Hollandaise sauce is one of the five French “mother sauces,” alongside béchamel, espagnole, tomato, and velouté. Auguste Escoffier famously declared these sauces the foundation of all others, with hollandaise standing out as the only one not thickened with a roux. Instead, its creamy texture comes from an emulsion of egg yolks and melted butter, creating a stable and delicately flavorful sauce.
As a mother sauce, hollandaise has inspired numerous “offspring” sauces. Béarnaise, infused with herbs like tarragon, is a popular variation often paired with pan-seared beef. Choron sauce, which incorporates tarragon and tomato, is delightful with fish, while maltaise sauce enhances dishes with the bright, citrusy flavor of blood orange.
Many home cooks find hollandaise intimidating, fearing it might “break” or that the eggs could curdle. But don’t let these challenges discourage you! With the right techniques, you can master this silky, luxurious sauce at home. Here, I’ll show you two foolproof methods to make it perfectly every time.
Let’s Make Hollandaise Sauce!
The quickest and foolproof way to make hollandaise is with a food processor. In less than 15 minutes, you can whip up a beautifully silky, smooth sauce with just the push of a button. The only thing to note is that the egg yolks in this method are not fully cooked. If you enjoy dishes like classic Caesar salad or beef tartare, this approach will suit you perfectly.
Hollandaise Sauce – Food Processor
Egg yolks and butter with lemon juice, salt and pepper using a food processor
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3/4 cup 1x
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 6 TBL unsalted butter
- 1 TBL lemon juice + more to taste
- 1 TBL lukewarm water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp white ground pepper
- Cayenne pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Place egg yolks, salt, pepper, lemon juice and water in the food processor and melt the butter in a saucepan until it is hot and foamy
- Cover and process the egg yolk mixture on high speed for 2 seconds, then while still blending at top speed, drizzle in the hot melted butter and leave any white solids behind
- Taste the sauce, and adjust with more lemon juice, salt or cayenne pepper to taste
- If not used immediately, keep warm or it will thicken as it cools. Thin by transferring to a small sauce pan, add a tablespoon of warm water or lemon juice and whisk.
Classic Whisked Hollandaise
This is the classic, time-tested method that relies on a whisk and a bit of elbow grease. Don’t worry—you can still have your hollandaise ready in 20-25 minutes or less. The key is to carefully manage the heat, moving the pot on and off the stovetop to gently cook the egg yolks without curdling. Whisk continuously, stay patient, and watch closely—your eyes will tell you when the sauce is perfectly ready!
Whisk together the egg yolks, lemon and water before lighting that burner.
Place your pot over low heat, whisk continuously moving the pot off, above and back on to maintain gentle heat until it thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter a tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Season to taste. Print
Classic Hollandaise Sauce
Classic hollandaise sauce whisked together with gently cooked egg yolks and butter
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3/4 cup 1x
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 TBL lemon juice
- 1 TBL water
- 7–8 oz room temperature butter
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp white ground pepper
- Cayenne pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Using a glass or heavy bottom saucepot, whisk the yolks, water, and lemon juice in the saucepan until thick and pale – about 1 minute
- Set the pot over low heat and continue to whisk. Be careful to whisk in the corners and all over the bottom to avoid overcooking the eggs. While doing this, lift the pan off the burner frequently to help moderate the heat
- Look for bubbles around the edges. Steam is a warning sign to take them off the heat. The eggs will become frothy and thicken. When you can see the pot bottom while whisking and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the butter a tablespoon at a time while whisking constantly to incorporate each addition. Continue adding butter until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you want. If it is cooling too quickly, you may hold the pan over low heat briefly, but do not place the pan directly on the burner.
- Whisk in the salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more lemon juice if needed. Serve lukewarm.
- If it cools and becomes too thick, whisk in lukewarm water or lemon juice.