Eggs Benedict

An Easy Timeline for Make-Ahead Eggs Benedict For A Crowd

So you’ve got a special occasion coming up (I always make eggs benedict for Easter brunch, but any occasion will do) and you need a brunch recipe that’ll really wow the crowds. You know everyone loves eggs benedict, but maybe you’re a little intimidated by them. The perfectly poached egg, with just-set whites and a yolk that spills out with the pressure of an eager fork. Yellow and gushing, the yolk runs into lemony hollandaise and you scrape together a little bit of everything—toasty English muffin, runny yolk, Canadian bacon, and a generous swipe of hollandaise sauce—into one, perfect brunchy bite. 

Chased with a sip of mimosa, with some crispy potatoes on the side, that little bite of heaven is proof that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Getting all of these components to happen at the same time is hard enough for one serving of eggs benedict, let alone for a whole bunch at once. OR SO IT MAY SEEM! But guess what?! I’ve been making eggs benedict for my entire family every Easter Sunday for years now, and I’m sharing my foolproof method for making eggs benedict for a crowd that’s stress-free and make-ahead.

Here’s your super easy, make-ahead egg benedict timeline: 

• Up to 2 days ahead: poach all the eggs. 
• The night before: make the hollandaise sauce. 
• Day-of: toast English muffins, assemble and serve!

How to Make Eggs Benedict

The whole idea that making eggs benedict is some kind of insane balancing act best left to professional chefs is a complete lie, likely made up by the people who have convinced me to wait in a 2-hour brunch line on Easter Sunday. Well, no more! Now you’ve got eggs benedict at your fingertips. With a little planning, you can serve your friends and family a restaurant-level brunch, no wait required. 

Here’s how it’s done: 

1. Make a whole bunch of poached eggs a day ahead of time. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. 
2. Make hollandaise sauce. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. See below for re-heating tips.  
3. Top each English muffin half with butter and toast them on a baking sheet in the oven so you can do a lot at once.  
4. While the English muffins toast, gently warm the hollandaise and the poached eggs. They don’t need to be piping hot! It is better to have them be just warm than over-cooked. 
5. Assemble! Top each muffin with ham (or Canadian bacon), a poached egg, and a generous drizzle of hollandaise. Let the accolades roll in!

3 Ways To Reheat Hollandaise Sauce

Yes, you can make hollandaise sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for 6-12 hours. But, do not reheat your hollandaise sauce in the microwave. For any of these three methods, keep a close watch on the hollandaise sauce and don’t keep it over the heat for more than one minute at the very most. If your hollandaise breaks, it can be rescued! Move it quickly to your blender and blend on high until it re-emulsifies. 

Here are 3 ways to warm up your hollandaise sauce: 

• Saucepan + hot water. Pour the hollandaise into a small saucepan over low heat, and vigorously whisk a tablespoon of hot water into the sauce. 
• Saucepan + melted butter. Pour the hollandaise into a small saucepan over low heat and whisk in two tablespoons of melted butter, stirring constantly until it is fully incorporated. 
• Double boiler. Place the bowl of hollandaise over a double boiler and allow the steam to reheat it while stirring constantly.

Eggs Benedict Variations

While we’re pretty die-hard traditionalists when it comes to eggs benedict, it can be nice to offer your guests a few options. Instead of the ham or Canadian bacon, try swapping in: 

• Blanched asparagus
• Smoked salmon (aka Eggs Royale)
• Crab cakes!
• Fresh spinach, raw or sautéed (this is called Eggs Florentine!) 
• Bacon

What to Serve With Eggs Benedict

• Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
• Grapefruit Anise Salad or Classic Fruit Salad
• Butter Lettuce Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
• Mimosas (OJ plus sparkling wine) 

Tools You’ll Need

• Baking sheet
• Blender
• Small saucepan
• Cutting board
• Large serving platter

Brunch is Served! 

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