I never thought that making classic eggs Benedict with a homemade Hollandaise sauce could be so easy, but this 20-minute recipe proved me wrong! Perfectly poached eggs are served on toasted English muffins with juicy slices of Canadian bacon, then slathered with the most delicious eggs Benedict sauce that comes together in minutes. Time to make the best brunch right at home!
Easy Eggs Benedict with Homemade Hollandaise Sauce
I used to love going out to brunch for a fancy egg breakfast and a few mimosas, but that can get expensive! My quick and easy recipe for eggs benny means I can indulge in this classic brunch dish any time. Once I learned how to poach an egg and make a good Hollandaise sauce, the rest was simple!
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Keep Everything Hot and Fresh
Serving Eggs Benedict that’s hot and perfect doesn’t have to be stressful. A little prep and timing go a long way! Here’s how I do it to get everything to the table warm:
- Hollandaise: Place the finished sauce in a small bowl over very low heat to maintain its creamy texture.
- Muffins: Keep them in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
- Eggs: Briefly dunk in simmering water for 30-60 seconds to bring them back to the perfect temperature, or cook fresh just before serving.
- Canadian Bacon: Sear in a skillet right before plating so it stays juicy and warm.
Putting everything together fast ensures every bite is warm, and the runny yolk meets the creamy sauce.
Eggs Benedict Recipe
Equipment
- Egg Poaching Pan (optional)
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
For the Hollandaise
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted)
- 1 lemon (juiced)
For Assembly
- 2 English muffins
- 4 pieces Canadian bacon
- 4 large eggs (straight from the refrigerator)
Instructions
For the Hollandaise
- Add the egg yolks, Dijon, garlic, and thyme to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Whisk to combine and slowly stream in the melted butter, whisking constantly.2 large egg yolks, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Cook, whisking often, just until the sauce starts to thicken, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.1 lemon
For the Eggs Benedict
- Divide the English muffins in half and toast them to your desired doneness. Keep them warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.2 English muffins
- Heat a large cast skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the Canadian bacon and fry until warmed through and beginning to crisp, about 1 minute per side. Place one piece of Canadian bacon on each piece of English muffin and put them both back into the oven to stay warm until the eggs are finished.4 pieces Canadian bacon
- Recommended Method: If you have an egg poaching pan (pictured), follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cooking an egg. Most pans need to be filled halfway with water and brought to a simmer over medium heat. Grease the cups with nonstick cooking spray and add one egg to each cup. Place the cups in the water, cover, and cook for 3 minutes.4 large eggs
- Alternative Method: If you do not have an egg poaching pan, fill a large, high-sided skillet with water and add 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Bring the water to a gentle simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl and then drop it into the water. Swirl a spoon gently around the egg to create a small vortex–this will help the egg white shape around the yolk. Repeat with as many eggs as will fit. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and dab them gently with a paper towel to remove any excess water.
- Place a poached egg on top of each english muffin and season it lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the hollandaise and serve immediately.
Notes
- If the Hollandaise thickens too much, add hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until you achieve your desired consistency.
- Hollandaise sauce often breaks due to too high of a temperature, not enough whisking, or adding the butter too fast.
- If the sauce starts to break, remove it from the heat immediately and add an ice cube to the bowl. Whisk vigorously until the sauce comes back together. If the sauce does not come back together, discard and start over.
- Keep warm in heatproof bowl set over warm (not simmering) water.
- Blender Method: Add the egg yolks, Dijon, garlic, and lemon to a blender. With the blender running on low, slowly stream in the hot melted butter until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.
- Use an egg poaching pan if you have one.
- Use the freshest, coldest eggs possible. The whites will be thicker and spread less in the water.
- Crack each egg over a fine-mesh strainer to strain out the thinner, waterier parts of the whites. This helps reduce spread.
- Water should be at a bare simmer with small bubbles around the edges. If it’s boiling, the egg will shred.
- Don’t add salt to the water. This will cause the eggs to spread more.
- If you’re having trouble poaching more than 1 egg at a time, just cook them one at a time. Poaching eggs takes time to master.
- Lift with a slotted spoon and gently poke. The whites should jiggle slightly, and the yolk should feel soft.
- After cooking, transfer eggs to an ice bath to stop them from overcooking before storing.
- Pat the eggs dry to prevent them from thinning the Hollandaise.
- Poach the eggs up to 2 days in advance and store in the fridge. Reheat them in boiling water for 30-60 seconds when ready to serve.
- Make the Hollandaise sauce up to 1 day ahead and gently reheat it to serve. Set it over a very low flame just until it begins to steam, or in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.
- Toast the English muffins, warm up the Canadian bacon, and assemble everything to serve!
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Variations To Try
- To make this dish gluten-free, simply use a gluten-free English muffin!
- Eggs Benedict are typically served on English muffins, but you can serve it atop biscuits, slices of sourdough toast, or fresh salad greens instead.
- Swap the Canadian bacon for thick strips of bacon, prosciutto, ham, or smoked salmon.
- Be sure to try my Eggs Florentine Benedict too–which uses sautéed spinach instead of bacon for a vegetarian-friendly version.
How to Make Eggs Benedict and Hollandaise Sauce Step by Step
Prep: Gather up everything you need to make this eggs Benedict recipe. Grate the garlic, mince the thyme, juice the lemon, and melt the butter in the microwave in 30-second increments until liquid.
Combine Sauce Ingredients: Set a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Then add 2 large egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, 1 clove of freshly-grated garlic, and ½ teaspoon fresh minced thyme. Whisk to combine ingredients; then slowly stream in ½ cup of melted butter, whisking constantly.
Make the Hollandaise Sauce: Cook the sauce, whisking often, just until it starts to thicken, about 1-2 minutes. Promptly remove it from heat, and whisk in the juice of 1 lemon. Then, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Troubleshoot the Sauce: If the Hollandaise sauce thickens too much, add hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until you achieve your desired consistency. If the sauce starts to break, immediately remove it from heat and add an ice cube, whisking vigorously until the sauce comes back together. If the sauce does not come back together, discard and start over.
Toast the English Muffins: Cut 2 English muffins in half, and toast them to your desired doneness. If needed, keep them warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
Warm the Canadian Bacon: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add 4 pieces of Canadian bacon; fry until warmed through and beginning to crisp, about 1 minute per side.
Keep it Warm: Place one piece of Canadian bacon on each piece of English muffin, and put them both back into the oven to stay warm until the eggs are finished.
Cook the Eggs: If you have an egg poaching pan (pictured), follow the manufacturer’s instructions to cook your eggs. Most pans need to be filled halfway with water and brought to a simmer over medium heat. Grease the cups with nonstick cooking spray and add 1 egg to each cup.
Finish Poaching: Place the cups in the water, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the poached eggs with a slotted spoon, and dab them gently with a paper towel to remove any excess water.
*Alternative Poaching Method: If you do not have an egg poaching pan; fill a large, high-sided skillet with water and add 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, then bring the water to a gentle simmer. First, crack an egg into a small bowl, then drop it into the water. Swirl a spoon gently around the egg to create a small vortex–this will help the egg white encircle the yolk. Cook for 3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.
Assemble: To assemble the eggs benedict, place 1 poached egg on top of each piece of English muffin/Canadian bacon, and season it lightly with salt and pepper. Then drizzle the hollandaise sauce over each one, and serve immediately.
How to Store and Reheat
Store fully-assembled eggs Benedict in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. The poached eggs will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the Hollandaise sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
To reheat the Hollandaise sauce, set it over a low flame just until it begins to steam, or microwave it for 20-30 seconds, stirring well. Reheat the poached eggs in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Toast the muffins, warm up the bacon on the stove or in the microwave, and assemble to serve!
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