Hollandaise Sauce Recipe with Lemon and Butter
This hollandaise sauce recipe emulsifies warm butter into lemon-seasoned egg yolks over gentle steam.
This hollandaise sauce recipe emulsifies warm butter into lemon-seasoned egg yolks over gentle steam. The finished sauce is pale yellow, rich and pourable, suitable for eggs, asparagus or fish. Use pasteurized yolks because this traditional method is temperature-sensitive and does not reliably bring every batch to a full egg-cooking temperature. Make the sauce shortly before serving. A bowl of barely simmering water offers better control than direct heat, which can scramble the yolks quickly.
What matters for hollandaise sauce
The bowl must sit above the water, not touch it. Butter should be warm and liquid, not fiercely hot. Add it drop by drop at first so the yolks establish an emulsion. Move the bowl away from steam whenever it feels too hot. This sauce is easiest in a small fresh batch; extended holding can compromise both texture and safety.
Recipe at a glance
Yield: about 200 ml; 4 servings. Preparation: about 10 minutes. Cooking: about 10 minutes. Total elapsed time: about 20 minutes.
How to make hollandaise sauce
Recipe card
Hollandaise Sauce Recipe with Lemon and Butter
Equipment: Heatproof bowl over saucepan; whisk; jug; tablespoon measure.
Ingredients
Main
Instructions
Melt butter and arrange heat
Melt butter gently and keep warm. Bring 2–3 cm water to a bare simmer in a small saucepan. Set a heatproof bowl above it without touching the water.
Thicken yolks gently
Whisk pasteurized yolks, lemon and water in the bowl. Whisk constantly over steam 3–5 minutes until lightly thickened and trails briefly appear. Lift the bowl off repeatedly if heat is strong; do not let yolks curdle.
Whisk in butter
Off the heat, add warm butter a few drops at a time, whisking continuously. Once thickening, add in a thin stream. Include the butter milk solids for this whole-butter version. Return over steam very briefly only if necessary.
Season and serve
Whisk in salt and optional cayenne. If too thick, add warm water 1 tsp at a time until it flows from the whisk. Taste for lemon and serve immediately; do not hold for a long brunch service.
How to tell when it is ready
Smooth glossy sauce coats a spoon and flows in a thick ribbon without oily separation.
Tips
- Use pasteurized yolks.
- Keep the bowl above the water.
- Add the first butter slowly.
- Keep a towel handy to hold the warm bowl.
Troubleshooting
- Too thick: whisk in warm water.
- Split but not scrambled: slowly whisk into 1 tsp warm water in a clean bowl.
- Curdled yolks: start again; straining cannot recreate a smooth emulsion reliably.
Substitutions
- Use lime instead of lemon for a different citrus flavor.
- Salted butter needs less added salt.
Variations
- Add 1 tsp finely chopped tarragon for an herb variation; it is not a complete béarnaise recipe.
Serving suggestions
- Spoon over asparagus.
- Serve with poached eggs.
- Pair with cooked fish.
- Use a small warmed jug for immediate serving.
Make ahead
Measure ingredients and melt butter just before cooking the yolks. Do not prepare hours ahead for warm holding.
Storage
Best freshly made. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 24 hours; warm gently with a little water. Reheating can split the emulsion. Freezing is not recommended.
Food safety
Use pasteurized egg yolks and serve immediately. Keep perishable sauce out of refrigeration no longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C/90°F. This is not a validated extended warm-holding method.
Frequently asked questions
Why use pasteurized yolks?
They reduce the risk associated with a sauce whose gentle emulsification method may not fully cook ordinary raw yolks.
Is clarified butter essential?
No. This version uses melted whole butter; its water and milk solids make a slightly softer sauce.
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