Easy Béarnaise Sauce
Classic Béarnaise sauce made easy with an immersion blender. Rich, buttery, and packed with fresh tarragon, it’s the perfect finish for steak, salmon, or vegetables.
Servings: 6 servings
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
Use fresh tarragon if possible: It gives the sauce its signature flavor and brightness. Dried works in a pinch but is less aromatic.
Immersion blender tip: A tall, narrow container helps create a strong vortex for a smooth emulsion.
Make-ahead: The vinegar reduction can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge.
Reheating: Gently warm the sauce in a bowl set over warm water. Avoid microwaving, which can break the emulsion.
Serving ideas: Spoon over steak, salmon, roasted potatoes, or asparagus. Great in eggs Benedict or steak Oscar.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 228IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
