Seriously Easy Eggs Benedict

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 40

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I’m here to show YOU how to create a delicious café style eggs benedict at home! Crispy bacon, poached eggs topped with homemade hollandaise. You’ll have friends asking to book at table in your kitchen.

Why this Recipe is Amazing

Flavour & texture: A creamy, tangy hollandaise sauce smothers fresh gooey poached eggs and crisp bacon. You can’t beat this yummy brekky!

Difficulty: 3/5. Eggs Benedict is made up of 3 parts, 2 of them being a higher technical level. Don’t worry, I’m here to step you through it and we can take our time.

Time: Around 40minutes but if you’re a beginner, feel free to slow down and take your time with each part

Versatility: Very! You can swap out the bacon for another protein and add different vegetables such as asparagus, rocket/arugula, mushrooms etc Uses Gluten free bread and make it healthy-ish by removing bread and more vegetables.

Grey plate with eggs benedict atop. Hollandaise running down edges of bacon and toast. Coffee cup, plate and napkin in background.

What is Café Style Eggs Benedict?

Just like many historical tails, the origin of Eggs Benedict seems to be a little conflicted. Most people agree that it originated in New York City but everything else seems murky. One thing I know for sure is that It is my husband Exceede’s favourite brekky. A traditional Eggs Bene’, as it is commonly referred has 4 main parts.

Bread: It starts with a toasted piece of your favourite sourdough, gluten-free or regular white bread, English muffin or go fancy with a croissant. The options are endless.

Bacon/Ham: Streaky, back bacon or ham whatever you wish. The slightly cured pork is crisped up as desired and adds some lovely flavour. Not a pork fan? Try Turkey bacon, smoked salmon, and asparagus but those arguably have another name. Eggs Atlantic, Balmoral, Florentine, Neptune… you get the drift.

Poached Egg: Fresh eggs are cracked into softly simmering water until the white is just cooked leaving the lovely yellow interior gorgeously gooey (or cooked as desired, of course).

Holl andaise: The final touch to your breakfast winner is a rich, buttery French sauce. Simply, an emulsion (mixture) of egg yolks, and butter with a slight citrus or vinegar tang.

Extra close up of eggs benedict on dark grey plate. Very thick drizzle of hollandaise with bacon peaking out.

How do you make Café Style Eggs Benedict?

Make the Hollandaise
- Combine the egg yolks and cold water in a heat-proof mixing bowl and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and foamy. Whisk in a little of the lemon juice.
- Place the bowl directly on top of a saucepan of simmering water. Do not allow the water to come in contact with the bowl. Whisk the eggs for 1-2 mins until they’re slightly thickened.
- Slowly trickle the melted butter while whisking constantly. The slower the better. Remove the bowl from the heat if necessary.
- After you’ve added all the butter, season to taste with salt, pepper and a touch of lemon juice if necessary.
- The finished sauce will have a smooth, firm consistency. If it’s too thick, adjust by whisking in a little warm water.
Poach the eggs
- Half-fill a large saucepan with water and add 1-2 tbsp vinegar. When it starts to boil, lower temp to a simmer. Gently crack eggs into the pan and gently swirl the water. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until soft to touch. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Bring it all together
- Sauté bacon in a pan — soft or crispy — however you prefer
- Toast the bread
- Plate toasted bread/croissants spread with a little butter and add spinach. Place bacon on top of each slice, top with a poached egg. Drizzle warm hollandaise sauce.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!

White plate with eggs benedict and gooey egg running down the front. Coffee cup in background.

Setting you up for success – Tips & Tricks

FRESH cold eggs are best– they have a tighter structure when they are cold and recently laid therefore keeping their shape better.

Eggs older than a week? I don’t recommend moving them too much in a whirlpool, they may just break down. Try just gently turning them over with your spoon.

Crack eggs on a flat surface: It goes against everything we have been taught but use a bench/countertop when cracking your egg/ It allows the membrane to stay intact and ultimately leads to less ‘shardage’ or smaller shell fragments breaking off into your dish.

Blender Hollandaise method: Using an immersion stick blender; add egg yolks and 1½ tbsps of lemon juice into a tall jar or cup (big enough to fit a blender) and process for 10 seconds. Then, with the motor running, slowly trickle in HOT melted butter to create your creamy hollandaise. See tips in my Hollandaise Sauce.

ABT: Always be Tasting: Just like every recipe, make sure you taste as you go. You’ll want to balance the butter, acid and your desired flavourings such as cayenne, tarragon etc.

Need help with Poached eggs? Jump over to my specific Poached Eggs post for further info on troubleshooting and science around this technique.

Need Hollandaise Sauce Tips: Jump over to my specific post for Hollandaise further info on troubleshooting and science around this technique.

Frequently Asked Questions

When I made this dish on our live cooking show, some community members asked:

Eggs are not poaching properly:

Make sure the water is at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. If the water is too hot, it can cause the eggs to break apart.
Add a splash of vinegar to the poaching water. The acidity helps the eggs coagulate and maintain their shape.
Gently swirl the water before adding the eggs. This can help create a whirlpool effect, which helps the eggs form a neater shape.

Bread is getting soggy:

Toast the bread/ English muffins until they are crisp before assembling the eggs Benedict. This helps create a barrier to prevent them from becoming too soggy.
Also, sit the eggs on a piece of paper towel to mop up any excess water before placing them on the toast.

Can I make Eggs Benedict without meat?

Absolutely! While traditional Eggs Benedict includes bacon/ ham, you can easily make a vegetarian version by substituting the meat with sautéed spinach, sliced avocado, or even smoked salmon.

Can I prepare Eggs Benedict in advance?

It is best to serve eggs benedict immediately after preparation to enjoy the freshness and textures of the components. d and making the hollandaise sauce.

Is hollandaise sauce safe to eat due to the raw eggs?

Traditional hollandaise sauce is made with raw egg yolks, which carry a small risk of salmonella. However, the sauce is cooked gently using the double boiler method, which helps reduce the risk.

Can I reheat Eggs Benedict?

Eggs Benedict is best enjoyed fresh, as reheating can cause the eggs to overcook and the sauce to separate. If you have leftover components, you can reheat them separately and assemble a new dish, but it may not be as good as freshly made.

Are there any variations of Eggs Benedict?

Yes, there are numerous variations of Eggs Benedict. Some popular ones include substituting the meat with seafood like smoked salmon or crab cakes, using different types of bread such as biscuits, English muffins, or adding additional toppings such as avocado, tomato, or asparagus.

Large white plate with slice of toast, spinach, bacon and poached egg drizzled with hollandaise sauce. Coffee cup in background

Looking For More Yumminess?

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Did you make this recipe?

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