Eggs Benedict is my favorite breakfast menu item, and it’s super easy to make from home! It starts with a toasted english muffin, topped with a slice or two of Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and smothered in traditional Eggs Benedict sauce, called hollandaise sauce.
A plate with two eggs benedict which includes english muffin topped with a slice of canadian bacon, poached eggs and homemade hollandaise sauce.
Eggs Benedict

Most of the time when we eat out at a restaurant my husband could never guess what I’ll order because I mix it up so often. The exception is when we go somewhere for breakfast or brunch, I always order Eggs Benedict. There’s never something on the menu that could tempt me more! Traditional Eggs Benedict is obviously a classic, but I love different variations of it too, like Eggs Benedict with asparagus.

How to make Eggs Benedict:

Start by making this simple recipe for hollandaise sauce (see the step-by-step photos, below). Next, poach the eggs, warm the Canadian bacon, and toast the english muffin.  Finally, assemble your Eggs Benedict by placing the Canadian bacon on top of half of an english muffin.  Place a poached egg on top of the Canadian bacon, and smother the egg in hollandaise sauce.

For a healthier Eggs Benedict, consider trying eggs florentine!

How to poach an egg:

To poach an egg, first fill the pot with about 3 inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil and then reduce heat until it reaches a simmer. You should see small bubbles coming to the surface but not rolling.  Add a little splash of vinegar to the water (this is optional, but it helps the egg white to stay together once it is in the water).

Side by side photos of preparing a saucepan of boiling and then simmering water to poach an egg, with text on the photo explaining to boil the water and then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Crack one egg into a small cup (I use a measuring cup).  Lower the egg into the simmer water, gently easing it out of the cup.

How long should you cook your poached egg? Cook the egg in simmering water for 3-5 minutes, depending on how soft you want your egg yolk. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon.

Process photos for poaching an egg including a measuring cup with a cracked egg in it being lowered into a saucepan of simmering water, next to another photo of the poached egg being removed from the water.

How to make Hollandaise sauce:

This traditional Eggs Benedict sauce is called hollandaise sauce.  Many people buy hollandaise sauce in a packet that just has you add water….I’ll never understand WHY?! It’s SO easy to make homemade hollandaise sauce and it definitely tastes better from scratch!

The ingredients for Hollandaise sauce are butter, egg yolks, lime juice, heavy cream, and salt and pepper. The method I’m sharing is a more traditional method for making hollandaise sauce. Some people prefer to make hollandaise sauce in the blender, which would work well for this recipe.

Overhead view of the ingredients needed for hollandaise sauce including butter, eggs, cream, lime juice, salt and pepper.

To make hollandaise sauce, start by melting butter in a saucepan.  Meanwhile, beat egg yolks in separate bowl and add lime juice, heavy cream, and salt and pepper.

Overhead photo of a clear glass bowl with beaten eggs yolks, cream, lime juice, salt and pepper, next to a saucepan with four tablespoons of butter in it.

Once the butter has melted, you’re ready to temper the eggs by adding a small amount of the hot butter to the egg mixture.  Stir it well and repeat this process, slowly adding one spoonful of hot butter to the egg mixture.  We do this to avoid curdling the eggs.

A spoonful of melted butter being added to a beaten egg yolk mixture to make hollandaise sauce.

Finally, add the mixture back to the saucepan and cook it for a few more seconds.

Some people worry about raw eggs in their hollandaise sauce.  In this sauce, the eggs are cooked, they are just cooked very slowly to avoid curdling!  Cooking the hollandaise allows for a thicker, yummy sauce for your Eggs Benedict.

How to make Hollandaise sauce in advance:

For very best results, Hollandaise sauce is best served fresh, right when you’re ready to eat Eggs Benedict.  However, you can make Hollandaise sauce a day ahead of time.  Refrigerate is until ready to eat, and then reheat it for about 10-20 seconds in the microwave.

Homemade hollandaise sauce being spooned over a poached egg, canadian bacon and an English muffin to make eggs benedict.

CONSIDER TRYING THESE CLASSIC BREAKFAST RECIPES:

 

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Recipe

A plate with two eggs benedict which includes english muffin topped with a slice of canadian bacon, poached eggs and homemade hollandaise sauce.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 35 minutes
Save Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 English muffins
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 slices Canadian bacon
  • Vinegar , just a splash

For the Hollandaise sauce:

  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice , or lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions
 

For the Hollandaise sauce:

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg yolks. Mix in lemon juice, whipping cream, and salt and pepper.
  • Add a small spoonful of the hot melted butter to the egg mixture and stir well. Repeat this process adding a spoonful at a time of hot butter to the egg mixture.( Adding the butter slowly, a spoonful at a time, will temper the eggs and ensure they don't curdle).
  • Once the butter has been incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, for just 20-30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside. It will thicken as it cools. Stir well and add another splash of cream, if needed, to thin.

To poach the eggs:

  • Fill a medium size pot with about 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce heat until it reaches a simmer. You should see small bubbles coming to the surface but not rolling.  
  • Add a little splash of vinegar to the water (this is optional, but it helps the egg white to stay together once it is in the water).
  • Crack one egg into a small cup (I use a measuring cup).  Lower the egg into the simmer water, gently easing it out of the cup.
  • Cook the egg in simmering water for 3-5 minutes, depending on how soft you want your egg yolk. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon.
  • **It is not abnormal for a white foam to form on top of the water when poaching an egg. You can simple skim the foam off of the water with a spoon.
  • While the egg is cooking, place the slices of Canadian bacon in a large pan and cook on medium-high heat for about 1 minute on each side.

To Assemble:

  • Toast the English muffin. Top each toasted side with a slice or two of Canadian bacon, and then a poached egg. Top with hollandaise sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 16gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 408mgSodium: 562mgPotassium: 228mgVitamin A: 900IUVitamin C: 3.4mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 1.7mg

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I originally shared this recipe in August 2013. Updated August 2018.

 

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. 5 stars
    I have been using this recipe for my French lady who is 95 years old.. she loved it! She even used the hollandaise sauce with steam fish and rice.. super easy and super delicious. Thank you.!

  2. 5 stars
    Super easy and delicious. I’ve followed the recipe exactly, twice, once with lime and once with lemon. Both versions were exceptional! This recipe is a keeper!

  3. 5 stars
    First time making this recipe and omg this did not disappoint, so easy and delicious thank you for this amazing recipe will definitely be making this again.

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