Eggs Benedict Recipe With Hollandaise: How to Make Eggs Benedict With Hollandaise Sauce

Eggs Benedict is a classic breakfast dish made of a pillowy base layered with a dense, protein-like substance, stacked high with a soft poached egg, smothered in an emulsion of egg yolks, melted butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper and spice, and best eaten with a fork, knife, and an adventurous appetite.

“Eggs Benny,” as it has come to be commonly known, is more of a technique than a recipe, but once mastered—including the hollandaise, one of the five “mother sauces” of French cuisine—can be broken down and transferred to other dishes for many meals to come. Learn how to perfect your egg poaching technique here.

With jammy yolks and perfectly set whites, poached eggs are a delicate addition to everything from a classic Benedict to variations like smoked salmon eggs Benedict, and beyond. Follow Chef Thomas Keller’s recipe for perfect poached eggs, or check this guide to dispelling poached eggs myths before you begin.

Want to know how to better poach eggs or the secret to a smooth hollandaise? Keep reading.

1. 1. Use fresh or organic eggs. Fresh eggs will always yield a brighter, richer yolk. If you can’t source directly from a farmer, search for organic eggs (the kind with large egg yolks) at the grocery store to avoid added growth hormones and pesticides.
2. 2. Keep the eggs in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. When the eggs are kept cold, the whites stay together better during the poaching process.
3. 3. Crack the eggs into a mesh strainer before slipping into the water. This reduces the wispy white parts and creates a more compact, yolk-forward poach.
4. 4. Use unsalted, grass-fed butter. It tastes better.
5. 5. Avoid oversalting during cooking. The addition of flaky salt at the end is key.
6. 6. Sprinkle finely chopped herbs or spices on top. Add a touch of color and contrast of freshness to the fat-heavy ingredients in the dish. Try paprika or cayenne pepper.
7. 7. Opt for a blender. The easiest way to whip up hollandaise sauce without a hitch is to use an immersion blender or regular blender, but it is possible to execute by whisking with a decent attention span.
8. 8. Achieve perfect consistency with water. If the hollandaise sauce is too thick, slowly incorporate a small amount of water (½-1 teaspoon) until you reach the desired consistency.
9. 9. Check the whites. Don’t forget you are working with raw and undercooked eggs! Make sure the whites set when poaching eggs, and the hollandaise sauce is not left out for more than one hour.
10. 10. Top with just enough. Homemade hollandaise is an impressive feat—make sure you use the right amount. Don’t skimp when serving it over the eggs, but don’t drown out the creaminess of the runny yolk for when the poached egg is pierced.

Don’t waste your hard work now that you’ve gone to all that trouble.

• When stored properly, hollandaise sauce can be repurposed for dipping roasted asparagus or atop poached fish or crab cakes.
• Pre-cooked ham slices pair perfectly with cheese in between two halves of an English muffin for a twist on a buttery, griddled Cubano.
• Extra poached eggs are great for adding protein to grain bowls, fresh salads full of crunchy vegetables, or avocado toast.