoop of the sweet pecan topping.
- If you make this in a deep dish, I recommend you double the pecan topping recipe and layer the carrot casserole as follows: place a layer of carrot mixture in a deep baking dish; sprinkle a little of the pecan topping over that, then repeat, ending up with the pecan mixture on top.
Storage and reheating
Carrot souffle can be made up to 3 days in advance; cover it securely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended because the texture changes.
Serving suggestions
Serve this as a cassserole in a 9 x 13 baking pan, or bake in individual ramekins!
This sweet carrot dish makes a great Fall side dish and pairs beautifully with turkey, pork and chicken. I usually serve it as a Thanksgiving side dish, along side cornbread dressing, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and spiced cranberry sauce! It also pairs well with your Easter ham!
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you! Thank you!
Carrot Souffle That’s Not Really a Souffle
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Carrot Casserole Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots
- ½ cup butter, melted See recipe notes
- ¾ cup sugar, granulated
- 1½ teaspoons Apple Pie Spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free See recipe notes
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 whole large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
Maple Pecan Topping Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup pecans, chopped See recipe notes
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free
- Spray oil or butter for baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Cook the carrots: Stovetop – Bring a large pot of water to boil; peel and slice carrots; add carrots to boiling water; cover and cook 20 minutes or until fork tender; drainMicrowave – place diced carrots in an even layer in a microwave-safe dish; add 1" inch of water; cover with plastic and cook on high 10-15 minutes; test for tenderness with a fork; drain2 pounds carrots
- Transfer drained carrots to food processor; pulse until smooth
- Add the following ingredients and pulse till smooth; transfer to a lightly oiled 9 x 13 baking dish½ cup butter, melted, ¾ cup sugar, granulated, 1½ teaspoons Apple Pie Spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup maple syrup, ½ cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 4 whole large eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, Spray oil or butter for baking dish
Make the Maple Pecan Topping
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients. Spoon a light layer of the topping over the carrots and bake @ 350°℉ on the middle rack, uncovered for 25-40 minutes; allow to cool before serving1 cup light brown sugar, packed, 1 cup pecans, chopped, 6 tablespoons butter, melted, ½ cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free
I absolutely love this recipe! I never knew carrots could taste this good until I tried your suggestions. The maple pecan topping is to die for!