Béarnaise Sauce
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If you think béarnaise sauce is reserved for fancy restaurant meals, think again! This easy blender version will have you whipping up a rich, flavorful sauce at home that rivals any top-notch restaurant.
Ever wonder how to take your steak night to the next level? Béarnaise sauce is the answer. A flavorful spin-off of hollandaise sauce, béarnaise combines the richness of butter and egg yolks with the bright, aromatic flavors of white wine, tarragon, shallots, and vinegar. While it’s traditionally served with steak, it’s also fantastic with grilled fish, roasted vegetables, and even eggs. And here’s the best part—you can easily whip up this sauce using a blender, so you get perfect results every time without the fuss. Trust me, this béarnaise sauce will rival anything you’d get at a fancy French restaurant or steakhouse. Give it a try and impress not just your family and dinner guests, but yourself too!
What You’ll Need To Make Béarnaise Sauce
- Shallots: Add a mild onion flavor and aromatic base to the sauce.
- Fresh Tarragon: Provides a distinct anise-like flavor, essential for béarnaise.
- White Wine Vinegar: Adds acidity to balance the richness of the sauce.
- White Wine: Enhances the flavor complexity of the sauce. Use a dry variety that’s not too sweet or fruity.
- Butter: Creates a rich, creamy texture and flavor.
- Egg Yolks: Emulsify the sauce, making it thick, glossy, and smooth.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a small saucepan, combine the shallots, 1 tablespoon of the chopped tarragon, the white wine vinegar, and the white wine. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 4 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and allow to cool slightly.
To the same saucepan, add the butter. Melt over medium heat until bubbling but not browning.
Transfer the butter to a glass measuring cup.
In a blender, combine the egg yolks and salt. Blend for about 10 seconds.
With the blender running on low speed, gradually add the hot melted butter in a thin stream to the egg yolk mixture. Continue blending until the mixture is thickened and smooth.
Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir in the remaining tablespoon of chopped tarragon and the shallot reduction (including the liquid). Taste the sauce and then season with salt and a few grinds of pepper as needed.
Serve the sauce or transfer to a bowl for up to 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
While béarnaise sauce is best made fresh, simply because you don’t need to fuss with keeping it warm, you can prepare it up to 2 hours ahead of time. To keep the sauce warm, pre-warm a thermos with boiling water, then empty it and transfer the sauce inside. Alternatively, use a makeshift double boiler: fill a small pot with water, bring it to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat. Place your bowl of hollandaise sauce on top. The residual heat will keep the sauce warm without further cooking, preventing it from curdling or separating. Remember to stir the sauce occasionally to maintain an even temperature throughout.
Béarnaise is a classic sauce often found at upscale steakhouses and French bistros. It’s traditionally paired with steak but is also delicious spooned over seafood, roasted chicken, and green veggies like roasted asparagus or haricot verts.
The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. If you run your finger through the sauce on the spoon, it should leave a clear path.
Video Tutorial
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Béarnaise Sauce
If you think béarnaise sauce is reserved for fancy restaurant meals, think again! This easy blender version will have you whipping up a rich, flavorful sauce at home that rivals any top-notch restaurant.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from 2 shallots
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the shallots, 1 tablespoon of the chopped tarragon, the white wine vinegar, and the white wine. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and allow to cool slightly.
- To the same saucepan, add the butter. Melt over medium heat until bubbling but not browning. The butter will be poured into a blender; for easier pouring, transfer it to a glass measuring cup.
- In a blender, combine the egg yolks and salt. Blend for about 10 seconds.
- With the blender running on low speed, gradually add the hot melted butter in a thin stream to the egg yolk mixture. Continue blending until the mixture is thickened and smooth. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir in the remaining tablespoon of chopped tarragon and the shallot reduction (including the liquid). Taste the sauce and then season with salt and a few grinds of pepper as needed. Serve the sauce or transfer to a bowl for up to 2 hours (see make-ahead notes below).
- Make-Ahead Instructions: While béarnaise sauce is best made fresh, simply because you don't need to fuss with keeping it warm, you can prepare it up to 2 hours ahead of time. To keep the sauce warm, pre-warm a thermos with boiling water, then empty it and transfer the sauce inside. Alternatively, use a makeshift double boiler: fill a small pot with water, bring it to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat. Place your bowl of hollandaise sauce on top. The residual heat will keep the sauce warm without further cooking, preventing it from curdling or separating. Remember to stir the sauce occasionally to maintain an even temperature throughout.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 186
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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I must have goofed. The sauce separated into curdled solids and liquid butter. Tasted ok but looked bad.
After making it following the directions it was thin and tepid. I put it on a burner to thicken it, warm it and added a dollop of Dijon mustard. Once it broke, I tried adding water (per another comment) and whisking it.
No luck. What should I do next time?
I’m sorry you had a problem with this! The blender method is pretty predictable; did you make any ingredient substitutions or changes to the recipe (other than when you were trying to fix it)?
Loved this recipe! Made it last night with your steak recipe and some pan fried chicken(for the non beef eaters). Absolutely loved it! I’ll definitely be making it again and again and again!
So easy and so good. Came out perfectly. As good as any I’ve had in any steakhouse. You always make me look good! Love your recipes. Now I’m making your peanut butter clouds with the whites : )
Hi Jenn
I recommended this recipe to my son (he’s a Chef) for our Mothers Day Family Brunch. We loved the simplicity and it was delicious. Thank you for your dedication to making us all great in the kitchen.
Jenn,
I just looked on your website recently for this recipe but did not see it until now. Thank you so much for adding this. I cannot find tarragon here. How would you suggest I make this using dried tarragon. Any other tips or suggestions would be much appreciated! Your recipes are so precise and very helpful. I just finished making your chicken salad last night. It’s always a hit!
Hi Staci, it’s fine to use dried tarragon and I’d suggest 2 teaspoons. And so glad to hear you like the chicken salad!
I have been making Bearnaise sauce the traditional way for decades. I use tarragon wine vinegar and also add some dried tarragon to the fresh. I like a strong flavor of tarragon and this does the trick. If it separates I add a little chilled water and whisk. Does the blender method that you use make separation less likely?
Hi Glen, Yes the blender makes it so easy and stable. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it!