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American

Eggs Benedict

Non-vegetarian

Toasted English muffins topped with warm ham, soft poached eggs and a blanket of buttery hollandaise — the American brunch classic.

Eggs Benedict is an American egg dish, ready in about 30 minutes and made with english muffin, ham and egg. It serves 2 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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A tasty serving of Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce and toast on a rustic wooden table.
Photo: Augustinus Martinus Noppé / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
2
Level
Intermediate
Calories
1016

Ingredients

2 servings

Hollandaise

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Make the hollandaise: whisk (opens in a new tab) the yolks, water and lemon juice (opens in a new tab) in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water until thick, pale and the whisk leaves trails, 2–3 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot melted butter in a thin stream until thick and glossy. Season with salt and cayenne and keep warm over the warm (not hot) water.

    If it starts to split, whisk in a tablespoon of cold water.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle simmer with the vinegar. Crack each egg (opens in a new tab) into a small cup (drain off watery white through a sieve if you like), stir the water into a slow whirl and slide the egg in. Poach 3 minutes until the white is set and the yolk soft. Lift out with a slotted spoon (opens in a new tab) onto kitchen paper.

    Liquid being strained through a sieve
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile toast the muffins (opens in a new tab) and warm the ham (opens in a new tab) in a dry frying pan for a minute each side.

  4. Step 4

    Top each muffin (opens in a new tab) half with ham (opens in a new tab) and a poached egg (opens in a new tab), spoon over the hollandaise and finish with chives (opens in a new tab) and a pinch of cayenne.

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
New York City, United States · Origin disputedCredited variously to Delmonico's restaurant and to a guest at the Waldorf Hotel in the 1890s.Also popular in United Kingdom, Canada, AustraliaMore food from United States
Dish
Breakfast · Brunch · Egg dishes · Sandwiches
Cooking method
Poached, Toasted
Taste
buttery, rich, tangy
Diet
No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Cook more with
Ham · Egg · Egg yolk · Unsalted butter · Lemon juice · Cayenne / chilli powder
Techniques
Toasting · Simmering · Poaching · Spice roasting (dry-roasting)

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom english muffin, unsalted butter
  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg, egg yolk
  • Contains: Wheatfrom english muffin
  • Contains: Glutenfrom english muffin
  • May contain: Soyfrom english muffin

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

1016 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 332 g · recipe makes 2

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 13%
  • Carbohydrate 13%
  • Fat 74%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy1016 kcal306 kcal
Protein31.9 g9.6 g
Carbohydrate33.9 g10.2 g
Net carbohydrate31.5 g9.5 g
Sugars4.7 g1.4 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.4 g0.7 g
Fat84.1 g25.4 g
Saturated fat44.1 g13.3 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol842 mg254 mg
Sodium——
Salt equivalent——
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
429 mg
Calcium
208 mg
Iron
5.2 mg
Magnesium
42 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
771 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
3.8 µg
Vitamin B12
1.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
195 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: white vinegar, chives.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): salt — so sodium is shown as unknown.
  • English muffin: White bread (FDC 174924) used as a stand-in; English muffins are a similar yeasted white-flour bread cooked on a griddle.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Poach eggs ahead: chill in iced water, then reheat in hot water for 1 minute.

Common mistakes

  • Overheating the hollandaise, which scrambles the yolks.

Food safety

  • Runny or lightly cooked eggs: the UK Food Standards Agency says hen eggs with the British Lion mark or from the Laid in Britain scheme can be eaten lightly cooked by everyone, including young children, pregnant people and older adults (but not people who are severely immunocompromised). Otherwise — and following USDA advice in the US — cook eggs until white and yolk are firm for vulnerable groups, or use pasteurised eggs. Duck, goose and quail eggs should always be cooked through.
  • Hollandaise yolks are only lightly cooked — use British Lion or pasteurised eggs for vulnerable guests.

Storage

  • Serve immediately; hollandaise can't be reheated.

Variations

  • Eggs Florentine: Wilted spinach instead of ham.
  • Eggs Royale: Smoked salmon instead of ham.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

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