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 173 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 the most common mistake in hollandaise sauce? ›

Hollandaise Sauce

One common hollandaise mistake is overcooking the egg yolks, and there's no coming back from that. But the most common problem is that the emulsion breaks, and you see streaks of liquid butter instead of a uniformly creamy sauce.

What is hollandaise sauce made of? ›

Hollandaise sauce (/hɒlənˈdeɪz/ or /ˈhɒləndeɪz/; French: [ɔlɑ̃dɛz]), meaning Dutch sauce in French, is a mixture of egg yolk, melted butter, and lemon juice (or a white wine or vinegar reduction). It is usually seasoned with salt, and either white pepper or cayenne pepper.

What can I put on eggs benedict instead of hollandaise? ›

5 Alternative Takes on Hollandaise Sauce for Your Eggs Benedict
  1. Use red wine. For a heartier sauce (that's especially good with steak and eggs), reduce dry red wine and port instead of white wine.
  2. Make a cheese sauce. ...
  3. Brown the butter with capers. ...
  4. Add morels. ...
  5. Use avocado.
Nov 15, 2022

What is a good substitute for hollandaise sauce? ›

Here are some of our favorite replacements for hollandaise sauce.
  1. Mock hollandaise sauce. from my point of view/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Béarnaise sauce. Food Impressions/Shutterstock. ...
  3. Avocado sauce. Lilechka75/Getty Images. ...
  4. Béchamel sauce. Christofer Romero/Shutterstock. ...
  5. Mornay sauce. ...
  6. Sausage gravy. ...
  7. Garlic aioli. ...
  8. Choron sauce.
Dec 22, 2023

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.

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 thickens hollandaise sauce? ›

How do you fix a runny hollandaise? Blenders tend to make runny hollandaise - it's usually because the butter was too cold and hasn't cooked the eggs enough to thicken them. To thicken a runny hollandaise, tip the mixture into a heatproof bowl set over simmering water and whisk over the heat until thickened.

Does hollandaise sauce have mayo in it? ›

Mayonnaise and hollandaise are not the same sauce. They're both emulsion sauces, and they both contain egg yolks and vinegar, but the similarities begin to end right there. Mayonnaise is made with room temperature vegetable oil, hollandaise with hot clarified butter.

Does homemade hollandaise sauce keep? ›

Hollandaise sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. To store hollandaise, place it in an airtight container and make sure that the hollandaise is cooled down before you put it away.

What are 3 derivatives of hollandaise sauce? ›

But there are also a number of small sauces that can be made from Hollandaise:
  • Béarnaise Sauce.
  • Dijon Sauce.
  • Foyot Sauce.
  • Choron Sauce.
  • Maltaise Sauce.
Nov 15, 2023

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.

Can you buy the sauce for Eggs Benedict? ›

This traditional Eggs Benedict sauce is called hollandaise sauce. Many people buy hollandaise sauce in a packet that just has you add water….I'll never understand WHY?! It's SO easy to make homemade hollandaise sauce and it definitely tastes better from scratch!

What is Eggs Benedict without ham called? ›

Eggs Royale: replace ham with smoked salmon. My personal favorite. Eggs Florentine: Replace ham with/add spinach sautéed in butter. Eggs Blanchard: Replace hollandaise sauce with Béchamel.

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

It's worth mentioning that hollandaise is derived from mayonnaise and hasn't always been classified as a mother sauce. Hollandaise combines egg yolks, butter, and lemon juice. Both it and its derivative sauces are popularly served over eggs, vegetables, fish, or chicken.

What is the science of hollandaise sauce? ›

The scientific principle here is the development of an emulsion, using egg yolks and lemon juice as agents of that process. You will whisk the egg yolks so vigorously that thousands, perhaps millions, of egg globules are suspended in a mixture of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

What is the emulsifier in hollandaise sauce? ›

In the case of mayonnaise and hollandaise, it's the lecithin in the egg yolks that acts as the emulsifier. Lecithin, a fatty substance that is soluble in both fat and water, will readily combine with both the egg yolk and the oil or butter, essentially holding the two liquids together permanently.

What does hollandaise use this as its thickener? ›

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.

References

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