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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
CONSIDER TRYING THESE CLASSIC BREAKFAST RECIPES:
- Breakfast Quesadillas
- Classic French Toast
- Broccoli Cheese Quiche
- Homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
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Recipe
Eggs Benedict with homemade Hollandaise Sauce
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
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this recipe in August 2013. Updated August 2018.
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My wife loves eggs Benedict, so while we were RV’ing in Indiana it seemed a good time to try your recipe. She said it was the best she ever had, so I thank you for getting me a gold star! Such an easy recipe to follow and your guidance hints were awesome.
This is the second time we’ve used the recipe. I had to scour the internet to find it again because I forgot to save it after the first time we made them. This is a very easy to follow recipe and each time the results have been great! I had never eaten eggs Benedict before this. It’s a new family favorite for special occasions!
Wish I could post with photo because it’s absolutely delicious and restaurant quality. 💕
This is the best and easiest eggs Benedict recipe I’ve tried over many years. My husband’s favorite breakfast dish is eggs Benedict ,I served him and my 26 year old son from this recipe today and they both loved it. My husband keeps raving over it and says it is restaurant quality, so delicious, just wonderful! Thank you!
My husband, who is uncoordinated and ADHD, was able to follow this recipe very easily. I did have to assist with thickening the sauce by turning up the heat a little and whisking till a thicker consistency. I loved the mild lemon taste. We kept our sauce on the warmer element while poaching the eggs. Easy peasy. Only negative is wasting the egg whites. Was curious if there is anything we can do to incorporate them in somehow? Otherwise, yummm all the way!
I just made the Hollandaise sauce for this recipe and not the poached egg I have my own way of doing that. That said the hollandaise sauce I tweaked a little. I tasted as I was going along with the sauce to make it to my liking. For some you might not like it but try adding more lemon if you think it needs it. If it is to thin put it back on the heat a little bit, to thick add more cream, every mouth has it’s own taste. I give four stars because I changed it up a little.
I have to say this is the first bad review I have ever put on a recipe. This was my first time making this so trusted this recipe since it had good reviews. The recipe lists making the sauce first, BIG mistake! It was cold by the time everything else was done and had a film over it! After the fact I read other recipes that say to wait till the very end to make it. Next, it says to boil the water then lower heat to a simmer. That was just a waste! Again, after the fact the other recipe said to put it in boiling water and swirl it before you out the egg in so it wraps around itself. That is the correct way. We had to throw away the first ones made with the method from this recipe. I’m very sad because eggs are very expensive right now and I wasted a lot following this recipe.
Smh maybe you just don’t know how to cook. I’ve made this recipe many many times and NEVER had any issue. I have also just checked about a dozen other recipes and they ALL are about the same. They say step one make the sauce, bring water to boil then reduce to simmer. This is the right way. Blaming the recipe because you are out eggs? C’mon. Also anyone that starts their comment out by saying “this is the first bad review I’ve left” is full of it. Practice your cooking skills and blame yourself that it didn’t come out right. Not the recipe
Did not like this recipe. Hollandaise sauce was awful, way too many egg yolks, not enough lemon. Just tasted like liquid egg yolk.
So easy and so delicious. Perfect amount of lemon juice. We could taste every flavor. I used bacon instead of ham. I will definitely make again.
This was really disapppointing.. the sauce is very runny. Looked at some other recipes and they said to double boil. I tried to salvage it with a double boil, more butter, and dijon mustard… still not the best consistency. Maybe the butter wasnt hot enough?
absolutely horrible. my sauce turned into scrambled eggs. this has never happened with any other recipe i’ve tried.
Hi Laura, we are so sorry your eggs scrambled. In step 2, we recommend tempering the eggs very slowly and adding small spoonfuls of the melted butter mixture slowly while whisking the egg mixture constantly. When it’s added too quickly, it heats the eggs too fast and causes them to cook and scramble. We hope it works better for you next time!
Recipe is good but I recommend adding a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 2 more tablespoons of butter to the hollandaise! It should be a dark yellow color, not light and runny. Top with paprika and chives. Yum!!
I made this and it was fabulous. You do need to be coordinated so it doesn’t get cold. I WILL be making this again.
I have to say this recipe brought me to tears. I made it for my husband’s birthday since it’s his favorite and the sauce was way too watery and cold by the time it’s ready to be served? Made no sense. It’s already a miracle I cook for him, this was a waste of eggs and time.