Eggs Benedict is easy to make at home! A perfectly decadent way to start off the weekend or to serve guests at brunch.
A toasted English muffin is topped with a slice of Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and a no-fail 1-minute hollandaise sauce.
You’d be surprised at how easy it really is to make!
What Is Eggs Benedict?
Eggs Benedict is a brunch dish that is made by placing a slice of Canadian bacon on each half of a toasted English muffin, topping it with a poached egg, and a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce.
Now if that isn’t reason enough to love this easy breakfast dish, it is also ready in under 30 minutes.
Serve it alongside a fresh fruit salad and maybe a mimosa (or two) for the perfect brunch!
Ingredients
A good benny will have high-quality ingredients like fresh eggs and firm but fluffy English muffins.
Back Bacon: Canadian bacon or back bacon is traditional and more similar in texture to ham than the crispy bacon often served with eggs. It can be found in most grocery stores but if you’d like deli ham or leftover ham can be used.
English Muffin: English muffin halves are the base of eggs benedict but in a pinch, a slice of toast or dinner rolls are great options.
Eggs: Simply poached with slightly runny centers is perfect for eggs benny. Easy! (Tips to make to make the perfect poached egg here).
Hollandaise Sauce: Hollandaise sauce may seem difficult but I can assure you the recipe below is crazy easy. You can also use a packet store-bought hollandaise if you’d prefer.
The Easiest Ever Hollandaise Sauce
Hollandaise is easy to make in the blender in just a couple of minutes. It does contain raw egg yolks, if you don’t want to eat raw egg yolks, you can either use a packet mix or prepare using the double boiler method in the notes of the recipe.
- Add egg yolks, a bit of fresh lemon juice, and seasonings to a blender.
- Run blender on low while very slowly adding melted butter.
Really, that’s it.
How to Make Eggs Benedict
Just a few simple steps for this classic, it’s one of our favorite breakfasts of all time.
- Prepare the sauce (per the recipe below) and set it aside.
- Place English muffins and back bacon on a sheet pan and broil until browned.
- Poach eggs and place on each half of the toasted English muffins with Canadian bacon (or ham or bacon strips).
- Season each half and drizzle with hollandaise sauce. Serve immediately.
TIP: adding a teaspoon of white vinegar to the water when poaching eggs will help keep the whites together as the egg cooks but it’s not necessary.
Easy Eggs Benedict Variations
Today, eggs benedict can be made with dozens of variations like the addition of creamy spinach (called Eggs Benedict Florentine) or Salmon (called Eggs Benedict Royale). Create your own favorite combination, fancy name optional! Below are some delicious ideas to get you started!
- sautéed bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions
- roasted asparagus
- sliced tomatoes and fresh basil
- smoked salmon in place of ham
Tips for Eggs Benny
- Poach eggs ahead of time. Cook eggs a few at a time and use a slotted spoon to transfer them into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. To serve add the eggs to simmering water for 45-60 seconds to heat them.
- Cook eggs about 4 minutes to reach medium so you’ll have a slightly runny center.
- Once cooked drain the eggs on a paper towel for a few seconds to remove any water.
- Cook English muffins & back bacon all at once. Skip the toaster and place them all on a baking sheet and broil until the muffins are golden brown and the back bacon is warmed.
- Garnish with chives if you have them.
Eggs on the Breakfast Menu!
- Egg Muffins – great make-ahead recipe
- Cheesy Breakfast Pizza – grab-and-go breakfast
- Easy Quiche Recipe – loaded with ham and cheese
- Ham & Spinach Frittata – 30 min meal
- Denver Egg Casserole – simple & quick casserole
- Breakfast Enchiladas – loaded with ham
Did you enjoy this Eggs Benedict recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Homemade Eggs Benedict
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 English muffins split
- 8 slices Canadian bacon or ham
- 8 eggs
- 1 package hollandaise sauce or homemade below
- salt & pepper to taste
Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ cup butter melted
Instructions
- Prepare hollandaise sauce according to recipe below or package directions. Set aside.
- Place English muffins and Canadian bacon on the same baking sheet. Broil 2-3 minutes or until English muffins begin to lightly brown and the bacon is warmed. Remove from the oven.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Crack one egg into a small bowl and gently slip into the simmering water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Allow eggs to simmer 3-5 minutes or until they reach desired doneness.
- Top each English muffin with warmed bacon, 1 egg, salt & pepper, and hollandaise sauce. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika or parsley if desired.
Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce
- To prepare hollandaise sauce, place the egg yolks, lemon juice, and dry mustard into the bottom of a blender.
- Turn the blender on low to blend the yolks. Drizzle butter as slowly as possible into the blender while it is running on low.
- Once the mixture becomes thick and creamy stop blending and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Add a teaspoon of white vinegar to the water when poaching eggs to prevent the whites from separating while boiling.
- I prefer 4 minutes for a runny egg with a set white.
- To Make Eggs Benedict for a crowd, poach all eggs in small batches and plunge into ice water once cooked. Just before serving, place all eggs into simmering water for about 1 minute to heat through.
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Create a double boiler by placing water in a saucepan and setting a large bowl over the water. Ensure the water is not touching the bowl.
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Bring water just to a simmer below the bowl. Add egg yolks and lemon juice to the bowl and whisk unitl light yelllow in color.
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Drizzle in butter as slowly as possible while whisking until the butter is incorporated and the mixture becomes thick and creamy. Once thickened, remove from the heat immediately and season.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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I made this recipe for the first time on Monday, December 5th for Cliff and myself. I cooked the eggs for just over 4 minutes; I would cut back on the time to 4 for a runnier yolk. I had purchased store-made Hollandaise from Farm Boy which was very good; I added a pinch of dry mustard powder and cayenne pepper to that. First time trying to poach eggs in water vs microwave and it was simple. This was a lovely weeknight dinner, for a change from the usual, and I will definitely add this to my meal rotation.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Lori!
Please stop using the term “Canadian Bacon”. It doesn’t exist. The phrase is a marketing tool/gimmick that McDonalds employed when the Egg McMuffin was introduced way back when. I guess the truthful “Ham” description was too plain for a slice of ham. While Back Bacon can be found in the U. K., it is not something sold in mainstream Canadian grocery stores. Please don’t perpetuate the McDonalds created phrase, Canadians just silently smirk at those who do. Now you know. Many thanks for your delicious recipes.
Hi Mark. I’m Canadian, born and raised and I buy back bacon or Canadian bacon in every grocery store. :) I don’t smirk at those who use the term Canadian bacon, although I would more often refer to it as back bacon.
Ham is different than back bacon as it comes from a different area of the animal. Hope that helps!
I’m a big fan of eggs Benedict but I use a very fake sauce which is almost as fast as the blender version and sooo many less calories. In saucepan whisk 1/2 cup water, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons flour, 1 Tablespoon butter, 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice, and a short squirt of mustard. Make sure there’s no flour lumps, but then just heat it over medium-high while you’re cooking other things with an occasional stir. When it bubbles, stir for a minute or so to thicken.
Your sauce sounds delicious Karen, thank you for sharing!
Sounds good, but I prefer my way.
I use a mix for the sauce. And add about 2 tbsp of lemon juice to the mix.
Instead of itty, bitty thin Canadian bacon, I prefer cutting up a piece of ham steak to approximately fit the English muffin.
While the egg water is coming up to temperature (rolling boil) I toast the muffins in the toaster.
I put the eggs into the boiling water and at the same time I put the last muffin into the toaster.
When the toast pops up, the eggs are done. Every time – no watching a clock.
Put it together and enjoy with a side of hash browns and a mimosa or two.
Thanks for sharing your version, John! It sounds delicious, especially the side of mimosas
Eggs Benedict is my very favorite way to eat eggs! I especially love it with smoked salmon and I have a special eggs Benedict dish, Dungeness crab eggs Benedict. I live in the Pacific Northwest, eventually all of my favorites include seafood!!
Eggs Benedict Royale, with smoked salmon, is perfect with a garnish of a tsp of crème fraiche or sour cream and 1/2 tsp of caviar on top! I usually only eat this once or twice a year, it’s very rich!
Oh yum! That sounds delicious, thanks for sharing!
I live alone after raising 5 children. I’m not very tech savvy. I was given an Instant Pot for Christmas and a 4 quart Air Fryer! I’m loving the idea of quick, easy peasy. Yet I love a good healthy choice of food. I’m 66 years old.I’ve been given all sorts of advice on various diets, etc. However, It is overwhelming sometimes.
I do remember seeing your blog before. I really enjoy your stuff. Glad I re-found you today. Looking for a recipe on how to cook beets & beet greens. Not sure if you could convert your roasted oven recipe into an Instant Pot recipe? If so, I’d be forever grateful.
I’m definitely going to try your egg bites today in the instant pot!
Enjoy them Dee! I’ll keep your idea in mind. Thank you!
How do you warm the blender hollandaise sauce?
Hi Becky, you can heat it up using the double boiler method heating it just until warm, stirring often.
Thank you for this recipe & helpful tips- my fam loved it!
You’re welcome J! So happy that the tips were helpful!