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Learn how to make homemade hollandaise sauce in just 5 minutes with these two easy methods! It’s perfect for drizzling over eggs Benedict, asparagus, salmon and so much more. This creamy, decadent sauce has a way of making everything it touches taste absolutely amazing!
Oh how I love a creamy, buttery, luscious hollandaise sauce and its magical ability to elevate any dish it gets drizzled over. It’s the magic on eggs Benedict and can transform a simple plate of cooked asparagus into something special!
But let’s get real – it’s kind of intimidating to make! The traditional method requires a lot of whisking and experience to perfect. My first attempt? Total fail! The sauce split and tears were shed!
Now I make it using one of these two blender hollandaise sauce methods (total game-changer). Super quick and easy and no more tears over failed sauce!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Hollandaise Sauce
- Quick: Ready in 5 minutes!
- Easy: No need to be intimidated! It’s so simple to make with a blender or immersion blender.
- Elevates any dish: This rich, creamy, decadent sauce makes every dish it touches taste incredible. Drizzle it over salmon, asparagus, roasted veggies, chicken and more! Or elevate your brunch game by pouring it over savory dishes like poached eggs or these Rosti Eggs Benedict.
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few basic ingredients to make hollandaise sauce.
- Egg Yolks: Hollandaise sauce is basically an emulsion of egg yolks and butter so your eggs play an important role. Use quality eggs with rich yolks for amazing flavor and color. Save the whites for omelets, scrambled eggs or these German Coconut Macaroons.
- Butter: Since butter plays a big part in making this sauce so rich and luxurious, use a quality, unsalted butter. You can also use ghee or clarified butter (more traditional) but I don’t find it necessary.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice helps to cut the richness of the sauce and balance out the flavors.
- Salt and Cayenne Pepper: Some salt (I like to use sea salt or Himalayan salt) and a pinch of cayenne to season and bring it all together.
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
Equipment Needed
Depending on which method you choose, you will need the following equipment:
Immersion Blender Method: A personal favorite, this method requires an immersion blender and a flat-bottomed container just slightly wider than the head of the immersion blender (like a 16-ounce or 500 ml wide-mouthed mason jar). Some immersion blenders also come with a blending jar.
Blender Method: I bet you guessed that you are going to need a blender for this method! Any type of blender will work (you don’t need a super powerful one). If you want a multi-purpose powerhouse though, I highly recommend this blender (it’s the one I use).
How To Make Hollandaise Sauce
Learn how to master the art of making hollandaise sauce from scratch at home – it’s easier than you think with one of these two methods!
Easy Immersion Blender Hollandaise Sauce
This is my favorite method! It is so easy, never fails me, minimal cleanup and doesn’t require scraping sauce out of the blender or mad whisking skills.
- Blend the egg yolks: Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper to a wide-mouthed mason jar (or container just slightly wider than the head of the immersion blender). Place the immersion blender into the jar and run for about 10 seconds to combine the ingredients.
- Melt butter: Melt the butter over medium-low heat until warm (don’t want it piping hot!).
- Slowly add butter: Slowly drizzle into the side of the jar while the immersion blender is running. As you are blending, lift the immersion blender up and down slightly and in circular motions to blend and emulsify everything. Do not lift it too high out of the sauce though or your kitchen will be covered in hollandaise – don’t ask me how I know!
- Serve: Drizzle over your meal and enjoy!
Blender Hollandaise Sauce
This method is for a full size blender. It’s easy since the blender does the work for you. The only downside is trying to scrape every delicious bit of this sauce out of the blender container. It can also sometimes get a little messy when drizzling in the butter. This is why the immersion blender method is hands down my top choice.
- Blend the egg yolks: Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper in the blender and blend for 15-30 seconds on medium-high speed.
- Melt butter: Melt the butter over medium-low heat until warm (not boiling hot!).
- Drizzle in butter: Slowly drizzle into the blender while it is running on medium-low speed.
- Serve: Pour over your dish and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
Make Sure Butter Is Not Too Hot and Add Slowly
This was my downfall the first time I made hollandaise sauce. Melt your butter until warm over medium-low heat and then use it right away. If you have heated it up too much, simply take it off the heat and let it cool down a bit before continuing. Your sauce can split if the butter you are adding is way too hot or if you add it too fast (so make sure to drizzle it in).
Adjusting Thickness
If your sauce is too thick, add hot tap water in 1 teaspoon at a time until it is thin enough to be drizzled. Note that it will also thicken as it cools!
The amount of butter added will also determine the thickness. Use 1/2 cup of butter for a thicker hollandaise sauce that is great for dipping and 3/4 to 1 cup butter for a pourable sauce that is perfect for drizzling over dishes.
How To Fix Broken Hollandaise Sauce
If after all your best efforts, the sauce still breaks (butter separates from the sauce)…..Don’t worry – you can fix it! Try one of these two fixes. 1) As you’re blending, slowly add in a teaspoon or two of warm water or 2) Whisk another yolk in a separate bowl and slowly whisk in the broken sauce.
Ways To Use Hollandaise Sauce
This creamy, rich sauce can be drizzled over so many dishes. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it:
- Eggs Benedict: This is the obvious choice of course! Check out this amazing Rosti Eggs Benedict for a fun variation.
- Egg Dishes: Delicious over poached eggs, fried eggs, breakfast hash, etc.
- Asparagus: Absolutely delicious over steamed, roasted or grilled asparagus.
- Veggies: Elevates steamed or roasted veggies. So good with broccoli, cauliflower or artichokes.
- Fish & Seafood: I love it drizzled over salmon but also delicious with other fish and seafood like lobster, crab, shrimp and scallops.
- Potatoes: Steamed baby potatoes, roasted potatoes, fries, etc.
- Chicken Breasts: Can make a basic chicken dinner super special!
FAQ
My favorite way to keep the sauce warm if not using immediately is to use a small thermos. Fill it with some boiling water ahead of time to heat it up. Empty out the water and fill it with your sauce. This will keep it warm until you are ready for it. You can also keep it warm in a heat-safe bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water but make sure that it doesn’t get too hot or it will separate (this is why I prefer the thermos method since it is worry free).
Hollandaise sauce is best served fresh. However, if you have leftovers to reheat, make sure to do it gently. My favorite way is to put a glass jar containing the hollandaise sauce into a pot of water (water level to the halfway point of the jar). Heat up over a low temperature since low and slow will prevent the sauce from separating. Once it starts to soften, I stir the sauce in the jar vigorously with a spoon until it reaches the perfect consistency.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
It’s the same sauce! People sometimes call the sauce on eggs Benedict “benedict sauce”, but it’s really just hollandaise sauce.
More Homemade Sauces
Here are a few more delicious sauces to make at home:
Did you make this easy hollandaise sauce recipe? Which method did you try and what did you serve it with? Leave me a comment below.
How To Make Hollandaise Sauce (2 Easy Ways!)
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 1 1/4 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: French, American
Description
Learn how to make homemade hollandaise sauce in just 5 minutes with these two easy methods! It’s perfect for drizzling over eggs Benedict, asparagus, salmon and so much more. This creamy, decadent sauce has a way of making everything it touches taste absolutely amazing!
Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt (I like to use sea salt)
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 – 1 cup (114–227 g) unsalted butter (see notes)
Instructions
Immersion Blender Method:
- Blend egg yolks: Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper to a wide-mouthed mason jar or the container that came with your immersion blender (the container should just be slightly wider than the head of the immersion blender with a flat bottom). Place the immersion blender into the jar and run for about 10 seconds to combine the ingredients.
- Melt butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warm (but not piping hot).
- Slowly add butter: Slowly pour the melted butter into the side of the jar while the immersion blender is running. As you are blending, move the immersion blender slightly up and down and in circular motions to blend and emulsify the sauce (do not lift too high out of the sauce or you will make a mess!).
- Serve immediately: Add in a little warm water if too thick and adjust seasonings if needed. Drizzle over your meal and enjoy!
Blender Method:
- Blend egg yolks: Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper in the blender and blend for about 15-30 seconds on medium-high speed.
- Melt butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warm (but not boiling hot).
- Drizzle in butter: Set the blender to medium-low speed and slowly drizzle in the melted butter until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Add a little warm water if too thick and adjust seasonings if needed (pulse to combine).
- Serve immediately: Pour over your dish and enjoy!
Notes
- Amount of butter: Add butter until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Use 1/2 cup of butter for a thicker hollandaise sauce that is great for dipping and 3/4 to 1 cup butter for a pourable sauce that is perfect for drizzling over dishes.
- Make sure your butter is not too hot and add it slowly to prevent your sauce from breaking.
- My personal favorite method is the immersion blender method. Easy, minimal cleanup, doesn’t require scraping sauce out of a blender and has never failed me! I use this immersion blender and a wide-mouthed mason jar.
- My favorite way to keep the sauce warm if not using immediately is to use a small thermos. Fill it with some boiling water ahead of time to heat it up. Empty out the water and fill it with your sauce. This will keep it warm until you are ready for it. You can also keep it warm in a heat-safe bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water but make sure that it doesn’t get too hot or it will separate (this is why I prefer the thermos method since it is worry free).
I didn’t know it could be so easy to make Hollandaise! In cooking school, it was the sauce I would mess up all the time! But it was done in a Bain-Marie, which still gives me nightmares today! Gonna try your way next time I make it!
The traditional method stresses me out! I hope you enjoy how simple these methods are!
This looks so tasty! I plan to try this hollandaise sauce recipe the next time I make eggs benedict.
This is the most comprehensive Hollandaise tutorial I’ve ever seen. With so many great tips and tricks, it was impossible not to make incredible Hollandaise for our weekend brunch. We enjoyed it on classic ham bennies, of course!
I’m so happy to hear this!
The instructions were clear and easy to follow. The sauce was rich and creamy with the perfect balance of lemon and butter.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I love hollandaise but so far making it the traditional way has defeated me. Saving this one because the immersion blender option looks right up my street!
The immersion blender method is my favorite! Super easy and has never failed me (can’t say the same for the traditional way lol).
I made eggs benedict for breakfast this morning and used this hollandaise recipe. It was perfect! So creamy and delicious!
Yum! I love eggs Benedict!
You weren’t kidding, this really is easy! Def gonna add this to the brunch menu this weekend.
This is delicious! Has anyone made a half out quarter batch?
Glad you enjoyed it! To cut the recipe down, I would recommend using the “Whisk, Bowl and Muscle” method. There probably wouldn’t be enough liquid for it to successfully work with the blender or immersion blender methods.
This looks super tasty!! I can’t wait to give it a try! It’s all delicious ingredients 🙂