This sauce has the creamiest consistency and you only need 5 ingredients you already have at home to make it! I have to admit, I've kind of fallen in love with Hollandaise Sauce. Seriously, it's great with everything! It's absolutely perfect when combined with eggs, green beans, smoked salmon or even spinach, but I would be able to mix it with boiled potatoes and call it potato salad. But that also would be the ultimate deliciousness.
Hollandaise sauce has been a big no-no for me for a long time. I just found it too much work, plus it is an emulsification with, for me, an unclear result. I thought, what am I going to do with it if the sauce curdles? If you're wondering the same thing, don't worry, because this sauce can be easily re-used even after THAT curdling! Also, with this method of making Hollandaise Sauce, you get just enough sauce for 2-4 people for breakfast, so it's usually used up right away anyway.
Why make homemade Hollandaise sauce from scratch?
Hollandaise sauce is the perfect accompaniment to most dishes I know. Need more reasons?
- This buttery and tangy Hollandaise sauce tastes absolutely delicious and brings every dish to perfection. Whenever you're faced with a dish that's "missing something" or "too dry", this sauce will save the day!
- This method of making Hollandaise Sauce is simple and quick and can really be mastered by anyone! You can serve it in two minutes.
- This recipe is for a small (but adequate) amount of sauce, as it tastes best when warm.
How to spice up the Hollandaise sauce?
The Hollandaise sauce can be considered as a sort of BASE, which you can flavor according to the season or what you serve the sauce with. You can add different spices, fresh herbs or you can even swap the lemon in the recipe for orange or grapefruit. Also choose the amount of lemon juice to taste, I prefer the more lemony version! And sometimes I even boldly grate a little lemon zest into it for flavor!
How to make homemade Hollandaise sauce?
To prepare the sauce we just need a saucepan and a whisk.
Place the egg yolk, a pinch of salt, pepper, 1-2 tsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp water in a small saucepan and whisk until combined.
You can use cayenne pepper or other chili spices, but I prefer regular black or white pepper. It is better to grind the spices finely, as larger pieces of pepper don't look very nice in the sauce.
Cut the butter into small cubes about 0,5 cm in diameter and put it in a saucepan with the beaten egg yolk. Heat the mixture slowly and stir constantly with a whisk, otherwise the sauce would not be smooth and we would not get an emulsion. First the butter melts, then bubbles start to form on the surface of the mixture and then it starts to thicken.
When the sauce is about as thick as custard, do not heat the sauce any further and serve straight away.
How to use Hollandaise Sauce?
I like to use the sauce on eggs Benedict, but not just any eggs. My favorite thing to use on my "eggs Benedict" are my cheesy sourdough waffles, which crisp up beautifully and smell like herbs! For the eggs, I like them plain fried in a skillet. But how much fun you can have with that!
Check out my little collection of variations on this theme, which are full of flavor, different textures (I love having something crunchy and something incredibly creamy in my food!), and beautifully colorful too! Eggs Benedict prepared this way are good to eat any time of day, and you don't have to dazzle with them just at A WEEKEND BRUNCH!
1. Fried ham with eggs
Little ones, adults and especially my husband! While I enjoy the less known combinations, my husband is loyal to this classic. No wonder, it's a big treat and quick too. 🙂 Fry up two slices of good ham, add a fried egg or poached one, arrange it nicely on a waffle, top with a good dose of Hollandaise sauce and you have the best breakfast for a moody morning.
2. Smoked salmon, dill sauce and red onion
Slightly sour and peppery Hollandaise sauce is perfect for combination with smoked salmon! Choose two nice slices of salmon and place them on a waffle. I didn't put any herbs in the batter in this case, but it is wonderful to add some dill, either fresh or dried, to the sauce! Top it all off with a squeeze of lemon and add a few finely chopped onion strips.
3. Spinach with garlic and feta cheese
The combination of feta cheese with spinach is timeless and when you add the creamy Hollandaise sauce, you will be wowed! It will remind you of Greece and you will never have enough of this combination. Sauté spinach in a little bit of oil with garlic. Make a nice little spinach nest on your waffle, which fits perfectly with a fried egg. Top with sauce and sprinkle with feta! For those who love Greek flavors, it's wonderful to sprinkle a little oregano on top.
4. Pan-fried corn with chilli and crispy bacon
A variation on the barbecue is this corn and bacon waffle. But it has its own rules. First, fry up some nice slices of bacon in the pan. Then in the same pan, roast the corn and let it almost burn so it tastes like barbecue! Then add a crushed garlic clove and chopped chili, pepper and salt, and you can even drizzle with a squeeze of lemon or lime. Serve on a waffle topped with the sauce! Because the butter sauce mellows out all the spicy flavors beautifully!
5. Smashed peas and tomatoes in balsamic
Mashed peas are a bit like guacamole. In a bowl, mix the thawed peas with a little sour cream, lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper and mash well with a fork. The pea mixture tastes best fresh, so it's always best to make a smaller batch to eat right away. Cut the cherry tomatoes in a cross, sprinkle with salt and fry in a pan with a little balsamic vinegar and oil. Serve on a waffle with peas along with an egg.
6. BBQ smoked tofu and cucumber relish
When you want to make that VEGETARIAN open sandwich that tastes like a burger! Slice the tofu thinly and heat in a pan with a little BBQ sauce. Have you tried the homemade one yet? And add a pickle relish to make the dish taste like the burger you know and love! Dice up a pickle, shallot or red onion and some green parsley. Mix together with a teaspoon of vinegar, coconut syrup, oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the relish to the top along with the Hollandaise sauce and enjoy!
7. Sautéed mushrooms with herbs and cream sauce
When I have a small amount of sauce left over after a meal, I use it as the base for a delicious cream sauce that goes perfectly with the mushrooms. Sauté the mushroom slices in butter along with shallots and fresh or dried herbs. Basil, Provençal mix, thyme or sage are great. Add a couple of tablespoons of whipping cream to the remaining cooled sauce and add salt and a pinch of ground paprika. Warm the sauce with a whisk and pour it over the mushrooms with the fried egg!
beans with tomatoes and Parmesan cheese
Even common beans on toast can be improved with this Hollandaise sauce! Swap the toast for a wonderful sourdough waffle, add baked beans, an egg, and sprinkle with a little cheese. A sharper cheese like parmesan, feta or niva is best.
TIPS:
- keep the remaining sauce in the fridge
- to reheat, simply heat the sauce in a saucepan over very low heat , stirring constantly
- you can also add a splash of cream as you heat it, just in case the sauce curdles and you need to " rescue" it
Recipe
Recipe for 2-4 servings
This buttery and tangy Hollandaise sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 egg yolk
- 50 g butter
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- ground pepper or cayenne pepper to taste
- pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Place the egg yolk, a pinch of salt, pepper, 1-2 tsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp water in a small saucepan and whisk until combined.
- Cut the butter into small cubes about 0,5 cm and put it in the saucepan with the egg yolk mixture.
- Heat the mixture slowly and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture starts to thicken (about 2 minutes).
- When the sauce is about as thick as custard, do not heat the sauce any further and serve straight away.
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