Easy and Delicious Cheesy Corn Soufflé (Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Options).

Cheesy.

Corny.

Yet dairy-free.

I made this Cheesy Corn Soufflé for a dinner party a few months ago and one of my guests was absolutely floored when I told her it was dairy free. She (like many of us) is lactose intolerant and hadn’t delighted in this classic southern side-dish for years. She was so thrilled, she asked me for the recipe. I didn’t have one at the time (I’d just sort of thrown it together based upon my friend Teri’s recipe), but I’ve since had a chance to put pen to paper and get it down for all of you.

Let’s get into it!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links for products I use and love. If you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I may earn a small affiliate commission, perhaps enough to buy some extra gochujang or gochugaru 🙂

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What Even Is Cheesy Corn Soufflé?

Look, I’d never even heard of cheesy corn soufflé until my friend Teri made it on her Instagram feed. It looked so delicious, I had to check it out. Apparently, corn soufflé (also known as corn casserole or “spoonbread”) was introduced into the American culinary lexicon right after the Civil War. It’s essentially a mix of corn bread plus creamed corn. I imagine the “cheesy” part came years later. It is a hallmark of Southern cuisine, particularly around the holidays.

Although described as an “elegant soufflé,” it isn’t very fluffy like a sweet soufflé or even like an egg soufflé, given the significant amount of cornbread in the recipe. Definitely think more casserole when you’re trying to imagine its consistency and texture.

Regardless, this cheesy corn soufflé is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever put into my mouth. You’ll definitely want to make it!

Key Ingredients and Notes on Substitutions for Cheesy Corn Soufflé.

For the most part, making this cheesy corn soufflé dairy and egg-free involved swapping out dairy and egg ingredients with their vegan counterparts. Let’s take a look at the ingredients:

Corn.

Obviously a cheesy corn soufflé recipe is going to include corn. I used frozen corn for this recipe, but you can also use canned corn.

Butter.

This is a southern dish, so there’s going to be a fair amount of butter in this cheesy corn soufflé recipe. I used Earth Balance butter sticks, but Country Crock also makes a fabulous dairy-free butter. If you don’t want to use butter, you can also use extra virgin olive oil.

Milk.

As I mentioned, this cheesy corn soufflé is essentially a combination of creamed corn and cornbread. Therefore, you’ll need creamed corn. This recipe incorporates a very quick and easy recipe for creamed corn, which requires milk. I use Chobani’s Extra Creamy Oat Milk, but you can substitute with whatever kind of creamy plant milk you like.

Sour Cream.

This cheesy corn soufflé recipe also calls for sour cream. I used Tofutti’s sour cream, but you can substitute with your favorite brand of sour cream or even unsweetened yogurt. The sour cream will add a tang to your soufflé while also keeping everything nice and soft.

Egg.

This is a cheesy corn soufflé so it’s not surprising that the recipe will call for eggs. I use JUST Egg for this cheesy corn soufflé recipe. If you don’t have access to JUST Egg, you can swap in silken tofu which will lend both a creaminess and a little fat to this corn soufflé recipe, without adding any strange flavors.

Cornbread Mix.

Yes, this “spoonbread” calls for cornbread mix! Luckily, there are a ton of different cornbread mixes out there, including the one I grew up seeing in our kitchen cupboard. You can even find gluten-free cornbread mix and keep this entire cheesy corn soufflé recipe gluten-free (by swapping out the all-purpose flour for the creamed corn with corn starch). I’ve made this corn soufflé recipe with various brands of cornbread mix and they all turned out amazing.

Make sure you read the labels, though–some of these mixes are not vegan (for example, Jiffy’s original cornbread mix contains lard).

Cheese.

A cheesy corn soufflé recipe is going to include cheese. I use pepper jack (Follow Your Heart) and sharp cheddar (Violife). You can, however, use any combination of cheese you like. My only recommendation is that you grate your cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese will have a harder time melting into your soufflé and may disrupt the texture. For vegan cheeses, simply take a block of cheese slices and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then grate away!

Jalapeno.

This cheesy corn soufflé is ready to bring the heat! Not only with the use of pepperjack cheese, but with sliced jalapenos! I love the spice of the jalapenos in this recipe, but if you don’t, simply skip em!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Cheesy Corn Soufflé.

This cheesy corn soufflé recipe is actually quite easy. You’ll be surprised at how effortlessly it all comes together!

Step 1.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Then, add all the ingredients for creamed corn into a medium sauce pot or deep pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue stirring until it thickens (i.e., when you run a wooden spoon down the middle, the mixture does not quickly come back together).

Step 2.

Make the soufflé filling: to a large bowl, add creamed corn, sour cream, JUST Egg and stir until well combined. Add frozen corn, cornbread mix, salt, and stir. Add melted butter and half the vegan cheese and, again, stir until well combined.

Step 3.

Pour filling into a pre-greased 4 quart (11¾” x 8” x 2 ½”) casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese and as many jalapeno slices as you think you can handle.

Place in the oven and bake for approximately 90 minutes (rotating the casserole at about the halfway point), until the top is lovely and just starting to brown.  

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