Vegan Spinach Souffle

Brush four 200ml souffle ramekins generously with vegan butter, then coat each evenly with fine breadcrumbs, tapping out any excess; refrigerate the prepared ramekins while you work.

Wilt the spinach in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until fully collapsed, about 2–3 minutes; transfer to a clean cloth and squeeze out every drop of moisture, then chop finely and set aside.

Melt the vegan butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the flour to the butter and garlic, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, and cook until the roux smells nutty and turns a pale straw colour, about 2 minutes.

Pour the oat milk into the roux in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, then cook over medium heat, whisking, until the bechamel is very thick and pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan, about 4–5 minutes; remove from heat.

Stir the nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg into the hot bechamel until fully incorporated, then fold in the chopped spinach; transfer this base to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C, or 180°C for a fan oven, or 400°F and place a baking sheet on the middle rack to heat.

Combine the chilled aquafaba and cream of tartar in a spotlessly clean, grease-free bowl and whip with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 8–10 minutes; the peaks should hold their shape when the beaters are lifted.

Fold one large spoonful of the whipped aquafaba into the cooled spinach base vigorously to lighten it.

Gently fold in the remaining aquafaba in two additions using a large rubber spatula, cutting down through the centre and sweeping up and over, until just combined with no white streaks visible.

Divide the mixture evenly among the chilled ramekins, filling each to within 5mm of the rim; run your thumb around the inside edge of each ramekin to create a shallow groove that encourages an even rise.

Place the ramekins on the preheated baking sheet and bake until the souffles have risen 3–4cm above the rim, the tops are deep golden brown, and the centres still wobble very slightly when gently nudged, about 18–20 minutes; do not open the oven door during the first 15 minutes.

Serve immediately directly from the ramekins — souffles begin to deflate within 2–3 minutes of leaving the oven.