This no-fuss hollandaise sauce is a rich creamy sauce that emulsifies or combines butter and egg yolk to create magic. Best served on fish, poached eggs or steamed vegetables.
Why this recipe is amazing
Flavour & texture: Tangy, yet creamy and very luxurious! This sauce is good enough to eat with a spoon!
Difficulty: 2.5/5. It may seem tricky but there are a few simple tricks (and two method options!) to set you up for success and at the end of the day, practice makes perfect!
Time: 15 minutes! So quick, you can whip it up quicker using the blender method.
Versatility: Very! You can play around with flavours like tarragon, saffron, green peppercorns, paprika, miso and even browned butter!
Hollandaise Sauce Ingredients
All it takes is 3 ingredients. I bet you already have them laying around in your kitchen.
Lightly salted butter: This recipe highlights simple ingredients, therefore better quality means better flavour. I opt for a grass-fed, higher fat-content butter that is lightly salted to enhance the flavours of the butter itself and the egg. You may use unsalted butter but add 1/4 -1/2 tsp salt.
Egg yolks: As mentioned above, quality eggs from happy chickens are best. Trust me, you’ll taste the difference. Grass-fed chickens will have a brighter yellow yolk and give you a more vibrant colour sauce.
Lemon juice or vinegar: A slight acidity! The amount is to personal preference and you may also use a combination of both to give you the flavour you prefer or even use a flavour vinegar.
Optional extras: You may also add extras depending on the use case for the sauce. This can be things such as freshly ground black pepper (recommended), cayenne or chilli, Dijon mustard, saffron etc
What to serve with Hollandaise?
This wonderfully rich, buttery sauce is so versatile. Traditionally it is served amongst simple ingredients, usually poached, to act as the star of the show. My number one use is for Eggs Benedict, but it also pairs so nicely with seafood and steamed vegetables.
Here are some suggestions:
- Café Style Eggs Benedict– The classic dish that has its origins in NYC. A breakfast menu staple consisting of toast, bacon or ham and poached eggs smothered in hollandaise.
- Steamed Asparagus or broccolini – a very classic way to serve Hollandaise Sauce
- Steak – Béarnaise is a classic steak sauce that is simply a hollandaise flavoured with tarragon. Create a cheats version by adding chopped tarragon to your hollandaise. Pour over grilled steak and enjoy!
- Chicken breast – as I mentioned above, Hollandaise is a surefire way to fancy up your next meal. Simple poached chicken and vegetables with a side of hollandaise are a winner to impress your guests.
- Seafood
- Fish – A simple white fish such as snapper, barramundi or salmon pairs well with Hollandaise. Either pan-fry the fillets or poach them before drizzling them with warm hollandaise.
- Crayfish/Lobster/Prawns/Shrimp – Simply boiled whole, break into sections and serve with a drizzle of the sauce to make you feel fancy.
How to store and reheat hollandaise
- While the sauce is best served fresh, there is the possibility of making it ahead of time (1-2 days) and storing it for later. Place in a jar or airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat.
- Be aware that when re-warming the eggs, there is a possibility of splitting or scrambling the sauce if you aren’t careful and heat too quickly.
Two options for reheating – Take Care!
- Microwave: Pour sauce into a heatproof bowl, add 1 tsp warm water and/or melted butter before microwaving in 10-second increments. Stir well and repeat this process until it is warmed appropriately. It won’t even reach ‘hot’ without scrambling and is best served warm.
- Stove Top: Pour sauce into a heatproof bowl, add 1 tsp warm water and/or melted butter before placing over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir over heat until it starts to warm and has a smooth texture.
How to fix broken or split hollandaise
The key to the success of hollandaise is maintaining emulsification (mixture) of butter, and egg yolk which is helped with an acid like lemon juice or vinegar.
If the sauce emulsification does separate or ‘break’, don’t stress, it usually can be fixed. Below are two methods to try that will help bring it back to life. .
- Add a little hot water: While whisking or using a blender, slowly add 1-2 tbsps of hot water and blend until the right consistency is reached and it comes together.
- Add an extra egg yolk: While whisking or using a blender, add an extra egg yolk with a teaspoon of hot water until it comes together.
Setting you up for success – Hollandaise Sauce Tips & Tricks
- Crack eggs on a flat surface: It goes against everything we have been taught but I like to use a bench/countertop when cracking eggs. It allows the membrane to stay intact, leading to less ‘shardage’ or smaller shell fragments breaking into the dish.
- Fresh ingredients: Hollandaise sauce is best made with fresh ingredients, so make sure your eggs, butter, and lemon juice are fresh.
- Room temperature eggs: Use eggs at room temperature. Cold eggs can cause the sauce to curdle or not emulsify properly.
- Blender 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, slowly trickle in HOT melted butter with the motor running to create a creamy hollandaise.
- ABT: Always be Tasting: Like every recipe, ensure you taste as you go. Create a balance between butter, egg flavour, acid and any desired flavourings such as cayenne, tarragon etc.
- Gradual butter addition: Add the melted butter to the egg mixture slowly, in a thin stream, while whisking constantly. This gradual addition allows the emulsion to form properly and reduces the risk of the sauce breaking.
- Consistency adjustment: If your sauce becomes too thick, you can add a little warm water or lemon juice to thin it out. If it’s too thin, you can whisk it over low heat for a short time to help it thicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
When I made this dish on our live cooking show, some community members asked:
While hollandaise sauce is best served fresh, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for a short period. However, be aware that the sauce can thicken and the texture may change upon reheating. It’s recommended to use it within a day or two.
Hollandaise sauce can curdle if it gets too hot or if the butter is added too quickly. To prevent curdling, ensure that your heat is gentle and that you add the melted butter gradually while whisking continuously. See my tips above for fixing a broken hollandaise.
Yes, you can reheat hollandaise sauce if you are VERY CAREFUL in applying gentle heat to avoid curdling. Use a double boiler or place the sauce in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. See my tips above.
Yes, you can use a blender or immersion blender to make hollandaise sauce. This method can be quicker and easier than whisking by hand. See my tips above.
No, It’s not recommended to freeze hollandaise sauce. Freezing can cause changes in texture and may result in a separated or grainy sauce when thawed and reheated. It’s best to enjoy hollandaise sauce fresh.
Did you make this recipe?
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No Fuss Hollandaise Sauce
Equipment
- Double Boiler method Medium saucepan, medium heatproof bowl, whisk
- Blender method: Immersion blender, tall and flat bottom cup or jar
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup lightly salted butter melted (Must be HOT if using blender method)
- 3 egg yolks
- 1½-2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- salt, fresh ground pepper, cayenne to taste
Instructions
Double Boiler Method
- 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.
Blender Method
- Place egg yolks and 1½ tbsps of lemon juice into a tall jar or cup and blend for 10 seconds.
- With the motor still running, slowly trickle in HOT butter. Butter must be HOT to ensure that it thickens the sauce effectively. The sauce will begin to thicken, become paler in colour and silky.
- 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hiya, I’m Lauren but you can call me Molly!
Former OR Nurse and self-taught home cook passionate about Approachable, No-Nonsense recipes to help you level up in the kitchen. Together with my husband Troy, we create simplified dishes for busy people with easy-to-find ingredients!
To learn more about us, our cooking show and more, click here!
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