Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (2024)

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.

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (1)

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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.

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (2)

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.
Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (3)

How to Make Hollandaise Sauce

  1. Separate the Eggs – add yolks to a small non-reactive saucepan and save whites for another recipe.
  2. Add water, lemon juice and dijon and whisk together until well combined.
  3. Add Butter – Slice the butter into small pieces and toss them into the saucepan.
  4. 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.
  5. 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!

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (4)

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.
Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (5)

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.

Why did my hollandaise sauce break?

Heating over too high of heat can cause the hollandaise sauce to break. Also make sure to use a non-reactive skillet. Avoid cast iron or copper which can react with the lemon juice.

More Homemade Sauces

  • Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
  • Easy Chimichurri Sauce Recipe
  • Horseradish Sauce
  • Homemade Marinara Sauce
  • Tartar Sauce

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

4.97 from 172 votes

Author: Natalya Drozhzhin

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (7)

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.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4 servings

  • 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

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 non-reactive 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 Per Serving

234kcal Calories1g Carbs2g Protein25g Fat15g Saturated Fat1g Polyunsaturated Fat7g Monounsaturated Fat1g Trans Fat158mg Cholesterol160mg Sodium21mg Potassium1g Fiber1g Sugar865IU Vitamin A1mg Vitamin C19mg Calcium1mg Iron

Nutrition Facts

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

234

% Daily Value*

Fat

25

g

38

%

Saturated Fat

15

g

94

%

Trans Fat

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

7

g

Cholesterol

158

mg

Sodium

160

mg

7

%

Potassium

21

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

1

g

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Sugar

1

g

1

%

Protein

2

g

4

%

Vitamin A

865

IU

17

%

Vitamin C

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

19

mg

2

%

Iron

1

mg

6

%

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

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: French

Keyword: hollandaise recipe, hollandaise sauce

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $

Calories: 234

Natalya Drozhzhin

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (8)

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.

Read more posts by Natalya

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the basic formula for hollandaise? ›

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, cold water, salt and pepper. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into butter. Continue whisking over low heat for 8 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.

What is a common mistake with hollandaise sauce? ›

Hollandaise sauces are best cooked at temperatures around 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything over this maximum puts this condiment at risk of splitting, which occurs when the creamy, smooth emulsion of the egg yolks, lemon juice, and melted butter breaks. The sauce will separate into pools of fat floating in liquid.

How to make hollandaise sauce Gordon Ramsay? ›

Method. First make the hollandaise sauce. Using a large balloon whisk, beat the egg yolks with a squeeze of lemon juice and seasoning in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Beat vigorously for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens.

What are the main ingredients of hollandaise? ›

Hollandaise Sauce ingredients

Here's what goes in Hollandaise Sauce: egg yolks, butter, salt, lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper, if you want a touch of subtle warmth. Egg yolks – from 3 large eggs (and sold labelled as “large” at grocery stores), each egg weighing 55 – 60g / 2 oz.

How do you make Martha Stewart hollandaise sauce? ›

In a blender, combine egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and salt; blend until frothy. Heat butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium until bubbly (do not let brown). With blender running, pour in hot butter in a very thin stream, blending until sauce is thick and emulsified.

Why do I feel sick after hollandaise sauce? ›

Raw eggs are used in homemade versions of foods such as mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce. Unpasteurized dairy products. Unpasteurized milk and milk products — sometimes called raw milk — may be contaminated with salmonella. The pasteurization process kills harmful bacteria, including salmonella.

Why is hollandaise so hard to make? ›

Traditional hollandaise, made by emulsifying melted clarified butter into egg yolks and lemon juice, is notoriously difficult to make. You not only have to take the same care in its construction as you take for oil-in-egg-yolk mayonnaise, but you also have to deal with the fickle nature of hot eggs and butter.

What's the difference between Benedict sauce and hollandaise sauce? ›

It's what happens next that sets them apart: Hollandaise gets its acidity from lemon juice (sometimes vinegar) and is usually seasoned with salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Béarnaise, meanwhile, builds upon hollandaise with white wine vinegar, shallots, tarragon, and other fresh herbs.

What is better than hollandaise sauce? ›

There are a lot of scrumptious alternatives to hollandaise sauce. Béarnaise Sauce and Mock Hollandaise Sauce are great substitutes.

What to avoid in cooking hollandaise sauce? ›

Hollandaise should be held between 120F to 145F (49 to 63C) so it does not split or curdle. If the sauce is heated above 150F, the eggs can overcook, become grainy and the sauce can potentially split.

Why do we add vinegar to hollandaise sauce? ›

Lemon juice or vinegar helps keep the hollandaise from separating and also adds a touch of acidity for flavour. I much prefer white wine vinegar for its flavour. The eggs need to be cooked, so as you'll see, we'll be heating up the butter so it's bubbling (but not burnt).

What is broken hollandaise sauce? ›

What is Broken Hollandaise Sauce? If the sauce breaks while you're whisking or when you serve it on extremely hot food, you'll know. It'll become grainy and very thin and will actually be two separate liquids. If your sauce looks like scrambled eggs, your egg yolks are overheated. Unfortunately, you can't salvage this.

Can you buy ready made hollandaise sauce? ›

Our premade hollandaise sauce is a rich and velvety sauce made with butter, lemon and eggs. Delicious with salmon, cod and haddock. Schwartz Sauces for Fish, with their specially selected ingredients, complement the delicate flavours of a wide variety of fish. Simply heat and serve.

What is the structure of hollandaise sauce? ›

The classical ingredients of hollandaise sauce are egg yolks, melted (often clarified) butter, mixture of water and wine vinegar and occasionally a drop of lemon juice. Structurally it is both an emulsion and a foam.

What is one derivative of hollandaise? ›

The most common derivative is egg yolk with reduction sauce Béarnaise. It can be produced by replacing the acidifying agent (vinegar reduction or lemon juice) in a preparation with a strained reduction of vinegar, shallots, fresh chervil, fresh tarragon, and (if to taste) crushed peppercorns.

What is the main ingredients and thickening agent in a hollandaise sauce? ›

Hollandaise is a tangy, buttery sauce made by slowly whisking clarified butter into warm egg yolks. So the liquid here is the clarified butter and the thickening agent is the egg yolks.

What is the base of hollandaise one of the 5 mother sauces? ›

Hollandaise stands out from the other French mother sauces because it relies on the emulsification — or mixing — of egg yolks and butter in place of roux. It has a reputation for being somewhat challenging to prepare because of the tendency for butter and egg yolks to resist combining — much like water and oil.

References

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