Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

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$0.72 recipe / $0.36 serving

by Beth - Budget Bytes

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4.49 from 60 votes

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I recently polled my Facebook followers to see what recipes they’ve been too intimidated to try, and hollandaise sauce was a popular answer. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s a lot easier than you think! This super quick and easy hollandaise sauce recipe will get you rich, creamy, lemony hollandaise sauce in just a few minutes and with nothing more than just a sauce pot and a whisk. So you can have this dreamy sauce whenever you want and without breaking a sweat. Let me show you how it’s done.

P.S. if you’ve ever made my Luscious Homemade Lemon Curd, this hollandaise sauce is basically the same thing, but savory!

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe - Budget Bytes (2)

What is Hollandaise Sauce?

If you’ve never experienced the magic of hollandaise sauce, let me attempt to describe it to you. It’s a very simple savory sauce made with butter, egg yolk, lemon, and salt. It has a smooth, velvety texture with just the right amount of bright lemon flavor to keep it from being too heavy. If you’ve ever had Eggs Benedict, this is the dreamy yellow sauce that is drizzled over top. But it’s great on a lot more than just Eggs Benedict…

How to Use Hollandaise Sauce

As mentioned above, hollandaise sauce is often served over poached eggs, like in Eggs Benedict, but it’s also great over steamed or roasted vegetables, like asparagus, potatoes, or broccoli. The buttery lemon flavor is also great on salmon, crab, or even steak. Hollandaise sauce is practically all butter and I think we can all agree that butter tastes great on everything!

Small Batch for No Leftovers

Hollandaise sauce is very rich, so you don’t need a lot. And since reheating leftovers of emulsified sauces can be tricky, I decided to make this a small batch recipe so you can avoid the trouble of trying to use up your leftovers. The recipe below makes about ⅓ cup, or just enough for two people (about 3 Tbsp each).

If you want to make a larger batch, it’s just as easy. Simply adjust the number in the “servings” box in the recipe below and the ingredient quantities will adjust for you. The method will be exactly the same, but it may take a few minutes longer for the sauce to heat as you whisk.

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe - Budget Bytes (3)

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

4.49 from 60 votes

An easy, no-fail method for making homemade hollandaise sauce in just minutes. Anyone can make this rich and creamy lemon butter sauce!

Author: Beth – Budget Bytes

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe - Budget Bytes (4)

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe - Budget Bytes (5) Servings 2 3 Tbsp each

Prep 2 minutes mins

Cook 5 minutes mins

Total 7 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  • 1 large egg, separated ($0.23)
  • 1 Tbsp water ($0.00)
  • 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.02)
  • 4 Tbsp butter* ($0.44)
  • 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)

Instructions

  • Separate the egg and place the egg yolk in a small saucepot. The whites can be saved for a different recipe.

  • Add the water and lemon juice to the pot with the yolk and whisk until smooth (no heat yet).

  • Cut the butter into small pieces (about ¼ Tbsp size) , then add them to the saucepot with the egg yolk, lemon, and water.

  • Place the pot over medium-low heat. Continuously whisk as the mixture heats. First the butter will melt, then the mixture will begin to get a bit frothy. Finally, as the egg yolk begins to cook, the sauce will thicken. Make sure you're whisking the entire time to achieve a light, smooth sauce. Once it thickens to the consistency of gravy, remove the pot from the heat.

  • Season the sauce with salt and cayenne, then drizzle the sauce over your favorite food!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Equipment

Notes

*I use salted butter, but if you have unsalted butter simply add a pinch more salt to your sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 3TbspCalories: 238kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 3gFat: 25gSodium: 381mgFiber: 1g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

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Video

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How to Make Hollandaise Sauce – Step by Step Photos

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Separate one large egg and place the egg yolk in a small saucepot (this is a 1 qt. saucepot)

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Add 1 Tbsp water and ½ Tbsp lemon juice to the pot with the egg yolk, then whisk the yolk and lemon juice until smooth (do not heat the mixture at this point).

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Cut 4 Tbsp butter into small pieces (about ¼ Tbsp sized pieces). Add them to the pot with the yolk, water, and lemon juice.

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Place the pot over medium-low heat and continuously whisk while the butter begins to melt.

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Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to heat. You’ll notice it begin to get frothy…

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And then when the egg yolk begins to actually cook, it will thicken the sauce to a consistency similar to gravy. Make sure you’re whisking throughout this entire process. It should only take 3-5 minutes for the sauce to thicken. Remove the sauce from the heat once thickened.

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Season the sauce with about ⅛ tsp cayenne and ⅛ tsp salt (or to taste).

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And now your rich and dreamy lemony sauce is ready to eat! You did that!

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Drizzle that heavenly sauce over all your favorite foods!

Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

What is the basic formula for hollandaise? ›

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, cold water, salt and pepper. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into butter. Continue whisking over low heat for 8 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.

What is the most common mistake in hollandaise sauce? ›

Hollandaise Sauce

One common hollandaise mistake is overcooking the egg yolks, and there's no coming back from that. But the most common problem is that the emulsion breaks, and you see streaks of liquid butter instead of a uniformly creamy sauce.

Can you add too much butter to hollandaise sauce? ›

Why Does Hollandaise Sauce Break? Over-heating or overcooking the egg yolks is one culprit. Next time, be sure to use a double boiler and heat the yolks gently to avoid overcooking them. The second cause is either adding too much butter or adding it too quickly.

What are 3 derivatives of hollandaise sauce? ›

Some of the Hollandaise sauce derivatives are:
  • Maltaise – Hollandaise, juice, and zest of blood orange (late-season fruit is best).
  • Mousseline – Hollandaise, whipped cream.
  • Béarnaise – Tarragon, white wine, and vinegar reduction, fresh chervil, and tarragon.
  • Foyot – Béarnaise, reduced Espagnole, and brandy.

How to make hollandaise sauce with Martha Stewart? ›

In a blender, combine egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and salt; blend until frothy. Heat butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium until bubbly (do not let brown). With blender running, pour in hot butter in a very thin stream, blending until sauce is thick and emulsified.

Why is hollandaise so hard to make? ›

Traditional hollandaise, made by emulsifying melted clarified butter into egg yolks and lemon juice, is notoriously difficult to make. You not only have to take the same care in its construction as you take for oil-in-egg-yolk mayonnaise, but you also have to deal with the fickle nature of hot eggs and butter.

Why do I feel sick after hollandaise sauce? ›

Raw eggs are used in homemade versions of foods such as mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce. Unpasteurized dairy products. Unpasteurized milk and milk products — sometimes called raw milk — may be contaminated with salmonella. The pasteurization process kills harmful bacteria, including salmonella.

What thickens hollandaise sauce? ›

How do you fix a runny hollandaise? Blenders tend to make runny hollandaise - it's usually because the butter was too cold and hasn't cooked the eggs enough to thicken them. To thicken a runny hollandaise, tip the mixture into a heatproof bowl set over simmering water and whisk over the heat until thickened.

What can I use instead of hollandaise sauce? ›

5 Alternative Takes on Hollandaise Sauce for Your Eggs Benedict
  • Use red wine. For a heartier sauce (that's especially good with steak and eggs), reduce dry red wine and port instead of white wine.
  • Make a cheese sauce. ...
  • Brown the butter with capers. ...
  • Add morels. ...
  • Use avocado.
Nov 15, 2022

What's the difference between Benedict sauce and hollandaise sauce? ›

It's what happens next that sets them apart: Hollandaise gets its acidity from lemon juice (sometimes vinegar) and is usually seasoned with salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Béarnaise, meanwhile, builds upon hollandaise with white wine vinegar, shallots, tarragon, and other fresh herbs.

What is broken hollandaise sauce? ›

Hollandaise can be very finicky and there are several reasons why this particular sauce can curdle or split. If the heat is too high, the egg yolks will curdle and the sauce will become grainy. When a sauce splits, this means that the fat has separated from the egg foam (the sauce has lost its emulsion).

What to do with failed hollandaise sauce? ›

Gradually whisk in 1/4 part hot water to your broken hollandaise. Add 1 tbsp hot water at a time until your hollandaise begins to come together. Continue to add the water gradually until your sauce is the right consistency.

How to tell when hollandaise sauce is done? ›

Cook the Hollandaise – Place saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking the sauce constantly and vigorously until the melted butter turns the mixture frothy. Continue whisking until the sauce just starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.

What if I put too much lemon in my hollandaise sauce? ›

What do I do if my hollandaise sauce is too lemony? You can either start again, or try adding another egg yolk and a bit more melted butter.

What is the hollandaise made of? ›

hollandaise sauce, one of the classic sauces of French cooking, made of butter, egg yolks, lemon juice, and pepper and usually served on fish, eggs, or vegetables.

What is the structure of hollandaise sauce? ›

As a hot egg- emulsified butter sauce its appearance at its best is glossy and smooth. The classical ingredients of hollandaise sauce are egg yolks, melted (often clarified) butter, mixture of water and wine vinegar and occasionally a drop of lemon juice. Structurally it is both an emulsion and a foam.

What are the main ingredients in eggs Benedict? ›

Eggs Benedict is a traditional American breakfast and brunch recipe that originated in New York City. It consists of an English muffin, cut in half, toasted, and topped with Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and classic French hollandaise sauce.

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