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Filled with smoky ham, nutty Gruyère, and fresh chives, this savory Dutch baby recipe is simple enough for a lazy weekend but special enough for guests.
The inspiration for this savory Dutch baby recipe comes from Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes To Eat Like A Local by Clotilde Dusoulier, the voice behind the Paris-based cooking blog Chocolate & Zucchini. I spent a lot of time in Paris in my early twenties, so flipping through the book makes me a little wistful for those days.
In France, this type of oven-puffed pancake is called a pascade. Clotilde describes it as halfway between a crêpe and a cheese soufflé, crisp on the outside and comfortingly tender inside. I took her recipe and, keeping with the French theme, added Dijon mustard, chopped ham, grated Gruyère, and chives. The result is a savory pancake that’s just as good for brunch as it is for lunch or a light dinner. Serve it with a simple salad or fresh fruit, or add roasted asparagus or another seasonal vegetable to make the meal a little more substantial.
“Ridiculously easy……..this recipe epitomizes a perfectly delicious breakfast!”
What You’ll Need To Make a Savory Dutch Baby
- Eggs: The base of the batter; they give the Dutch baby its dramatic puff and tender, custardy center.
- Dijon Mustard: A small amount adds subtle tang without making the pancake taste mustardy.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the pancake just enough structure to puff while keeping the center tender.
- Whole Milk: Provides the liquid for the batter and helps create a tender, custardy interior. If you don’t have whole milk, a combination of heavy cream and skim milk works just as well.
- Gruyère Cheese: Melts beautifully into the pancake, adding a nutty richness that pairs especially well with the ham.
- Fresh Chives: Bring a mild oniony flavor and a little freshness and color to the pancake. Snip them with kitchen shears for quick prep.
- Unsalted Butter: Helps the pancake develop crisp, golden edges and adds richness to the batter. Using unsalted butter gives you better control over the seasoning, especially since both the ham and Gruyère can be fairly salty.
- Ham: This is a great place to use leftover baked ham, but good-quality deli ham works well, too. Cut it into small pieces so it distributes evenly throughout the pancake.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make a Savory Dutch Baby
Make the batter: Whisk together the egg, mustard and seasoning. Mix in the flour and then gradually whisk in the milk, followed by the cheese and chives. Adding the flour before the milk makes it easier to whisk out any lumps and get a smooth batter.
Assemble, bake, and serve: Melt the butter in the ovenproof pan, swirling to coat the bottom. Scatter the ham evenly over the butter, then pour the batter on top. Bake until puffed and golden, without opening the oven door—the rush of cool air can cause the pancake to deflate before it’s fully set. It will collapse quickly once out of the oven, which is perfectly normal. Slice and serve warm.
Savory Dutch Baby with Ham & Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Heaping ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1¼ cups whole milk (or substitute ¼ cup/60 ml heavy cream + 1 cup/240 ml skim milk)
- ⅔ cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 slices (4 oz) thinly sliced ham, finely diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the flour. Gradually add the milk, whisking until the batter is smooth. Stir in the cheese and chives.
- Melt the butter in a 10-in (25-cm) cast iron or nonstick ovenproof pan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and swirl the butter around. Sprinkle the ham evenly around the pan. Pour the batter over the ham, then use a fork to be sure the ham is evenly distributed. Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes. It will appear puffed straight out of the oven, but will quickly collapse. Cut the pancake into thin wedges and serve. (Remember that the pan is hot; I usually place a dishtowel or oven mitt over the handle as a reminder.)
Notes
- The pancake is best served fresh out of the oven. However, leftover slices can be reheated in the microwave.
- The edges of many Dutch babies will remain puffy after coming out of the oven. In this version, it will puff up a bit in the oven to about 1½ in (4 cm) high all over, then settle to about ½ in (13 mm) high as it cools.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This was abso-freaking-luetly delicious and so easy. I have a 12-in pan, so I added an extra egg. I left out the mustard because I didn’t have any, and sprinkled in a little garlic. Maybe I’ll use more salt next time. SO GOOD.
This was so beautiful and delicious yet so easy and quick. So French, my house smelled like a boulangerie while it was cooking. Another great one, Jen!
Just delicious, it was a really nice light consistency between a cheese soufflé or a flan. Not enough swiss cheese so added asagio, very good.Will make again. Thanks Jenn!
Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour? Any advice?
It should not change anything, gluten free flour is well adapted for almost anything now. I would try with no hesitation.
I made this for a Sunday night supper and will be adding to another one of my Jen favorites! Served with a small fresh herb salad and asparagus. YUM!!
This was delicious and so easy! We plan to make this often.
Simply Fantastic! I used fontina instead, it worked well;)
Jenn, what wine would you serve with this? Thanks!
Hi Emily, a sparkling wine would work nicely here; I think it would be delicious with a fruity sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, I’d love to try this recipe but I don’t have an oven safe pan. Can I use an ordinary ceramic baking dish or does it work best in a metal dish? Also, is the same quantity of strong cheddar an acceptable substitute for the gruyère (can’t find kosher gruyère where I live) – I’d be leaving out the ham as well? Thank you!
Hi Lynnsey, A ceramic baking dish is be fine to use, as is the strong cheddar. The ham adds a lot of flavor, so you might increase the mustard and chives to 1.5 tablespoons each. Please lmk how it turns out!
I made it in a large Pyrex pie dish and it worked well. I heated the dish in the hot oven then let the butter melt in the hot pan. The ham pieces sizzled and got almost crispy as I added the batter. It was magical.
Used some ‘basic’ swiss cheese, shallots instead of chives and it was delicious and easy. Mine crept up the sides of the pan like a Yorkshire pudding. Can’t wait to make it again and try some other ingredients. Thanks!