Rich, creamy, decadent hollandaise sauce is simply irresistible. Hollandaise seems to brighten every dish it touches. It’s the perfect topping for eggs Benedict, poached eggs, and other brunch dishes. It’s lovely on salmon, artichokes, asparagus, and other poached vegetables. The trouble is, it can be tricky to make a proper hollandaise. Emulsified sauces take a certain touch (and a lot of upper arm strength) to get right. This hollandaise recipe, made in the blender using Julia Child’s classic technique, is as close to easy as it gets.
A few years ago, I bought myself a birthday present: Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Julia wrote the book together with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. There’s a terrific little recipe in Volume 1, a simple method for creating hollandaise sauce.
Emulsified sauces like hollandaise can be finicky. To emulsify means to combine two liquids that can’t normally be mixed together (like oil and lemon juice). For the liquids to combine, you need the proper technique. Hollandaise is no exception. It takes a lot of elbow grease and a skilled touch to create a proper hollandaise. Separation can easily occur, making the sauce a flop. Luckily, Julia and friends have given us a much easier method for making hollandaise using an electric blender.
I’ve shared Julia’s original recipe below, with my own notes and adaptations marked. The method is very simple. As she notes, “the technique is well within the capabilities of an 8-year-old child.” I love Julia’s recipe, but I do make a few minor adjustments. I use cayenne pepper (instead of black or white pepper). Cayenne is spicy and adds a nice little kick to the sauce. I also use more fresh lemon juice because I like a nice, bright, lemony flavor. Feel free to adjust to your own tastes.
Note: this sauce is made using raw egg yolks, which should only be consumed by certain individuals. See detailed note below.
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Mastering the Art of French Cooking
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Julia Child's Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch pepper (I use a small pinch of cayenne)
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I use closer to 2 tbsp)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
NOTES
Instructions
- This sauce should be prepared immediately before serving-- it will only take you about 3 minutes to make. Place eggs yolks, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon juice in the blender jar. You can beat in more lemon juice to taste when your sauce is done, and then you will know which proportion you prefer for next time.
- Cut the butter into pieces and place it in a small saucepan. Heat it till it's melted, hot and foamy.
- Cover the jar of the blender and blend the egg yolk mixture at top speed for 2 seconds. Uncover, still blending at top speed, and immediately start pouring the hot melted butter in a thin stream of droplets. (You may need to protect yourself with a towel during this operation.)
- By the time two thirds of the butter has gone in, the sauce will be a thick cream. Omit the milky residue at the bottom of the pan. Taste the sauce, and blend in more seasonings and lemon juice to taste.
- If not used immediately, set the blender jar in tepid (lukewarm), but not warm, water. Use the sauce within a few minutes of blending; it will solidify if not used quickly.
- Use hollandaise to top any number of delicious dishes. I like using it to top my Nova Lox Benedict - click here for recipe.
Sky says
What if one uses salted butter…it won’t totally ruin the sauce, would it? Will try it tomorrow morning with salted butter and then another day with unsalted butter – experience is always a good thing.
Tori Avey says
Hi Sky– salted butter is fine, but you won’t need to add as much salt to the sauce. Start with a dash and then add more to taste if needed when the sauce comes together. Enjoy!
Rosalind says
I used salted butter and I think it actually could have used just a pinch more. It was sooooo good over our asparagas tonight.
Laverne says
Eggs Benedict for breakfast with plain old bacon and jumbo poached eggs – yum!!
Nlbknitter says
I also use this recipe. A nifty trick is to melt the butter in a two-cup glass measuring cup in the microwave. Takes about 45 seconds and is ready to pour into the blender. You now have hollandaise in two minutes!
Patty B says
Love this recipe! We can’t use store bought, powdered Hollandaise because they put all sorts of crap in it, like malto dextrin. My husband Bryon is celiac so he’s been craving this sauce. Just made it and poured over fresh baked salmon. It’s delicious!
Izzie says
I made this exactly the same way I make mayonnaise…method-wise, obviously. I used an immersion blender and added all the ingredients to the container at the same time. Blended for 30 seconds. Perfect hollandaise.
Sharon B Burress says
Thank you!
mel says
So I really wanted to impress my boyfriend’s parents when I had them over for brunch last weekend but I had never made any sort of benedict before… I used this hollandaise and your poaching tutorial for a lox benedict. I was pretty nervous but it came out great! Did an arugula salad on the side and grilled tomatoes. Many thanks for your help 🙂
Tori Avey says
So happy to hear that!
Rach says
Hi,
I don’t have a blender — only a food processor and an immersion blender. Can I use one of those to make this, and if so, which one is best?
Thanks!
Rachel
Tori Avey says
Hi Rach, an immersion blender may be slightly tricky because you need to pour the melted butter in while the blender is going– it will take some coordination. I think a food processor would probably work better. An immersion blender could work too, but easier if you have two sets of hands to help. Enjoy!
Rae Clifton says
Also, since you have a Vitamix, if it runs more than 2 minutes, YOUR hollandaise iIS cooked, by the heat from friction! I wore mine out, and need a new one. I will try it with my lesser one though. Thanks so much for posting this!
Rae Clifton says
Hello. Salmonella can pass through the shell under some circumstances. Though quite rare, it can happen. If you know how your eggs were handled it helps. Here in the US we wash them and then keep them refrigerated, at least commercial operations are supposed to. In the UK it is illegal to refrigerate eggs, as warming them up to room temperature after they are chilled causes condensation which can lead to the outside germs being able to pass through the shell. The shell has tiny pores. I use recipes that have uncooked egg in them, because I am careful, my hens are in the back yard, and the chances are slim of contamination. However I would not if the food was to be served to someone with a weak immune system.
Mandella says
You only have to rinse the eggs very well to avoid salmonella/food poisoning from eggs. The e-coli comes from the OUTSIDE of the egg shell, because the chicken passes the egg through its butt. So if you rinse the egg well, you’ll be fine.
Brandilynn says
Hmmm.. mine didnt firm up as much, but I might ? have been a bit more generous with the butter than just the half cup. :} I SHALL HAVE TO TRY AGAIN!
And in the meantime, I shall have my saucy Hollendaise in the morning!
Thank you for adding to my anniversary dinner delight!
Debra says
I recently had a wonderful treat where the hollandaise sauce had brown stone ground mustard in it instead of lemon juice or at least much less lemon juice. It was poured over an English muffin with sliced corned beef, a slice of tomato, and a poached egg. It was wonderful!
Tori Avey says
Sounds delish Debra!
Gaillen says
If you are using raw egg in recipes it is a good idea to sanitize the outside with a diluted bleach solution before cracking. This should effectively get rid of salmonella or other bacteria on the outside of the egg which is the most common. There are supposedly some strains of Bactria that can get inside the egg but this is much less common. Of course we hope that all eggs were processed this way prior to delivery to the grocery store but if you are concerned this can be a good practice.
carol says
thank you for a very smart suggestion!
Eric says
No, it is *not* a good idea to bleach wash store bought eggs in the US. That has already been done by the egg producer and a coating reapplied to prevent the absorption of pathogens from the outside of the egg. By washing the egg at home you remove that coating.
The best way to avoid pathogens from inside the egg is not to use eggs with micro cracks in raw egg dishes. These look like shadowy lines or filaments under the shell’s surface.
krufty says
A little Worcestershire sauce adds some kick too. Just a bit. The other a day, I had some poached eggs served with carrot Hollondaise … I’m pretty sure you can puree different veggies with this in the final stage to your own liking.
Tori Avey says
Great tip Krufty! 🙂
Jean Van Keuren says
I discovered and started making this in college (I’m 60 now) after listening to my French Professor complain about getting interrupted while making his “regular” easy-to-separate Hollandise. After tasting mine, he was jealous and immediately bought a blender and replaced his recipe.
It is simple and excellent and I particularly prefer the thickness to some other runny recipes. I kinda like to have something that stays with the food instead of running off, and this definitely satisfies that need.
Sarah S. says
Thank you for this recipe! I just used it tonight and the way you explained it made it easy to do. I tried last night with another explanation and made a truly gross hollandaise.
I poached the eggs and placed them over two slices of grilled zucchini and a thick slice of juicy ripe tomato. Then added the delicious hollandaise. Great!
Tori Avey says
That sounds delicious Sarah! I’ll have to try your zucchini tomato benedict sometime, sounds healthy and yummy. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the hollandaise!
Cindy says
Using an immersion blender is even easier. Follow the same directions and amounts. The immersion blender is much easier to clean and makes fool proof Hollandaise.
Ber says
I assume your using a high powered blender but could this also be done in a food processor, that is how I make my mayonnaise.
Karen Spitalnik says
Thanks…I really enjoy your blog…and I will be sure to make the quick Hollandaise sauce…over the eggs and salmon looks yummy!
Looking forward to Passover recipes!
SIMONE says
HOW CAN I DO A PARVE HOLLANDAISE? WITH NO BUTTER!
Tori Avey says
Hi Simone — yes, here is a link to my dairy-free recipe: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2013/07/vegan-saffron-hollandaise/
Ellen says
Dear Tori –
I was lucky enough to find a first edition of MTAOFC in a used book store in Depot Bay Oregon about 5 years ago. It is one of my most treasured possessions and I have read it cover to cover. It pairs so well with -My Life in Paris- the Julia bio written by her nephew which gives you the inside scoop about the book and her great love affair with her husband Paul. Cook anything from the book. Then watch Julie and Julia, the movie, my kids laugh at me as I am sobbing uncontrollably at the end, a weekend of Julia enjoyment!
Tori Avey says
Ellen, I’m so jealous!! I love vintage cookbooks. How wonderful to have a first edition of this important book. Julia is an inspiration!