Eggs Benedict Recipe
This Eggs Benedict Recipe is the brunch dish that makes everyone feel like they are sitting in a five star hotel. A perfectly toasted English muffin. A crispy, golden slice of Canadian bacon. A softly poached egg with a yolk that runs like liquid gold when you cut into it. Furthermore, a silky, buttery hollandaise sauce poured generously over everything.
Moreover, despite its elegant reputation, this Eggs Benedict Recipe is entirely achievable at home. For more stunning breakfast and brunch recipes, also explore our fluffy Pancakes Recipe, our golden French Toast Recipe and our full Breakfast collection.
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Pinterest TitleEggs Benedict Recipe — The Most Stunning Brunch You Can Make at Home
Pinterest DescriptionLearn how to make the perfect Eggs Benedict at home! Silky hollandaise sauce, perfectly poached eggs and crispy bacon on toasted English muffins. This easy brunch recipe is ready in 30 minutes and looks absolutely stunning. Save this pin for your next weekend brunch!
TagsThe Hollandaise Sauce — Heart of This Eggs Benedict Recipe
Hollandaise is the element that defines a great Eggs Benedict Recipe. Furthermore, it is notoriously considered one of the five French mother sauces. However, with the right technique it is entirely achievable at home in under 10 minutes.
What Is Hollandaise Sauce
Hollandaise is a warm emulsion sauce made from egg yolks and clarified butter with lemon juice. Furthermore, it is rich, silky and deeply buttery with a gentle acidity from the lemon. Moreover, the sauce clings beautifully to the poached egg and runs down into the muffin with every cut.
Blender Hollandaise Method
The traditional double boiler method is excellent but requires skill. Furthermore, the blender method produces a near identical result in 2 minutes with virtually zero risk of failure. Consequently, this is the method used in this Eggs Benedict Recipe. It is foolproof, fast and completely reliable every single time.
How to Poach Eggs Perfectly for This Eggs Benedict Recipe
Perfectly poached eggs are the signature of a great Eggs Benedict Recipe. Furthermore, they look spectacular and are much easier to achieve than most people think.
The Vinegar Trick
Adding a splash of white wine vinegar to the poaching water helps the egg white set more quickly around the yolk. Moreover, this produces a neater, more compact poached egg rather than a ragged, wispy one. Consequently, the finished egg sits beautifully on the muffin rather than spreading out across it.
The Swirl Technique
Create a gentle whirlpool in the simmering water before dropping in the egg. Furthermore, the swirling motion wraps the white around the yolk naturally as it cooks. Additionally, use the freshest eggs possible. Fresh egg whites are firmer and hold together far better than older eggs during poaching.
Eggs Benedict Variations Worth Knowing
The classic version uses Canadian bacon. Furthermore, several iconic variations have become equally beloved worldwide. Here are the most popular:
- Eggs Florentine — Replace the bacon with wilted spinach. Moreover, this vegetarian version is lighter and equally elegant on the plate.
- Eggs Royale — Replace the bacon with smoked salmon. Furthermore, the combination of silky salmon and hollandaise is one of the most luxurious brunch experiences imaginable.
- Eggs Norwegian — Use gravlax (cured salmon) instead of smoked salmon. Additionally, a small spoonful of caviar on top makes this the most indulgent version of all.
- Eggs Blackstone — Add a thick slice of ripe tomato between the muffin and the bacon. Consequently, the juicy tomato adds freshness and acidity that cuts through the rich hollandaise.
How to Make This Eggs Benedict Recipe
Timing is everything in this Eggs Benedict Recipe. Furthermore, all elements need to come together at the same moment. The key is having the hollandaise made and warm, the bacon cooked and the muffins toasted before poaching the eggs. The full method is in the recipe card below.
What to Serve with Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is a complete and deeply satisfying brunch on its own. However, these sides create a spectacular spread:
Best Brunch Pairings
- Our creamy Scrambled Eggs on the side for an extra egg element on the table
- Our golden crispy Bacon and Sausages — furthermore, a full brunch spread with Eggs Benedict in the center is an unforgettable weekend meal
- Fresh orange juice, coffee or our trending Iced Caramel Cloud Macchiato alongside
- A simple green salad with lemon dressing for a fresh and light contrast
- Sliced fresh fruit — additionally, the natural sweetness of fruit perfectly balances the richness of the hollandaise
Easy Variations for This Eggs Benedict Recipe
Crab Cake Benedict — Replace the English muffin with a homemade crab cake. Moreover, this elevated version is absolutely spectacular for a special occasion brunch.
Shakshuka Benedict — Poach the eggs directly in a spiced tomato sauce. Additionally, drizzle with tahini instead of hollandaise for a Middle Eastern inspired twist that is trending heavily on Pinterest right now.
Sweet Potato Benedict — Use thick roasted sweet potato rounds instead of English muffins. Consequently, this gluten free version is both visually stunning and deeply satisfying.
Truffle Eggs Benedict — Add a few drops of truffle oil to the hollandaise. Furthermore, finish with shaved truffle or truffle salt for the most luxurious home brunch imaginable.
Make This Eggs Benedict Recipe This Weekend
In conclusion, this Eggs Benedict Recipe is the most impressive and indulgent brunch you can make at home in just 30 minutes. Therefore, whether it is a lazy Saturday morning or a special occasion brunch, this recipe always delivers spectacular results. Browse more of our beautiful Breakfast recipes and share your results in the comments below!
Eggs Benedict Recipe
Perfectly poached eggs on toasted English muffins with crispy Canadian bacon and a silky blender hollandaise sauce. The ultimate brunch in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- The Base
- 4English muffins, split in half
- 8 slicesCanadian bacon or back baconCanadian bacon is leaner than streaky. Back bacon or thick cut ham work equally well
- 8 largeEggs, very freshFresh eggs hold together far better during poaching than older eggs
- 2 tbspWhite wine vinegar for the poaching water
- The Blender Hollandaise
- 3Egg yolks, room temperature
- 200 gUnsalted butterMelted and kept hot but not boiling — the heat cooks the yolks gently
- 1 tbspFresh lemon juice
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- PinchCayenne pepper
- SaltTo taste
- To Garnish
- As desiredSmoked paprika or cayenne for dusting
- As desiredFresh chives, finely chopped
Equipment
Method for This Eggs Benedict Recipe
- 1 Make the hollandaise: Melt the butter in a small pan until hot and bubbling. Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and cayenne in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds until pale. Then with the blender running on low speed, pour the hot butter in a very slow, thin, steady stream through the lid opening. Furthermore, the hot butter cooks the yolks as it emulsifies. The sauce will thicken beautifully within seconds. Season with salt and keep warm.
- 2 Cook the bacon: Heat a non stick frying pan over medium high heat. Cook the Canadian bacon slices for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden and slightly crispy at the edges. Remove and keep warm. Moreover, the rendered fat from the bacon adds a wonderful savory depth to the overall dish when it mingles with the hollandaise on the plate.
- 3 Toast the muffins: Split and toast the English muffins until deeply golden on the cut sides. Furthermore, a well toasted muffin is essential as it provides the structural base for the stack. A soft untoasted muffin will collapse immediately under the weight of the eggs and sauce.
- 4 Poach the eggs: Fill a large deep pan with water to a depth of 8cm. Add the white wine vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer — small bubbles but not a rolling boil. Crack each egg into a small cup first. Create a gentle whirlpool with a spoon. Slide the egg from the cup into the center of the swirl. Cook for 3 minutes for a runny yolk. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
- 5 Assemble and serve: Place two toasted muffin halves on each warm plate. Top each half with a slice of Canadian bacon. Place a poached egg on top of each bacon slice. Spoon the warm hollandaise sauce generously over each egg. Dust lightly with smoked paprika. Scatter over fresh chives. Serve immediately — Eggs Benedict waits for no one.
Nutrition (Per Serving — 2 halves with bacon, eggs and hollandaise)
* Nutritional values are estimates per serving of 2 Eggs Benedict halves. Eggs Florentine version with spinach instead of bacon reduces sodium by approximately 200mg per serving.
Notes
- Make the hollandaise first and keep it warm. Furthermore, hollandaise is the most time sensitive element. Making it first and keeping it in the blender with the lid on keeps it warm for up to 20 minutes while you prepare everything else.
- Use the freshest eggs available for poaching. Fresh egg whites are firmer and hold together cleanly during poaching. Moreover, eggs that are more than a week old will produce wispy, ragged whites that spread out into the water.
- Poach eggs one or two at a time for the neatest result. Adding more than 2 at once crowds the pan and drops the water temperature. Furthermore, crowded eggs stick together and the whites merge in an untidy way.
- This Eggs Benedict Recipe serves 4 with 2 halves per person. To serve 6, increase all quantities by 50%. Furthermore, poach the eggs in batches and keep warm in a bowl of warm water until ready to serve.
- Hollandaise does not reheat well. Make it fresh each time. Moreover, if it begins to split, add a teaspoon of warm water and blend again briefly. Consequently, a split hollandaise can usually be rescued with this simple technique.
Tips for the Perfect Eggs Benedict Recipe Every Time
- Warm the plates before assembling. Eggs Benedict cools down very rapidly on cold plates. Furthermore, a warm plate keeps the hollandaise fluid and the egg yolk runny for the entire eating experience. Place plates in a low oven for 5 minutes before plating.
- Keep the poaching water at a gentle simmer not a rolling boil. Vigorous boiling breaks up the egg white and produces a ragged result. Moreover, small consistent bubbles create the gentle movement that shapes the egg without destroying it.
- Pour the butter extremely slowly into the blender. The emulsification requires the butter to be incorporated gradually. Furthermore, pouring too fast produces a broken, greasy sauce rather than a thick, creamy one. A steady thin stream over 30 to 40 seconds is ideal.
- Drain the poached eggs thoroughly before plating. Excess water from the poaching liquid will dilute and thin the hollandaise on the plate. Moreover, resting the eggs on a folded paper towel for 10 seconds before plating removes all excess water cleanly.
- Assemble all elements at the same time. Eggs Benedict is a dish that must be served the moment it is assembled. Furthermore, having all components ready and warm simultaneously is the key to a perfect result. Consequently, prepare everything in parallel rather than sequentially.