Chef John's Hollandaise Sauce

Chef John's Hollandaise Sauce

2 servings
Chef John's Hollandaise sauce recipe uses cold butter instead of melted butter. Plus, it's all made in one bowl for easy cleanup!

Ingredients

  • egg yolk
    1 large
  • cold water
    2 tbsp
  • fresh lemon juice
    1 tbsp
  • salt to taste
  • cayenne pepper
    1 pinch
  • cold unsalted butter

    cubed

    4 tbsp

Directions

  1. 1

    Place egg yolk into a large stainless steel bowl. Whisk in water, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add butter cubes.

  2. 2

    Place bowl over low heat. Whisk continually until butter melts and the mixture gets foamy, about 3 minutes. Continue whisking over low heat until sauce is to your desired thickness, 3 to 5 more minutes.

    Step 2
Chef John's Hollandaise Sauce

Chef John's Hollandaise Sauce

17 min2 servings232 cal

Similar Recipes

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

This simple 2 minute easy hollandaise sauce is delicious and stress free. Use it for eggs benedict, as a dip for vegetables or a pour over sauce for steak or chicken. A rich and buttery sauce with the mild tang of lemon juice. Delicious and using my method you can make easy hollandaise sauce at home!

2 minutes6 servings185 kcal
Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise sauce is easy with this foolproof brunch recipe from Tyler Florence on Food Network; the trick is to use a wire whisk and a clean bowl.

20 minutes0 servings
White Sauce

White Sauce

This simple white sauce recipe made with butter, flour, and milk is also known as béchamel sauce. Use in lasagna, chicken pies, and cheese soufflés.

15 minutes8 servings48 kcal
Hollandaise Sauce (Easy & No-Fail)

Hollandaise Sauce (Easy & No-Fail)

Hollandaise sauce is a classic creamy sauce that's perfect for brunch and comes together with 5 simple ingredients. It's easy and foolproof in a blender! Watch the video above to see how I make it.

5 minutes4 servings
Microwave Hollandaise Sauce

Microwave Hollandaise Sauce

An easy hollandaise sauce recipe made with a microwave - no blender needed. This light and lemony sauce is foolproof and perfect for veggies, eggs, and more.

10 minutes6 servings189 kcal
Chef John's Chicken Lazone

Chef John's Chicken Lazone

Creamy, Cajun-spiced Chicken Lazone is an incredibly delicious one-pan recipe for chicken breasts in a flavorful pan sauce, adapted from the famous New Orleans dish by Chef Lazone Randolph.

90 minutes4 servings411 kcal
Cajun Alfredo Sauce

Cajun Alfredo Sauce

15 minutes
Cajun Alfredo Sauce

Cajun Alfredo Sauce

Many of you have enjoyed our Spicy Diavolo Sauce recipe, so we figured we’d take another stab at a classic .....

15 minutes

Ratings & Reviews

Be the First to Rate

Your rating helps others discover amazing recipes. Share your experience and let others know what you think!

About this Recipe

Tired of complicated hollandaise recipes that leave you with a broken sauce and a stack of dishes? Chef John's innovative method for Hollandaise Sauce simplifies this classic French emulsion, making it accessible for home cooks while delivering a rich, velvety result you’ll be proud to serve. This isn't just another recipe; it's a smart approach to a notoriously finicky sauce.

What makes Chef John’s Hollandaise truly stand out is its clever use of cold butter. Instead of painstakingly drizzling in melted butter, this recipe incorporates cubed cold butter directly. This brilliant technique helps create a more stable emulsion, reducing the risk of your sauce breaking and making the process far more forgiving. Plus, the entire preparation happens in one bowl, cutting down significantly on cleanup time.

Prepare to be delighted by a sauce that is luxuriously creamy, with a bright, tangy counterpoint from fresh lemon juice. The subtle warmth of cayenne pepper adds a nuanced finish without overpowering the delicate richness of the butter and egg yolk. It’s a beautifully balanced sauce that perfectly coats whatever it accompanies, offering a smooth texture and a vibrant golden hue that signals pure indulgence. This method promises a consistent, restaurant-quality experience right in your own kitchen.

Want to make it your own? While the core technique is perfect as is, you can easily adjust the seasoning. Feel free to increase or decrease the salt to suit your preference, or dial up the heat with an extra pinch of cayenne pepper for a more pronounced kick. The lemon juice provides crucial acidity, but you can always add a tiny bit more at the very end if you desire an even brighter flavor.

This exquisite Hollandaise Sauce is the ultimate accompaniment for a variety of dishes. It's the essential crowning glory for classic eggs Benedict, a spectacular drizzle over steamed asparagus, or a rich complement to poached salmon or roasted vegetables. Its decadent flavor elevates any meal, making ordinary ingredients feel extraordinary.

Frequently Asked Questions