Sunday Supper is an Amazon Associate and may receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links.
Learn How to Make Eggs Benedict following my easy eggs benedict recipe! This classic dish is a restaurant favorite, but it’s easier to make at home than you might think. Foolproof poached eggs smothered in my delicious homemade hollandaise sauce recipe makes a delicious brunch or breakfast for dinner! Ready in under 20 minutes making the hollandaise and poaching eggs.
Eggs Benedict Origin
Eggs benedict originally became popular in New York in 1894, and is now a traditional American breakfast and brunch recipe. Complete with warm, crispy bacon or ham, poached eggs, and creamy Hollandaise sauce served over a toasted English muffin, this is one brunch recipe that’s easy to love!
There are a lot of eggs benedict variations that are heavenly, but this classic version is one of my favorites! Whether you’re making eggs benedict for dinner, brunch, or anytime in between, this is a star recipe I can guarantee you will love.
My family asks me to make it all of the time, and with a recipe as easy to follow as this one, I’m happy to make it for them!
FAQs about Eggs Benedict
Eggs benedict is a traditional American breakfast dish consisting of an English muffin, Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce. Hollandaise is a creamy sauce made from egg yolks, lemon, and butter, resulting in a rich taste and smooth texture perfect for pairing with eggs.
You can substitute regular bacon, ham, or sausage patties for Canadian bacon in eggs benedict. Alternatively, you can leave the meat out entirely, if you prefer, and simply enjoy the eggs with hollandaise sauce and a muffin. Try adding an additional vegetable protein, like 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, however, your eggs will still turn out just fine – the egg whites may just spread out more.
Although eggs benedict is best enjoyed immediately after preparing it, you can make it in advance. You can 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 (do this in 30 second intervals, stirring between) or in a saucepan over low heat, whisking as necessary. The English muffin and Canadian bacon is best served right after heating.
Eggs Benedict Ingredients
- English muffins
- Canadian bacon or ham
- White vinegar
- Eggs
- Hollandaise sauce
How to Make Hollandaise Sauce
Eggs Benedict is made with a flavorful, rich and creamy sauce called Hollandaise sauce. It’s so easy to make homemade Hollandaise sauce, so no need to go out and buy those packets that you just add water to.
The ingredients needed for Hollandaise sauce are egg yolks, butter, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper.
How to Make Poached Eggs
- 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.
- 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.
- Carefully remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon.
How to Make Eggs Benedict
- Set a pot of water to boil for the eggs. Split an English muffin in half, and toast to desired degree.
- If using Canadian bacon, you can simply warm it up as desired, or cook in a skillet (or under a broiler, 1-2 minutes) a few minutes until lightly golden. Simply warm up ham if using.
- Make or warm up your Hollandaise sauce. See: How to Make Hollandaise Sauce
- Poach your eggs by carefully cracking them into the simmering water with a teaspoon of white vinegar. Let them cook 3½ minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon.
- To assemble eggs benedict, start with the bottom of your English muffin, and top with Canadian bacon or ham. Then add your poached egg and top with Hollandaise sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Use the freshest eggs possible to help prevent the egg whites from spreading out more.
- 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.
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?
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- French Toast Casserole
- Strawberry Crepes
- Sausage Gravy Recipe
- Japanese Pancakes
- Banana Bread Waffles
- Starbucks Egg Bites
📌 Pin it for later!
Did you enjoy this page? Save it on Pinterest for later!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!
Easy Eggs Benedict Recipe with Homemade Hollandaise
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 English muffins
- 4 slices ham or Canadian bacon (less if large or thick)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 4 eggs
- Hollandaise sauce
Instructions
- Set a pot of water to boil for the eggs. Split an English muffin in half, and toast to desired degree.
- If using Canadian bacon, you can simply warm it up as desired, or cook in a skillet (or under a broiler, 1-2 minutes) a few minutes until lightly golden. Simply warm up deli ham if using. Make or warm up your Hollandaise sauce. See: How to Make Hollandaise Sauce. Hollandaise takes 10 minutes to prepare.
- Poach your eggs by carefully cracking them into the simmering water with a teaspoon of white vinegar. Let them cook 3½ minutes (until the white is opaque and cooked, but the yolk is still soft) and then remove with a slotted spoon.
- To assemble eggs benedict, start with the bottom of your English muffin, and top with Canadian bacon or ham. Then add your poached egg and top with Hollandaise sauce.
Notes
- Use the freshest eggs possible to help prevent the egg whites from spreading out more.
- 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!
Nutrition
Photos by Caroline Williams.
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!