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Béarnaise sauce is rich, buttery, and unapologetically herby. It’s like the sassier cousin of hollandaise sauce, built on egg yolks and melted butter, but with a sharp vinegar kick and loads of fresh tarragon.
The flavor is bold and bright, with just enough tang to cut through a juicy steak (or whatever you’re spooning it on). The texture? Silky, pourable, and straight-up decadent.
Here’s Why This Bearnaise Sauce Recipe Works
Immersion blender = no-fail emulsion: No whisking over a double boiler. This modern method nails the texture every time.
Two-stage tarragon hit: Infused early for depth, then chopped fresh at the end for brightness. (If you’re after a creamier, milder version, check out my tarragon cream sauce.
Hot butter does the heavy lifting: Melted butter “cooks” the yolks as it blends, thickening the sauce without fuss.
Built-in make-ahead option: The vinegar reduction holds fine until you’re ready to blend and serve.
Recipe Tips
Use a narrow container: A Mason jar or similarly tall container helps the immersion blender emulsify properly.
Don’t skip the strain: Removing the solids from the vinegar reduction keeps the texture smooth.
Keep butter hot, not sizzling: If it’s bubbling, let it cool a touch before blending to avoid curdling the yolks.
Thin at the end, not during: Add hot water after blending to adjust consistency without breaking the emulsion.
Salt to taste last: The acid and butter can mask salinity. Always finish with a final seasoning check.
Creamy French Steak Sauce
This Bearnaise sauce hits that sweet spot: classic flavor, modern method, and no stovetop stress. It’s rich, sharp, and silky. Exactly what you want draped over a tenderloin steak or spooned onto crispy potatoes. Fancy? Sure. Fussy? Not even close. I used it on a salmon Oscar and it absolutely worked.
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Easy Béarnaise Sauce
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 3-4 sprigs fresh tarragon, (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 sticks butter, (1 cup) cut into cubes
- ¼ teaspoon salt, (or to taste)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the vinegar, white wine, shallots, and about half of the tarragon. Simmer until reduced to about 2 tablespoon of liquid, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes.
- Set a fine-mesh sieve over a small bowl and strain the mixture, pressing on the solids. You should have about 2 tablespoons of liquid. Let cool slightly.
- In a tall, narrow container or wide-mouth pint jar, combine the egg yolks, cooled vinegar reduction, and salt.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once fully melted, remove from heat and pour into a pitcher, discarding the solids.
- Insert an immersion blender into the egg yolk mixture and blend briefly. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the hot butter and blend until smooth and thick.
- Chop the remaining tarragon and stir it into the sauce along with a splash of hot water to adjust the consistency, if needed. The sauce should be pourable but not runny.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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