Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict is a brunch favourite for a reason. Being the seafood girl that I am, I love to serve mine with smoked salmon, which technically makes it an Eggs Royale. Think creamy hollandaise, soft poached eggs, and golden toasted muffins. It feels fancy but after a few small skills are learnt, it's easy to make at home.

Want more breakfast ideas? Check out my cream cheese bagels and french toast.

Let me start by saying I used to find the idea of poaching an egg and making hollandaise from scratch completely overwhelming. The thought of combining the two in one recipe? Absolutely not. But here’s the thing—while both elements take a little practice, once you get the hang of them, you’ll realise they’re not nearly as scary as they seem. With a silky, buttery hollandaise and a perfectly runny poached egg, eggs Benedict is the kind of recipe that turns a regular weekend into something special. And if you're ever trying to impress someone, this is your go-to.

Ingredients

To make the perfect Eggs Benedict at home, you only need a handful of simple ingredients—but each one plays an essential role in bringing it all together. I love using smoked salmon for a bit of luxury, but you can easily swap it for ham or keep it vegetarian with sautéed spinach.

• Eggs – The star of the show. Fresh eggs poach best and give you that dreamy, runny yolk that makes Eggs Benedict so satisfying.
• English muffins – Toasted until golden and slightly crisp, these are the perfect base to soak up all that sauce and eggy goodness.
• Butter – A crucial ingredient for the hollandaise sauce. Use good quality butter for a rich, velvety finish that ties the whole dish together.
• Smoked salmon (or ham/spinach) – Add a salty, savoury layer. Go for smoked salmon for something fancy, ham for a classic touch, or sautéed spinach to keep it vegetarian.

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Eggs Benedict

Making Eggs Benedict at home might seem fancy, but it’s easier than you think once you break it down into steps and follow along with my expert tips!

Step 1: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and place the egg yolks into a large bowl with the vinegar and water.

Step 2: Whisk until frothy and doubled in size.

Step 3: Place the bowl over a pot of boiling hot water that is off the heat, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water, and pour the butter in a very slow and steady stream.

Step 4: Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk through the lemon juice and salt.

Step 5: Crack an egg into a fine mesh strainer to remove the loose egg whites. Drop the egg into simmering hot water and poach for 2 - 3 minutes.

Step 6: Assemble your egg benedict by toasting the english muffins and topping with slices of smoked salmon or shaved ham, followed by the poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Finish off with a sprinkling of freshly cracked pepper and fresh chives. 

Expert Tips

The taste of homemade hollandaise sauce is unmatched. It's rich, creamy, and velvety in a way that store-bought versions just can't replicate. Once you try making it from scratch, there's no turning back. In this guide, we’ll walk you through expert tips for mastering hollandaise and show you exactly how to poach the perfect egg.

• Start with good quality ingredients. Use fresh eggs and high-quality butter for the best flavour and texture.
• Slowly add the butter. When making hollandaise, add your melted butter very slowly to the egg yolk mixture to prevent the sauce from breaking. What happens if it breaks? Don't worry as I've got you covered below in my FAQs.
• Control the consistency. Whisk over heat to thicken your sauce or off the heat for a thinner consistency. I like to bring a pot of water to the boil, remove it from the heat, and use the steam to gently cook the sauce—no need to keep it boiling as this could potentially scramble the eggs.
• Season well. Finish your sauce with a generous pinch of salt and a good squeeze of lemon juice to balance the richness.
• Use a fine mesh strainer for your eggs. Crack your egg into a strainer to remove any loose whites, which can create a frothy mess when poaching.
• Simmer, don’t boil. Bring your water to a boil, then reduce it to a gentle simmer before adding the egg.
• Skip the whirlpool if you like. It’s mostly for presentation. But if you do want to use it, a whisk helps create the perfect swirl.
• Poach for 2 - 3 minutes. This gives you a soft, runny yolk. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and drain it on absorbent paper.
• Use fridge-cold eggs. This affects the cooking time, so make sure to adjust accordingly if your eggs are at room temperature.

FAQ's For Eggs Benedict

Serve

Start by placing your toasted English muffins on a plate, then layer on your filling—whether that’s smoked salmon, ham, or spinach. Gently place your perfectly poached eggs on top, then spoon over a generous amount of warm hollandaise sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of chives, cracked black pepper, or even a pinch of smoked paprika if you’re feeling fancy. Serve immediately while everything is warm and oozy—ideally with a coffee in hand or a mimosa on the side.

Store

Eggs Benedict is best enjoyed fresh and doesn’t store well. The hollandaise sauce can split, the poached eggs can turn rubbery, and the muffins lose their crispness. For the best texture and flavour, serve and eat immediately after assembling. If you're making it for guests, prep all your components ahead of time and assemble right before serving.

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If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.

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5 from 2 votes

Eggs Benedict

By Daen Lia

Eggs Benedict with creamy hollandaise, soft poached eggs, and golden toasted muffins is a brunch favourite for a reason!

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients 

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Hollandaise Sauce

• ▢ 8 oz Butter
• ▢ 3 egg yolks
• ▢ ½ tablespoon white vinegar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon water
• ▢ 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ pinch of salt

Eggs Benedict

• ▢ 14 oz smoked salmon or shaved ham
• ▢ 4 eggs, cold from the fridge
• ▢ 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• ▢ 2 English muffins, sliced in half
• ▢ Chives, finely sliced
• ▢ black pepper

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

Hollandaise Sauce

• Melt butter: On a low - medium heat in a small pot, preferably with a lip, melt the butter. Do not let the butter brown.
• Make sauce: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and place the egg yolks into a large bowl with the vinegar and water. Whisk until frothy and doubled in size. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling hot water that is off the heat, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water, and pour the butter in a very slow and steady stream. Add the butter in tablespoon increments and whisk vigorously in between each pour to fully incorporate the butter. If your sauce is getting too thick, take the bowl off the heat or if it needs to slightly thicken leave it on the heat. You should be left with a thick, glossy and smooth texture.
• Season: Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk through the lemon juice and salt

Eggs Benedict

• Boil water: Bring a pot of boiling hot water to the boil then reduce the heat to low so the water is at a simmer. 
• Strain egg: While waiting for the water to boil, crack an egg into a fine mesh strainer to remove the loose egg whites. 
• Poach egg: Stir the vinegar into the water and create a whirlpool by using a whisk. Drop the egg into the centre of the whirlpool and cook for 2 minutes. If you are cooking multiple eggs at the same time, slightly push the first egg to the side and gently create a whirlpool for the second egg to be dropped into. 
• Drain: Scoop the egg out and place onto a piece of absorbent paper to drain the excess water.
• Assemble and serve: Assemble your egg benedict by toasting the english muffins and topping with slices of smoked salmon or shaved ham, followed by the poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Finish off with a sprinkling of freshly cracked pepper and fresh chives. 

Video

Notes

Expert tips: 

• Start with good quality ingredients. Use fresh eggs and high-quality butter for the best flavour and texture.
• Slowly add the butter. When making hollandaise, add your melted butter very slowly to the egg yolk mixture to prevent the sauce from breaking. What happens if it breaks? Don't worry as I've got you covered below in my FAQs.
• Control the consistency. Whisk over heat to thicken your sauce or off the heat for a thinner consistency. I like to bring a pot of water to the boil, remove it from the heat, and use the steam to gently cook the sauce—no need to keep it boiling as this could potentially scramble the eggs.
• Season well. Finish your sauce with a generous pinch of salt and a good squeeze of lemon juice to balance the richness.
• Use a fine mesh strainer for your eggs. Crack your egg into a strainer to remove any loose whites, which can create a frothy mess when poaching.
• Simmer, don’t boil. Bring your water to a boil, then reduce it to a gentle simmer before adding the egg.
• Skip the whirlpool if you like. It’s mostly for presentation. But if you do want to use it, a whisk helps create the perfect swirl.
• Poach for 2 - 3 minutes. This gives you a soft, runny yolk. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and drain it on absorbent paper.
• Use fridge-cold eggs. This affects the cooking time, so make sure to adjust accordingly if your eggs are at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 582kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 10gFat: 54gSaturated Fat: 32gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 431mgSodium: 566mgPotassium: 134mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 1850IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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