This post may contain paid links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Learn How to Make Eggs Benedict following my easy recipe! This classic brunch recipe is a restaurant favorite, but it's easier to make at home than you might think. Foolproof poached eggs smothered in homemade hollandaise sauce make a delicious breakfast, brunch, or breakfast for dinner! Ready in 20 minutes or less from start to finish.
Jump to:
What is Eggs Benedict?
Eggs Benedict is a classic breakfast recipe consisting of a poached egg and Canadian bacon over an English muffin. It's topped with creamy Hollandaise sauce, which is typically made using egg yolks, lemon juice, and butter.
The first time I tried Eggs Benedict was when my mother took me to a restaurant for brunch on a special day. I had never had it before, and I'm sure she was skeptical whether or not I would finish my plate!
But I did finish it: every last bite. That Eggs Benedict left such an impression on me that it became one of my favorite breakfasts, and still is. If it's on the menu, you know I'm going to order it! It goes without saying that I had to learn how to make Eggs Benedict at home, so my family could finally understand the dish I was so obsessed with.
Now, I'll show you how to make the perfect Eggs Benedict from scratch, including homemade Hollandaise sauce and beautiful poached eggs. It's much easier than you might have been led to believe!
Eggs Benedict Ingredients
- English muffins
- Canadian bacon or ham
- White vinegar
- Eggs
- Hollandaise sauce
Eggs Benedict Sauce Ingredients
- Egg yolks
- Lemon juice
- Unsalted butter; salted butter may also be used
- Cayenne
How to Make Hollandaise Sauce
- Separate egg yolks: Ready two bowls. Crack an egg, then carefully pry the egg open into your hand over one of the bowls. Move the egg from one hand to the other or between the shells, letting the egg whites drip into the first bowl until they are completely separated from the yolks. Drop the yolk in the second bowl.
- Make the egg mixture: In a heat-proof bowl (such as a glass or metal bowl), add egg yolk and lemon juice, and whisk together to fully combine.
- Melt butter: Melt butter in a small pan over medium-low heat, or in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir, and if it isn't completely melted after stirring, add it back to the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again.
- Prepare the double boiler: If you have a double boiler, you can use it for this recipe. If not, you can make your own very easily. Set a deep pan or pot on the stove and fill it halfway with water. Bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, place the heat-proof bowl with the egg mixture over the pot so it sits over the water, but not in it, so the steam heats the bowl.
- Whisk and stir: Whisk the melted butter into the egg mixture, stirring gently as it thickens. It should form a smooth, creamy Hollandaise sauce. As soon as it thickens to your liking, remove the bowl from the heat and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
If you want to use the blender method, see my guide on making Simple Hollandaise Sauce.
How to Make Poached Eggs
- Prepare the water: Fill a pot with about 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer, then add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. This helps the egg whites cook faster and stops them from spreading out too much.
- Cook the eggs: Carefully crack eggs into the pot of simmering water and cook for 3½ minutes, until the white is opaque and cooked through, but the yolk is still soft.
- Gently remove: Gently remove the poached egg from the water with a slotted spoon.
How to Make Eggs Benedict
- Prep the eggs: Set a pot of water to simmer for the poached eggs, following the above directions. Do not set the eggs to poach before the other steps, as they cook quickly.
- Prep the toast: Split an English muffin in half, and toast to desired degree. You can use any toast you prefer, but an English muffin is the classic choice for an Eggs Benedict recipe.
- Warm up the ham: If using Canadian bacon, you can simply warm it up as desired, or cook in a skillet for a few minutes until lightly golden (an oven broiler works too: cook 1-2 minutes). Simply warm up ham if using.
- Make your Hollandaise: Prepare Hollandaise sauce according to the steps above for How to Make Hollandaise Sauce (link).
- Poach eggs: Poach your eggs by carefully cracking them into the simmering water with a teaspoon of white vinegar. Let them cook 3½ minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Assemble Eggs Benedict: Top the bottom half of your toasted English muffin with Canadian bacon or ham. Add the poached egg, and top with Hollandaise sauce. Serve with fresh parsley if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe for Eggs Benedict FAQ
You can substitute regular bacon, ham, or sausage patties for Canadian bacon in Eggs Benedict, if you wish. Alternatively, you can leave the meat out entirely, if you prefer. Try adding an additional vegetable protein, like sauteed spinach, if you leave out the meat.
Vinegar helps the egg whites cook faster rather than spreading too much. If you don't want to use vinegar, your eggs will turn out just fine, but the egg whites may spread out more.
Although Eggs Benedict is best enjoyed immediately after preparing it, you can make it in advance if necessary. Poach eggs up to 2 days in advance and reheat them in boiling water for about 30-60 seconds. Gently reheat Hollandaise sauce in the microwave in 30 second intervals, or in a saucepan over low heat, whisking as necessary. The English muffin and Canadian bacon is best served right after heating.
Tips for Making Eggs Benedict
- Use the freshest eggs possible to help prevent the egg whites from spreading out more. If you can get your hands on them, farm fresh eggs are an amazing choice.
- The water only needs to come to a simmer, not a boil. Make sure to add a teaspoon of white vinegar if you have it on hand.
- Do not add salt to your simmering water. This will cause the eggs to spread more.
- If you find your poached eggs are spreading too much, you can swirl the water before adding the cracked egg in to create a whirlpool. This will prevent the egg whites from spreading as much.
- If you like more of a kick to your Hollandaise sauce, add in a little extra cayenne pepper!
Eggs Benedict Variations
Most eggs benedict recipes keep the components of the muffin, egg and Hollandaise sauce, but switch out the ham for something else. Some of the more popular variations are:
- Eggs Royale, or Eggs Benedict Salmon, is made with smoked salmon.
- Eggs Florentine, made with spinach.
- Steak Benedict, made with steak.
- Eggs Chesapeake, made with blue crab (my favorite!).
I've also made a lobster Eggs Benedict using lobster! You can even make variations on the sauce, such as Eggs Mornay, which uses Mornay sauce made with Gruyere cheese, and California Benedict, which is made using avocado sauce.
Other variations change up the ham and sauce, like Huevos Benedictos with Mexican chorizo, avocado, and salsa on top. If you're feeling creative, why not make your own?
Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs
- French Toast Casserole
- Strawberry Crepes
- Sausage Gravy Recipe
Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!
How to Make Eggs Benedict
Equipment
- 1 Pot for poaching eggs
- 1 Slotted spoon for poaching eggs
- 1 heat-proof bowl for Hollandaise sauce
- 1 Pan for Hollandaise sauce
- 1 Whisk for Hollandaise sauce
Ingredients
- 2 English muffins
- 4 slices Canadian bacon - or ham - use less if large or thick
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 4 eggs
Hollandaise Sauce
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter - salted butter may also be used
- 1 dash Cayenne Pepper - to taste
Instructions
Eggs Benedict Instructions
- Fill a pot with about 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer, then add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. When you poach eggs, this helps the egg whites cook faster and stops them from spreading out too much.1 teaspoon white vinegar
- Split an English muffin in half, and toast to desired degree. You can use any toast you prefer, but an English muffin is the classic choice for an Eggs Benedict recipe.2 English muffins
- If using Canadian bacon, you can simply warm it up as desired, or cook in a skillet for a few minutes until lightly golden (an oven broiler works too: cook 1-2 minutes). Simply warm up ham if using.4 slices Canadian bacon
- Prepare Hollandaise sauce according to the steps below, if you have not already made it.
- Poach your eggs by carefully cracking them into the simmering water with a teaspoon of white vinegar. Let them cook 3½ minutes, then gently remove with a slotted spoon. Be careful not to break them!4 eggs
- Top the bottom half of your toasted English muffin with Canadian bacon or ham. Add the poached egg, and top with Hollandaise sauce. Serve with fresh parsley if desired, and enjoy!
Making Hollandaise Sauce (10 Minutes)
- Separate egg yolks: Ready two bowls. Crack an egg, then carefully pry the egg open into your hand over one of the bowls. Move the egg from one hand to the other or between the shells, letting the egg whites drip into the first bowl until they are completely separated from the yolks. Drop the yolk in the second bowl.
- Make the egg mixture: In a heat-proof bowl (such as a glass or metal bowl), add egg yolk and lemon juice, and whisk together to fully combine.2 egg yolks,1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Melt butter: Melt butter in a small pan over medium-low heat, or in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir, and if it isn’t completely melted after stirring, add it back to the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Prepare the double boiler: If you have a double boiler, you can use it for this recipe. If not, you can make your own very easily. Set a deep pan or pot on the stove and fill it halfway with water. Bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, place the heat-proof bowl with the egg mixture over the pot so it sits over the water, but not in it, so the steam heats the bowl.
- Whisk and stir: Whisk the melted butter into the egg mixture, stirring gently as it thickens. It should form a smooth, creamy Hollandaise sauce. As soon as it thickens to your liking, remove the bowl from the heat and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.1 dash Cayenne Pepper
Notes
- Use the freshest eggs possible to help prevent the egg whites from spreading out more. If you can get your hands on them, farm fresh eggs are an amazing choice.
- The water only needs to come to a simmer, not a boil. Make sure to add a teaspoon of white vinegar if you have it on hand.
- Do not add salt to your simmering water. This will cause the eggs to spread more.
- If you find your poached eggs are spreading too much, you can swirl the water before adding the cracked egg in to create a whirlpool. This will prevent the egg whites from spreading as much.
- If you like more of a kick to your Hollandaise sauce, add in a little extra cayenne pepper!
- 1 serving is 2 eggs per person.
Melissa Griffiths says
I'm always intimidated by these, but I'm determined to try now.
Em Beitel says
Hi Melissa! We're so glad to hear that! It's a lot less intimidating than it looks, and there's nothing like a good eggs benedict for brunch. We hope you love it!