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This Cheese Omelet was one of my mom’s go-to Lenten recipes. Not a typical Omelet, it’s absolutely delicious, and simply made from eggs, cheese, and bread!

Though more like a Cheese Souffle than an omelet, the egg whites are whipped separately to give a delightful lightness to this easy vegetarian recipe.

Cheese Souffle AKA Omelet in a casserole dish.
Table of Contents hide
1 Why You Must Make
2 Ingredient Notes
3 How to Make
4 Recipe Tips
5 Frequently Asked Questions
6 More Meatless Entrees for Lent
7 Cheese Omelet

Why You Must Make

Most of my recipes can be found in binders, all printed off the computer over the past 15 years or so. But I have a few treasured note cards in my recipe box, in my mom’s handwriting. This Cheese Omelet is one of those.

  • I make this cheese omelette every Lent when a meatless meal is needed.
  • It’s made with a simple mixture of cheese, eggs, and bread; it is easy and tasty.
  • Not quite an omelet, yet not quite a soufflé recipe. But it’s quite delicious!
Cheese Souffle Ingredients on a sheetpan with labels.

Ingredient Notes

  • Kitchen Staples – Milk, Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Bread – 4 slices. Use sandwich bread, brioche or challah. I don’t recommend whole wheat bread for this recipe.
  • Butter – Have at room temperature to butter the bread and the souffle dish.
  • Grated Cheese – I use sharp cheddar. Gruyere would be tasty, too. 
  • Eggs – Separate when cold since the yolks are less likely to break. Let the whites come to room temperature for the best volume when whipped. Make sure the bowl for whipping is free of grease or the whites won’t beat properly. The bowl and beaters have to be very clean, too.

How to Make 

Cheese Souffle Step 1.
Butter bread and cut into cubes.
Cheese Souffle Step 2.
Add milk, then cheese, salt and pepper.
Cheese Souffle Step 3.
Gently toss to combine.
Cheese Souffle Step 5.
Whip egg yolks.
Cheese Souffle Step 4.
Whip egg whites until stiff.
Cheese Souffle Step 6.
Stir yolks into bread mixture, then fold in whites.
Cheese Souffle Step 7 in process shots.
Scrape into a buttered casserole dish.
Cheese Souffle Step 68.
Bake as directed, then enjoy!

Recipe Tips

  • Slice your bread into ¾ to 1-inch pieces, leaving the crusts on. Use hearty bread so it does not completely disintegrate when the milk is added. My mom used sandwich bread when making this cheese souffle recipe, so it is an alternative.
  • Make sure to butter the bread before slicing. No one wants to deal with buttering individual bread cubes!
  • PRO-Tip – As with meringue, make sure your bowls and utensils are grease-free before beating the whites. Even a speck of egg yolk contaminating the whites will prevent them from whipping properly.
  • Whip the whites until they’re white and fluffy, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold them into the bread, cheese, and yolk mixture.
  • PRO-Tip – Don’t overmix as it will deflate the egg whites.
  • Sharp Cheddar cheese was my mom’s cheese of choice, but so many varieties would work well. Monterey Jack, Gruyere, or even a Pepper Jack would be delicious.
  • If you want a crusty or brown topping, place the souffle under the broiler for a minute or so, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn.
Bite of cheese souffle on a red handled fork on a plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the Difference Between a Souffle and an Omelet?

A French Souffle Recipe is an egg dish with whipped egg whites and egg yolks combined with other ingredients to make either a savory or sweet dish. This Cheese Omelet fulfills the souffle definition.
On the other hand, an omelet is also an egg dish but can be made in a couple of different ways. An omelet, or omelette, is made of beaten eggs, sauteed in oil or butter, then folded over other ingredients like cheese, meats, herbs, and/or vegetables. Unlike scrambled eggs, the mixture is not stirred while cooking. A French omelet is made by a special technique where eggs are stirred with a fork while cooking and the pan is also shaken. This results in a fluffier consistency and is removed from the heat slightly underdone.

What Are the Different Kinds of Omelets?

Upon further investigation, there are four categories of omelets: American, French, Frittata, and Souffle. So it all makes sense now!

Does This Omelet Need a Collar?

No, this omelet will not collapse like a chocolate omelet due to the structure provided by the bread. A collar, made of foil or parchment, gives light and fluffy dessert omelets something to cling to as they rise, helping increase their height.

More Meatless Entrees for Lent

Perfect for Lent, but also lovely when looking for a vegetarian entree to work into your menu. The cheese and eggs provide plenty of protein and are fine to eat if you’re a lacto-ovo vegetarian. Here are some more meatless meals you’ll love:

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Cheese Souffle AKA Omelet in a casserole dish
The Recipe:

Cheese Omelet

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Yield 4 servings

Bread and Cheese Omelet that's more like a souffle!

Ingredients

  • 4 slices of bread
  • 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • A dash of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup grated cheese, I used sharp cheddar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 4 stiffly beaten egg whites

Instructions

  1. Butter a casserole dish and preheat the oven to 325º.
  2. Butter the bread and cut into 1-inch cubes.
  3. Put the bread in a large bowl and add milk. If the bread is dry, more milk may be needed.
  4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cheese, and gently toss to combine.
  5. Beat the egg yolks until light and stir into bread mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites.
  6. Put into the casserole dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Notes

Recipe courtesy of my mom

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 379Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 239mgSodium: 783mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 19g

Thatskinnychickcanbake.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although thatskinnychickcanbake.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Also, many recipes on thatskinnychickcanbake.com recommend toppings, which may or may not be listed as optional and nutritional information for these added toppings is not listed. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed “to taste,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.

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© Liz Berg