Béarnaise Sauce

A descendant of hollandaise, béarnaise is a traditional French sauce with a thick, creamy texture and rich flavor. Built on a basic emulsion of egg yolks, butter, and acid, béarnaise differs from its Mother Sauce in two major ways: first is the source of acid. Classic hollandaise sauce is made with lemon juice, then seasoned simply with salt, and sometimes white pepper and cayenne. Béarnaise instead relies on punchy white wine vinegar, sometimes in concert with fresh lemon. The second major difference is that béarnaise sauce is flavored with sautéed shallots, black pepper, and licorice-like tarragon, occasionally among other fresh herbs.

Some béarnaise recipes call for clarified butter, but sticks of unsalted butter work just as well here (for the richest béarnaise, seek out butter with at least 82% butterfat). Instead of whisking by hand to emulsify the sauce, this recipe streamlines the process with a blender—preferably a high-power model like a Vitamix, but an immersion blender will work too. The process is the same as making a blender hollandaise: Stream in the melted butter slowly—very slowly—to emulsify the egg mixture. Pour the butter in too fast and the sauce will split.

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.