An egg souffle is a light, fluffy, baked egg dish that can be savory or sweet depending on the ingredients added. It’s made by beating egg whites until they are foamy and folding them into a thick egg yolk base along with other ingredients like cheese, vegetables, or fruit. Determining the calorie count of an egg souffle can be tricky because it depends on the specific ingredients used in the recipe.
Calories In Eggs
To start determining how many calories are in an egg souffle, we first need to look at the main ingredient – eggs. Eggs are a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. However, they are also fairly calorie-dense.
Here are the calories for different sizes of raw eggs:
| Egg Size | Calories |
|---|---|
| Small | 55 calories |
| Medium | 63 calories |
| Large | 72 calories |
| Jumbo | 90 calories |
As you can see, even a single large egg contains 72 calories. So the number of eggs used in an egg souffle recipe will significantly contribute to the total calorie count.
Calories In Egg Whites vs. Egg Yolks
When making an egg souffle, the eggs are separated into whites and yolks. This allows the whites to be whipped into a fluffy meringue. So it’s helpful to know the calorie difference between the egg white and egg yolk.
Here is a comparison of the calories in egg whites vs. egg yolks:
| Egg Part | Calories |
|---|---|
| Egg white | 17 calories |
| Egg yolk | 55 calories |
As shown, the majority of an egg’s calories come from the fat-rich yolk. The egg whites are mostly protein and contain minimal calories. So when determining the calories in an souffle, the number of egg yolks used is most important.
Calories In Dairy, Vegetables and Other Ingredients
In addition to eggs, egg souffles often contain dairy products like milk, cream or cheese. They may also include vegetables, herbs, spices or other ingredients. All of these will add to the total calorie amount.
Here are the calories for common egg souffle ingredients:
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| 1 oz cheddar cheese | 110 calories |
| 1 oz parmesan cheese | 111 calories |
| 1/4 cup milk | 37 calories |
| 1/4 cup heavy cream | 200 calories |
| 1/2 cup spinach | 10 calories |
| 1/2 cup mushrooms | 13 calories |
As shown, ingredients like cheese and heavy cream add a significant number of calories. Non-starchy vegetables provide minimal calories, while herbs and spices add almost none. When making a recipe, add up the calories from all individual ingredients.
Total Calories In an Egg Souffle
Putting this all together, we can estimate the total calories in an egg souffle based on the number and size of eggs and the additional ingredients used.
For example, a spinach and mushroom egg souffle made with:
- 6 large eggs (6 x 72 = 432 calories)
- 1/4 cup milk (37 calories)
- 1/2 cup spinach (10 calories)
- 1/2 cup mushrooms (13 calories)
Would contain approximately:
432 calories from eggs
+ 37 calories from milk
+ 10 calories from spinach
+ 13 calories from mushrooms
Total: Approximately 492 calories
The number of servings this makes would then determine the calories per serving. For a 6-8 serving souffle, each serving would be 82-98 calories if divided evenly.
As another example, a cheese egg souffle with:
- 8 large eggs (8 x 72 = 576 calories)
- 1/4 cup milk (37 calories)
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (110 calories)
Would contain approximately:
576 calories from eggs
+ 37 calories from milk
+ 110 calories from cheese
Total: Approximately 723 calories
If this made a 6-serving souffle, each serving would be around 120 calories.
The possibilities are endless for ingredient combinations in egg souffles. But using the calorie estimates provided above, you can get a good idea of the total calories in any particular recipe.
Ways to Reduce Calories in Egg Souffles
Here are some tips for reducing calories in egg souffles:
- Use egg whites only instead of whole eggs.
- Replace full-fat dairy with low-fat or nonfat versions.
- Limit high-calorie ingredients like cheese, cream and oil.
- Increase low-calorie vegetables like spinach, tomatoes or mushrooms.
- Use lean proteins like chicken or fish instead of fatty meats.
- Flavor with fresh herbs and spices instead of salt.
- Cook in individual ramekins instead of a large dish.
- Skip high-calorie sauces or serve salsa on the side.
Making some simple substitutions and keeping portion sizes reasonable can help lighten up this decadent brunch dish.
Health Benefits of Egg Souffles
Despite being relatively high in calories, egg souffles can still be part of a healthy diet when enjoyed in moderation. Here are some of the health benefits they provide:
- Protein: Eggs are one of the highest quality sources of protein available. Protein helps build muscle, repairs tissues and keeps you feeling full.
- Vitamins and minerals: Eggs provide vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, selenium and other essential micronutrients.
- Choline: A nutrient particularly high in eggs is choline, which supports brain, liver and nervous system health.
- Antioxidants: Egg yolks contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which promote eye health.
- Healthy fats: Eggs contain unsaturated fats that can help reduce inflammation and stabilize blood lipids.
When incorporating eggs into a balanced diet, the benefits outweigh any cholesterol concerns for most people. Enjoying an occasional egg souffle is a tasty way to get all eggs have to offer.
Conclusion
Determining the calories in an egg souffle requires looking at the number and size of eggs used, along with the calories contributed by other added ingredients like dairy, vegetables and cheese. In general, a 1-cup serving of egg souffle will range from around 80 to 250 calories depending on what’s included in the recipe.
Making some easy ingredient swaps like using low-fat dairy and increasing veggies while limiting fat, cheese and cream can help lower the calorie count. Despite being relatively high in calories, egg souffles also provide protein, vitamins and other nutrients when consumed in moderation.
Next time you enjoy this fluffy baked egg dish, you can feel good knowing exactly what’s going into it and how to enjoy it as part of balanced diet.