Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce (& How to Poach an Egg)

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Eggs Benedict with homemade Hollandaise sauce is the ultimate in luxury breakfast dishes. We make it easy for you as we show you how to create the dish from scratch including how to achieve the perfect poached egg! 

Eggs Benedict

The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.

Eggs Benedict is a popular breakfast or brunch dish, consisting of a toasted English muffin, topped with Canadian bacon, poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce.

It’s one of those recipes that looks more complicated than it actually is.

However, there are four distinct layers to this recipe, which means a little planning is needed to ensure all components are nice and warm when ready to serve.

In addition, it may take a little practice to achieve perfectly poached eggs, but the process is pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

Steps to Pull it All Together:

1. Assemble all ingredients and set up your work area, as described in recipe card.
2. Prepare the Hollandaise sauce, then transfer to a heat-proof container, such as a glass canning jar, and set in a warm water bath to keep warm until ready to serve.
3. Poach the eggs per instructions.
4. Brown the Canadian bacon while the English muffins are toasting under a hot broiler (watch carefully to avoid burning).
5. Assemble and serve immediately.

With my step-by-step recipe and tips for cooking the perfect poached egg, you will feel like a master in the kitchen as you prepare this dish for your loved ones for Sunday Brunch!

(Oh, and read to the end where I have several variations on the classic Eggs Benedict!)

Serve up Eggs Benedict with a variety of delicious sides for brunch, like Easy Parmesan Breakfast Potatoes, Air Fryer Hash Browns from Scratch, Stuffed Papaya Breakfast Bowls, and Pancakes and Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe

While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.

It may not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.

• Fresh Produce – Lemons, Chives
• Protein – Canadian Bacon, known as Back Bacon in the UK
• Dairy – Unsalted Butter,
• Cayenne Pepper
• English Muffins
• Large Eggs – and egg yolks to make the sauce

Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).

More Recipes Using Eggs

One of the hero ingredients in this dish is eggs, so here are some more recipes using the same:

• Cheese & Bacon Eggy Bread Bake
• These Deluxe Deviled Eggs Are Always A Crowd-Pleaser!
• Authentic Greek-Cypriot Avgolemono – Egg Lemon Soup

More Breakfast Recipes

Looking for more dishes to make for breakfast (or brunch)? Check these recipes out next:

• Slow Cooker Southwestern Breakfast Casserole with Sausage & Potatoes
• Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free Coconut Flour Pancakes for Breakfast
• Easy Parmesan Breakfast Potatoes in a Cast-Iron Skillet

There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.

How To Poach An Egg

Poached eggs have a reputation of being difficult to cook. That’s not true – they just need a little practice!

1. Rule #1: No Broken Yolks. The key to poached eggs with a nice runny center is to start with an intact yolk. If you struggle to crack open eggs without breaking the yolk, try giving them a single swift crack against the top of a bowl with a thin (vs. thick or rounded) edge. This creates a clean, thin break that is easy to crack apart without damaging the yolks in the process.
2. Rule #2: Use Fresh Eggs. This is more of a guideline than a hard-and-fast rule, because it can be tough to know how fresh the eggs you purchase at your local grocery store are. However, try to use eggs you’ve recently purchased instead of ones that have been sitting in your refrigerator awhile. Egg whites tend to break down and become runny as they age, so strain your eggs in a fine mesh strainer, before poaching to work around this.

3. After straining, transfer each egg into its own ramekin or small bowl. This will make it easier to add each egg as quickly as possible to the boiling water. Plus, it helps keep the eggs separated from each other if you are poaching multiple eggs at one time.
4. One popular poaching technique is to create a “swirling vortex” by vigorously stirring the boiling water with a large spoon in circles until it continues to rotate on its own after you stop stirring. Although this works well for a single egg, it is not ideal for poaching multiple eggs at one time. In that case, drop the eggs, one at a time, into the boiling water without swirling it first. For consistent results, set a timer and be sure to remove the eggs from the boiling water in the same order you added them. T The key to success when using a swirling vortex is to dump a single egg quickly into the center of the vortex, rather than outside the center. By dumping the egg into the center, the swirling action forces the egg white to close in around the yolk to create a nicely shaped outer layer without a lot of wispy white tendrils hanging off of it.

5. Cook time will vary depending on desired level of doneness. The images shown here were achieved with a 3-minute cook time. If runnier or firmer results are desired, adjust the cook time accordingly. Tip: If the poached eggs are not going to be eaten immediately, reduce cook time by 30-45 seconds, then reheat later by dropping them back in boiling water for another 30-45 seconds.
6. When done poaching, remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess water. Gently pat dry before serving.

Recipe Tips

• There is some debate regarding the safety of Hollandaise sauce due to the use of uncooked eggs. Traditional cooking methods involve “cooking” the eggs over very low heat using a double boiler before whisking in the butter. With the blender method described below, it is important to start with very warm melted butter (it should be bubbling, but not scorched). Melting the butter on a stovetop (vs. in a microwave) makes it easier to achieve the right temperature without scorching it.
• Optional serving suggestion: Steamed or grilled asparagus pairs beautifully with the Hollandaise sauce.

How Do I Make Eggs Benedict?

Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.

Continue to Content

Eggs Benedict with Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Eggs Benedict with homemade Hollandaise sauce is the ultimate in luxury breakfast dishes.

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Ingredients

For the Hollandaise Sauce

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1½ Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2-3 cups warm water

For the Eggs Benedict

• 4 English muffin bottoms*
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 cups water, for boiling
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 4 large eggs
• 8 slices Canadian bacon
• Cayenne pepper, for garnish
• 1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped

Instructions

1. Before starting, prep your work area by doing the following:
   
   • Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking sheet. Butter the English muffin bottoms and place them on the prepared baking sheet, as shown. Set aside.
   
   
   
   • Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside.
   
   • Set up a warm water bath to keep the Hollandaise sauce warm by adding two cups of very warm water to a shallow bowl. (Avoid overly hot water as it can cause the eggs to solidify). Set aside.
   
   • Fill a pot with 6 cups water and set over high heat. Add one tablespoon white vinegar and bring to a rapid boil.
   
   • Add six tablespoons of butter to a small skillet set over medium heat. Stir until completely melted, then reduce heat slightly to keep warm and bubbly while preparing the sauce.
   
   
   
2. Add the eggs yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper to a blender and blend on high for 20-30 seconds, then slowly drizzle the warm, melted butter into the blender while it is still operating. Continue blending on high for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce is emulsified and reaches a smooth, creamy consistency.
   
   
   
3. Turn off the blender. Taste and add additional lemon juice, salt, or cayenne pepper, as desired. Transfer the sauce to a heat-proof container, such as a glass canning jar, and place it into the warm water bath until ready to use.
   
   
   
4. Add eggs, one at a time, to a fine-mesh sieve, as shown, for 2-3 minutes to remove excess liquid. Transfer each egg to a separate ramekin and set it aside.
   
   
   
5. Drop the strained eggs, one at a time, into the boiling water and poach for 3 minutes. Carefully remove each egg with a slotted spoon and transfer to the plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Add the Canadian bacon to a large skillet set over medium heat and heat just until warmed through and browned, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside.
   
   
   
7. Place the top oven rack on the second position from the top and set the broiler to high. Place the English muffins under the broiler/grill for approximately 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, rotating once halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside.
8. To serve, assemble by topping the toasted English muffins with two slices of Canadian Bacon and one of the poached eggs. Pour some warm Hollandaise sauce on top and garnish with a small pinch of cayenne pepper and some chopped chives right before serving. Enjoy!
   
   

Notes

*Reserve English muffin tops for another use.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 494Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 404mgSodium: 719mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 21g

This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Eggs Benedict Variations

Several variations of Eggs Benedict exist, involving replacing any component except the egg:

• Avocado Toast Eggs Benedict – substitutes toast in place of the muffin and adds sliced avocado.
• Eggs Atlantic – substitutes salmon which may be smoked, in place of Canadian bacon.
• Eggs Blackstone – substitutes streaky bacon in place of Canadian bacon and adds a tomato slice.
• Eggs Blanchard – substitutes Béchamel sauce in place of Hollandaise.
• Eggs Florentine – adds spinach, sometimes substituted in place of the Canadian bacon.
• Eggs Hebridean – a Scottish variety, substitutes Black pudding in place of the Canadian bacon.
• Eggs Mornay – substitutes Mornay sauce in place of the Hollandaise.
• Eggs Neptune – substitutes crab meat in place of Canadian bacon.
• Eggs Woodhouse – includes two eggs and artichoke hearts, creamed spinach, bechamel sauce, Iberico ham, black truffle and beluga caviar. The recipe is featured in the book How To Archer, inspired by the television series Archer on FXX.

Source: Wikipedia

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