French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (2024)

Bring home the fancy, with this easy homemade béarnaise sauce recipe to top any dish, like beef prime rib, lamb, or fish. With drinks, accompaniments, and more.

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This Recipe includes

Main ingredients:

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (1)Eggs
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (2)Butter
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (3)Small grey eschalot (shallot) onions
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (4)Dry white wine*
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (5)Lemon juice (*for version without alcohol)

Spices, herbs and flavoring ingredients:

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (6)White wine vinegar
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (7)Tarragon
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (8)(Optional) Parsley leaves
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (9)(Optional) Pinch of espelette or cayenne pepper
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (10)Salt and pepper

Why we love it

When people think of French food, a few things that instantly come to mind are: cheese, bread, wine, and French sauces. Succulent and rich, the sauces are what makes a good meal a great one.

One of the most popular sauces in France is the Béarnaise sauce. It’s a creamy emulsion of shallots, tarragon, and white wine vinegar transformed into a buttery sauce. As an accompaniment, it is thick and rich making it a perfect drizzle for steak, vegetables, or eggs.

You could buy it in a store, but if you would like to avoid artificial ingredients, I recommend trying to make it at home. It certainly is easy enough!

It is believed to have been created in 1837 by Head Chef Jean-Louis-François Collinet, at the Restaurant Pavillon Henri IV in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a suburb of Paris. The restaurant is in the former residence of French King Henry IV, who was fromthe ancient sovereign principality of Béarn (Navarre) near the Spanish border, hence the name of the sauce in tribute.

The Béarnaise itself was served as the perfect accompaniment to grilled cuts of meat. But can also be used as a sauce for cooked asparagus or poached eggs, making it a versatile condiment to have on hand.

And the classic French béarnaise sauce recipe is not difficult, and only takes around 20 minutes are so. So let’s get to it shall we? Allons-y!

Cooking without alcohol

The traditional French béarnaise involves a few tablespoons of white wine, which theoretically gets cooked off on the stove, as it blends with the eggs. However, if you are preparing the béarnaise for children or people who don’t drink alcohol, you way want to substitute it with the same amount of lemon juice.

Difference between the Béarnaise and the Hollandaise Sauces

The hollandaise is one of the 5 French mother sauces, and the Béarnaise sauce is a derivative of the hollandaise. To compare,

  • Béaranaise: sauce made from egg yolk, butter, white wine vinegar, and herbs.
  • Hollandaise: sauce made from egg yolks, melted butter, and lemon juice.

Both the béarnaise and hollandaise sauces go with a variety of dishes including meat and fish, with the Béarnaise having a stronger and tangier flavor due to the shallots, herbs and vinegar. The Hollandaise, on the other hand, is more discreet and creamier in taste, using a reduction of lemon juice.

There are other similar sauces as well, that are all variations of the hollandaise and béarnaise sauces:

  • Tartare: sauce made from egg yolk, chopped pickles, capers and herbs such as tarragon and dill.
  • Aioli: sauce made from garlic, egg yolks, olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard.
  • Rouille: spicy sauce for a bouillabaisse. Made with egg yolks, olive oil, mustard, garlic, saffron, and cayenne pepper.

What to serve sauce béarnaise on?

The béarnaise sauce taste delicious with nice piece of red meat like lamb roast or prime rib that has been cooked on a stove, in the oven, or charbroiled. It also goes as well with other options like grilled fish and poached eggs and as a sauce with:

  • lyonnaise quenelles
  • baked potatoes
  • in a hamburger
  • quiche lorraine
French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (11)

What drinks to serve with it?

If you are serving prime rib with béarnaise sauce, pair it with a dry red wine such as aSaint-Emilionor aPaulliacfromBordeaux. You can read more aboutFrench wineshere.

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (12)

How to store it?

Since it contains egg yolks, béarnaise sauce cannot be frozen as it will develop bacteria. (Some websites will tell you it is possible, but there is a long list of requirements in order to stop it from spoiling and to avoid getting sick. I prefer not to take the chance.)

Fresh is what will taste best, but you can however prepare it a day or so in advance and keep it in the fridge.

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (13)

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (14)

Béarnaise Sauce Recipe

Nassie Angadi

An easy béarnaise sauce that you will love.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Side dishes

Cuisine French

Servings 4

Calories 421 kcal

Equipment

  • Christopher Kimball’s Power Whisk

  • Le Creuset Cast Iron Saucepan with Lid

  • Individual Dipping sauce bowls (2 oz.)

Ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 200 g Butter
  • 2 small grey eschalot or shallot onions
  • 4 tablespoons of dry white wine *
  • 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons of fresh tarragon finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of freshly grated pepper
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of fine herbs eg. chervil or parsley (optional)
  • Pinch of espelette or cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

  • Peel and chop the shallots into fine pieces.

  • Wash and remove the leaves from the herbs. Chop the tarragon and chop the chervil.

  • Combine the the minced shallots and herbs in the vinegar and white wine in a small heavy-bottom saucepan.

  • Cook at a low temperature, until the liquid is reduced (around 7-10 minutes).

  • Melt the butter until it is runny in the microwave.

  • Remove from the saucepan from the heat and wait a few minutes.

  • Add the 2 yolks and whisk.

  • Return to low heat and mix constantly to air into the béarnaise. Be careful and keep at low temperature so that the egg yolks don't cook.

  • Add the melted butter and whisk vigorously.

  • Season to your liking with salt, pepper, and any herbs.

  • Serve immediately while warm.

Notes

* If you are preparing the béarnaise for children or people who don’t drink alcohol, you way want to substitute wine with the same amount of lemon juice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 421kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 3gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 246mgSodium: 364mgFiber: 1g

Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates are approximate. Each individual’s dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.

You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health. This website is written and produced for entertainment purposes only.

Keyword béarnaise sauce recipe

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (15)

If you enjoyed that, check out our other classic French recipes that are easy to prepare. Bon appétit and à bientôt !

French Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Béarnaise sauce made of? ›

Béarnaise sauce is a piquant child of hollandaise, one of the so-called mother sauces of French cuisine. It is simply an emulsification — egg yolks and butter cut through with vinegar flavored with tarragon and shallots, with a bite of black pepper.

What's the difference between béarnaise and hollandaise sauce? ›

It's what happens next that sets them apart: Hollandaise gets its acidity from lemon juice (sometimes vinegar) and is usually seasoned with salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Béarnaise, meanwhile, builds upon hollandaise with white wine vinegar, shallots, tarragon, and other fresh herbs.

What's the difference between Béarnaise sauce and beurre blanc? ›

Béarnaise uses liquid clarified butter, and it is important to keep it warm. With beurre blanc, on the other hand, you use whole butter, and it's important to keep it as cold as possible. Beurre blanc tastes velvety and rich thanks to butter, but it's also slightly sweet and tangy as well.

What do you eat Béarnaise sauce with? ›

Béarnaise sauce is commonly paired with grilled fish or steak, but it's just as delicious on roasted vegetables or eggs Benedict. Spoon this silky, herby sauce over roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli, or grilled mushrooms for a sophisticated dinner party side.

Why is bearnaise sauce so good? ›

The fat from the egg yolks and butter play off the acidic vinegar, which are enhanced and activated by the salt. Perhaps, though, béarnaise's excellence comes from the generous amount of pepper that elevates the flavor triumvirate to something higher.

How to make bearnaise sauce thicker? ›

If your béarnaise is thin and runny, transfer to a large bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly and vigorously until sauce is thickened.

What are the five French sauces? ›

The five French mother sauces are: Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise, and Tomato.

What is the thickening agent used for a hollandaise Béarnaise sauce? ›

Egg yolks and butter. This is what 'thickens' a hollandaise sauce. It's an emulsion sauce. Using anything else will alter the flavour and texture, and not be a true hollandaise.

What is the dominant herb of sauce béarnaise? ›

It is regarded as a "child" of hollandaise sauce. The difference is only in the flavoring: béarnaise uses shallot, black pepper, and tarragon, while hollandaise uses white pepper or a pinch of cayenne. The sauce's name derives from the province of Béarn, France.

How do you make James Martin Béarnaise sauce? ›

To make the sauce, dice the shallot finely, add to a pan with ½ the tarragon and vinegar. Bring to the boil then drain, retaining the liquid. Rest the steaks on a warm plate. In a bowl over a pan of simmering water whisk the egg yolks with the retained vinegar and slowly add the butter, whisking continuously.

Is Bordelaise the same as au jus? ›

'Au jus' means 'with juice' in French, and it is a sauce made with meat juice and wine. Although it has the two same main ingredients as bordelaise, the meat juice is prioritized in this sauce, giving it a much meatier taste than bordelaise.

What has happened to maille bearnaise sauce? ›

The Maille bearnaise sauce has been discontinued and this is a brilliant substitute.

How unhealthy is bearnaise sauce? ›

Bearnaise sauce contains 5 grams of saturated fat, or 25 percent of the daily value, in each tablespoon. Saturated fat raises your blood cholesterol levels and contributes to the development of heart disease. Butter and egg yolks are the sources of saturated fat in Bearnaise sauce.

What is chimichurri made of? ›

Chimichurri sauce hails from Uruguay and Argentina. It's commonly made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, finely chopped parsley, and dried or fresh oregano.

What is bearnaise sauce similar to? ›

Hollandaise is an egg yolk mixture emulsified with unsalted butter and acid. Hollandaise is what is known as a French mother sauce, meaning it can be used to make a range of other sauces, including béarnaise. Béarnaise sauce builds on hollandaise with egg yolks, butter, white wine vinegar, shallots, and tarragon.

Is bearnaise sauce like mayonnaise? ›

While mayo is egg yolks plus oil (usually olive oil, sometimes sunflower), béarnaise and hollandaise feature egg yolks plus clarified butter.

Does bearnaise sauce taste like? ›

Buttery, silky with the enigmatic flavour of tarragon and a sharp kick of vinegar, bearnaise is arguably the most elegant sauce to have emerged from the French kitchen.

References

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