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April 19, 2022

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Name: Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 large egg yolks; 2 Tbsp lukewarm water; 2 tsp fresh lemon juice; 1/2 tsp dijon mustard; 1/2 cup unsalted butter ((8 Tbsp)); 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (or more to taste); 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

4.98 from 81 votes
53 comments

Hollandaise Sauce sounds fancy but it is truly easy to make. It’s often drizzled over a classic dish of Eggs Benedict with crispy bacon, toasted English muffins, and Poached Eggs.

If you’re a lover of French-style breakfast foods, also try your hand at making our Perfect Omelette, Quiche Lorraine, or Crepes.

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What is Classic Hollandaise Sauce?

Hollandaise sauce is one of the five “mother sauces” in French cuisine and consists of egg yolks, butter, lemon juice, and water whisked to creamy perfection over low heat. When preparing this decadent recipe, opt for high-quality eggs and butter – it makes all the difference. I prefer to get grass-fed butter for its deep yellow color and organic eggs.

Hollandaise Sauce Ingredients

Egg yolks – separate your eggs and use the yolks only which help thicken up the sauce. Save the egg whites for a healthy Egg White Omelette the next day!
Lukewarm water – To regulate the temperature of the sauce, add lukewarm water.
Lemon juice – The acid from the lemon juice helps the egg yolks absorb more fat from butter and adds a nice pop of tang. You also need it to prevent cracks and help the sauce thicken up.
Dijon mustard – adds a great layer of flavor and bite to the sauce.
Unsalted butter – Butter is the key ingredient to helping your hollandaise emulsify and thicken up to a nice consistency.
Salt – We use fine sea salt in 99% of our cooking. Feel free to adjust the amount you use to your taste.
Cayenne pepper – If you love a kick of heat, add cayenne pepper to taste.

How to Make Hollandaise Sauce

Separate the Eggs – add yolks to a small saucepan and save whites for another recipe.
Add water, lemon juice and dijon and whisk together until well combined.
Add Butter – Slice the butter into small pieces and toss them into the saucepan.
Cook the Hollandaise – Place saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking the sauce constantly and vigorously until the melted butter turns the mixture frothy. Continue whisking until the sauce just starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.
Remove the Sauce from Heat – Once thickened, immediately remove the sauce from heat and season it with more cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Serve immediately or cover to keep warm.

Pro Tip: Make sure to whisk the sauce the entire time it’s over heat or the eggs will scramble!

Images of step by step process of making hollandaise sauce

To Serve

Aside from traditional Eggs Benedict, there are many ways to serve hollandaise sauce:

Over Potatoes – use it as a topping for oven baked potato wedges or boiled potatoes.
On Vegetables – For a quick and fancy veggie side dish, drizzle the hollandaise over air fryer asparagus or air fryer broccoli.
With Protein – use it as a topping for salmon or steak.

Make-Ahead

Storing: To keep hollandaise fresh, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. This will prevent it from soaking up any lingering smells in your refrigerator.
Reheating: To warm it back up, use a double boiler on the stovetop to reheat it over a steam bath (direct heat is prone to burning the delicate sauce). If you don’t have a double broiler, you can keep the sauce in the airtight container and let it sit in hot water for 25 minutes.

Common Questions

What is the difference between Hollandaise and Bearnaise sauce?

While they are super similar in texture and ingredients, there are key differences in the way that they are seasoned. Bearnaise typically contains shallots, peppercorns, tarragon, vinegar and wine.

What texture should hollandaise sauce be?

A perfect hollandaise sauce will be perfectly silky and creamy. A poorly made hollandaise will be runny or overly gummy from cooking it at too high of a heat.

Why did your hollandaise sauce crack?

Your hollandaise sauce will crack if it’s cooked at too high of a heat. This will cause the dairy to cook too quickly, resulting in cracks. Keep the heat over medium-low and let the sauce cook gradually.

Why is your hollandaise sauce runny and not thickening?

Your hollandaise sauce will turn out runny if you don’t whisk it vigorously and consistently while it’s heating. Aerating the mixture helps make it light, fluffy and thick. Also, avoid substitutions or modifications.

More Homemade Sauces

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

4.98 from 81 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Hollandaise sauce served in a bowl garnished with parsley

Hollandaise Sauce is a French sauce that sounds fancy but is truly easy to make. It's served for breakfast or brunch over Eggs Benedict.

Author: Natalya Drozhzhin

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: French

Keyword: hollandaise recipe, hollandaise sauce

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $1-$2

Calories: 234

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp lukewarm water
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup unsalted butter, (8 Tbsp)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt, or more to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Store the egg whites in an airtight container in the fridge for another recipe.
Add the egg yolks to a small saucepan with water, lemon juice, and dijon, and whisk until well-combined.
Cut the butter into small pieces and add them to the egg mixture.
Place the pot over medium-low heat, whisking the mixture constantly. As the butter melts, it will get a little frothy. Continue whisking constantly for about 3 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken then immediately remove from heat. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Season with salt and cayenne pepper, adding more seasoning to taste. Serve right away or cover to keep warm. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to loosen it up.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 234 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 158mg53%

Sodium 160mg7%

Potassium 21mg1%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 865IU17%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclosure

Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya is a food blogger who founded Momsdish.com to make cooking easier. Growing up on a farm in Ukraine, Natalya was inspired by the amazing dishes that were prepared using simple ingredients. Natalya is most notably known for making cooking approachable for any person.