This easy cheese souffle tastes just like the Panera version, only fresher and even more flavorful. It's warm flaky, and packed with a creamy blend of cheeses that make breakfast feel a little special.
Copycat Panera Souffle
Keith and I have picked up plenty of Panera souffles over the years, especially on those mornings when we want something cozy without much effort. Once we started making them at home, we were hooked. The puff pastry gets extra flaky, the filling turns, and it feels like the perfect slow-morning brunch. If you love recipes like our Roasted Tomato Quiche, this fits right in.
We stayed close to the classic flavors but added our own touch with roasted tomatoes and crispy bacon. Everything comes together quickly, which makes these souffles great for entertaining or an easy breakfast for two. They pair beautifully with our Radicchio Salad and they always feel a little elevated without any extra fuss.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Puff pastry: store-bought works perfectly.
- Cheese blend: a mix of cheddar, Swiss, Pamesan, pepper jack, and blue cheese gives a bold layered flavor.
- Eggs & milk: create that creamy, custardy base.
- Roasted cherry tomatoes & bacon: add sweetness and crunch.
👉 See the recipe card below for full quantities and instructions.
🔪Top Tip
Don't overfill the pastry. Giving the egg mixture a bit of space helps the souffle rise beautifully and keeps the pastry crisp.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Roast the tomatoes. Slice and roast in a low oven (200°F) until caramelized.
- Prepare the filling. Whisk eggs, milk, and cheeses together.
- Assemble. Line small soufflé pans with puff pastry, pour in the filling, and top with bacon and tomatoes.
- Bake. Bake until puffed and golden brown.
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⏱️ Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
These soufflés are best fresh from the oven, but you can prep some steps ahead:
- Roast tomatoes: up to 1 week ahead, store refrigerated.
- Make the filling: whisk together eggs, milk, and cheese up to 24 hours ahead; refrigerate.
- Assemble before baking: line pans with puff pastry and keep chilled for a few hours.
To store leftovers:
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes until warm and crisp.
- Avoid freezing - the eggs and pastry lose their texture once thawed.
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FAQ
A mix of sharp and melty cheeses give the best texture. We use cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, pepper jack, and a touch of blue cheese, but you can swap in similar cheeses you already have.
Souffles naturally fall as they cool, but underbaking or overfilling speeds it up. Serve them right away for the best height.
Cold eggs, under-whipped whites, or rough folding can prevent lift. Bring eggs to room temperature and fold gently to keep the batter airy.
You can prep the parts ahead, but bake right before serving. Souffles lose their rise and flaky texture if made too early.
No. Puff pastry and eggs don't freeze well together, and the texture becomes soggy after thawing.
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Cheese Souffle recipe
A flaky cheese soufflé baked in puff pastry with five cheeses, roasted tomatoes, and bacon. An easy homemade version of the Panera classic.
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 2 soufflés 1x
Ingredients
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 sheet puffed pastry, thawed
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup milk (full fat, 2 percent, or 1 percent)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 oz shredded pepper jack cheese
- 2 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon crumbled dry blue cheese
- 1 oz shredded Swiss cheese
Instructions
To prepare the tomatoes:
- Quarter the tomatoes and spread them on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with garlic powder, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Bake at 200°F for 4 to 5 hours until softened but not browned.
- Transfer to a container, add red wine vinegar, and refrigerate until cooled.
(You can make these up to one week ahead.)
To assemble souffles:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cut the puff pastry so each piece fits the diameter and height of your 5-inch souffle pans. Press the pastry into the dishes.
- Cook the bacon, drain and chop into ½-inch pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Add all cheeses and stir to combine.
- Divide the egg mixture evenly between the pastry-lined dishes.
- Sprinkle bacon on top.
- Cut the remaining puff pastry pieces into eight 2-inch by ½-inch strips. Place four on each souffle to form a decorative top.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, add roasted tomatoes to the top, and return to bake for another 10 minutes or until puffed and golden.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use room-temperature eggs. They whisk more smoothly and help the souffle rise higher.
- Don't overfill the pans. Leaving a little space at the top gives the egg mixture room to puff and keeps the pastry from overflowing.
- Roast the tomatoes ahead. They store well for up to a week and add great depth of flavor to the finished souffle.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: French-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 each
- Calories: 1121
- Sugar: 8.7 g
- Sodium: 2445.5 mg
- Fat: 77.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.4 g
- Protein: 45.5 g
- Cholesterol: 396.5 mg
Loreto Nardelli says
Talk about out if this world good. These look so good nice height on the souflee, the addition of the roasted tomatoes and bacon. Brilliant. This is definately one I am going to attempt for a brunch.
Jackie says
thanks Loreto!! You are so kind! Keith did a great job on these, if I do say so.... they were absolutely delicious. I hope you get a chance to try them!!
Loreto Nardelli says
This looks great nice soule definitely didn't flop. Nice flavors with the roasted tomatoes and bacon additions. And what can I say puff pastry awesome.
nita says
This dish looks and sounds very tasty. I'm bookmarking this for later 🙂
Ken says
Omg so much better than Panera!
Jackie says
thanks Ken! We're so happy that you enjoyed it!!
Mary says
Can I make these, freeze them and then reheat?
Jackie says
Hi Mary,
thanks for stopping by! We don't recommend freezing these, as the puffed pastry + eggs just don't hold up well in the freezer. The egg mixture can separate, making the texture rubbery. You can roast the tomatoes ahead of time and store them in the fridge, and/or whisk the egg, milk, and cheese mixture together a few hours ahead, then cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Please let us know how they turn out!!