Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Hollandaise sauce one of those things. Like baking with yeast and butterflying a chicken – things that make a lot of people shake their heads and say, “Uh. I’m not a chef.”

Before I made hollandaise for the first time, I was definitely afraid. Whenever I thought of hollandaise sauce, I thought it must be so complicated that chefs-to-be have to make it as their final exam in culinary school. I have this vision of an angry French chef yelling at a tiny Audrey Hepburn to, “Whisk! Whisk! Whisk!”

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict - Eggs

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict - Hollandaise

Then I had Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict when I was on vacation a few years back, and it was love at first biteโ€”I knew I had to conquer my fear of hollandaise sauce so I could make this dish a regular part of my life.

So I dove in, and as it turns out, making hollandaise sauce is a breeze! Way easier than baking with yeast or manhandling a whole chicken. I was afraid all these years for absolutely nothing.

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Of course, there are a ton of uses for hollandaise sauce. One of the more common is pouring it over green veggies like asparagus and Brussels sprouts (seriously, try it). But probably the most famous is eggs Benedict.

A crispy English muffin topped with a creamy-yolked poached egg and smothered in hollandaise sauce? Yes, please! Typical eggs Benedict comes with either Canadian bacon or ham between the English muffin and the egg, but I much prefer the smoky, savory flavor of loxโ€”especially when you combine with with a heavy hand of fresh dill.

Iโ€™m drooling as I type this. Literally drooling. This is the perfect dish to serve for Easter breakfast or Motherโ€™s Day brunch (dear my family: hint, hint, nudge, nudge).

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Pulling this dish together takes a bit of multitaskingโ€”especially to make sure everything is warm at the same time. That makes this a perfect meal to make when you have kitchen helpers, but it can also be done solo if there is only one of you. Make your hollandaise sauce firstโ€”it can hold in the double broiler while you are and toasting English muffins. If the Hollandaise sauce starts to thicken too much to pour, itโ€™s easily thinned out with a bit of hot water. Enjoy!

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Easy poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, and lox make this Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict recipe the best brunch youโ€™ll ever make!

Ingredients

For the Hollandaise Sauce:

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted (or 5 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon of dried), plus more for garnish
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Salt, to taste

For the poached eggs:

  • Water
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 8 eggs

For serving:

  • 4 English muffins, sliced in half and toasted
  • 8 ounces smoked salmon
  • Fresh dill, for garnishing

Instructions

For the Hollandaise Sauce:

  1. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  2. Place a heat-proof bowl over the simmering water and add the egg yolks.
  3. Whisk constantly until eggs are thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and turn off the heat.
  4. Continue whisking and gradually add in the butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking until the butter is fully incorporated before adding more.
  5. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk together.
  6. Place the bowl over the warm saucepan and set aside. Whisk when ready to serve.

For the poached eggs:

  1. Fill a saucepan about two-thirds of the way up with water and add the vinegar. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Gently break an egg into a small bowl, and then slide the egg into the simmering water. Repeat the process with another egg.
  3. Set a timer for 3 ½ minutes and let them poach. About a minute or so in, gently stir the water to make sure the eggs aren’t sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
  4. Carefully remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to let dry.
  5. Continue until all the eggs are poached.

For serving:

  1. Place an ounce of smoked salmon on each English muffin half. Top with a poached egg and a drizzle of hollandaise sauce.
  2. Garnish with fresh dill and serve.

Notes

If the Hollandaise sauce becomes too thick before serving, add a tablespoon or two of hot water and whisk thoroughly.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 534Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 610mgSodium: 1819mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 30g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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28 Comments

    1. Goodness, you’re absolutely right, Emma! Thanks for pointing out that mistake! I’ve corrected it so there shouldn’t be any more confusion.

  1. Just to add to above comment. 2 of the ingredients recommended that I do not care for at all are the Hollandaise and dill. Also, the Lobster Bisque, along with the Lox, makes for an all seafood Eggs Benedict. I highly recommend for someone who loves your recipe to deviate just once. That’s all it will take and you’ll never use Hollandaise again. ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Hello,
    I’ve been making Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict for years, and actually thought that I had invented it about 25-30 years ago. The one thing that I do different is instead of the Hollandaise sauce, I use a lobster bisque sauce. IMHO, much more tasty.

  3. Just came across your recipe while looking for a smoked salmon benedict recipe to make on Christmas Day while my in-laws are here. This is definitely the one I will use. The Hollandaise sauce scared me, but you made it very easy to understand! I have a question though … how to you manage to get the poached eggs off the paper towels and onto the salmon without breaking the yolks? That part scares me a little bit …
    Thanks for the great recipe!