Steamed Chicken Liver Soufflé
There’s something quietly magical about a steamed chicken liver soufflé. It looks dainty and a little fancy, but it’s really one of the gentlest, most forgiving dishes you can make. You blend a handful of humble ingredients, fold in some airy egg white, and let the steam do the rest. What you get is a soft, cloud-like little cake with a delicate flavor that even folks who claim to dislike liver tend to love. It’s nourishing, easy to digest, and naturally rich in iron and protein, which is exactly why it became such a beloved dish for feeding growing little ones.
This style of steamed soufflé has deep roots in Ukrainian and broader Eastern European home cooking, where steaming was prized as a gentle method that kept food tender and easy on the stomach. Generations of grandmothers prepared puréed liver dishes for babies just past their first birthday, and the same recipe quietly graduated to the grown-up table too. Today it’s a small comfort-food classic: the kind of thing you make when you want something wholesome, soft, and reassuringly old-fashioned. With a modern multicooker or steamer basket, it’s easier than ever to pull off.
The single most important step is cleaning the liver well. Take your time rinsing it under cold water and trimming away any greenish bile spots, membranes, or fatty bits. Skip this and the soufflé can turn bitter, so it’s worth a couple of extra minutes. The other secret is the egg white. Whipping it to firm, glossy peaks and folding it in gently is what transforms a loose, watery purée into something light and pillowy. Don’t be alarmed that the blended mixture looks runny at first; the beaten white is what gives it that beautiful rise.
Tips & Substitutions
- No white bread? Swap the bread for 1 tablespoon of semolina. It binds the mixture just as well and gives a slightly firmer texture.
- Liver options: Chicken liver is the mildest and creamiest, but turkey liver works too. For a more robust flavor, use a portion of beef liver, soaked in milk for 30 minutes first to tame any bitterness.
- Dairy-free: Replace the milk with an unsweetened plant milk or a splash of broth.
- For grown-up palates: Stir a pinch of nutmeg, white pepper, or a little finely grated onion into the purée before folding in the egg white.
- No steamer basket? Set your filled molds in a baking dish, pour in hot water halfway up the sides, cover with foil, and bake at 325°F until set.
Let the soufflés cool for a few minutes before you ease them out of the molds, since they firm up a touch as they rest. Serve them warm on their own for the littlest eaters, or dress them up for the adults with a spoonful of sour cream, a sprinkle of fresh dill, or a light tomato or mushroom sauce. They make a lovely soft side dish alongside mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days; rewarm them gently with a little steam or a few seconds in the microwave so they stay tender rather than drying out. Enjoy this simple, nourishing little dish that bridges the gap between nursery food and a quietly elegant table.
Part of Ukrainian cuisine — 301 more recipes in the section.
You might also like
Ingredients
Instructions
Rinse the chicken liver well under cold running water and remove any unwanted bits, such as leftover bile sacs, membranes, and fatty deposits. This step matters so that the finished dish won't taste bitter and stays tender.
Place the prepared liver into a blender jar and pour in the milk.
Cut the crust off a piece of white bread, tear the soft crumb into small pieces, and add it to the liver. If you prefer, you can replace the bread with one tablespoon of semolina.
Wash the egg, crack it, and carefully separate the yolk from the white. Set the white aside in a clean separate bowl and add the yolk to the blender jar.
Add a very small pinch of salt to the jar and blend everything for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. Don't worry that the mixture looks quite runny — it will become thicker and airier in the next step.
Whip the reserved egg white into firm, stable peaks.
Gently fold the whipped egg white into the liver mixture a little at a time using a spoon. Work delicately, with bottom-to-top motions, so you don't deflate the light, airy structure of the beaten white.
Fill silicone muffin molds with the mixture, but not all the way to the top, since the soufflé will rise a little.
Set the filled molds in a steamer basket. Pour water into the multicooker bowl, place the basket inside, and select the steam setting.
Steam the soufflés for about half an hour. Let them cool slightly, carefully remove them from the molds, and serve.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.