Hollandaise and béarnaise are delicious staples in French cuisine, and the similar appearances of these two luscious, pale yellow sauces makes them seem almost identical. Dont be fooled — while both are made from a base of butter and eggs, their flavors diverge from there, making them uniquely suited to different purposes.
Both of these sauces take patience and skill to whip up the traditional way. The ingredients must be whisked constantly as they cook over very low heat to create a smooth emulsion. A basic hollandaise sauce recipe includes just egg yolks, butter, lemon juice, and salt. Whisked egg yolks and water are delicately cooked in a double boiler, then melted butter is slowly poured in to create a creamy finish. Lemon, salt, and maybe a dash of cayenne or white pepper are mixed in at the end.
Béarnaise uses mostly the same technique, but with a more flavorful base. It gets a distinct tanginess from a wine vinegar reduction — which sometimes includes extra white wine — that has been infused with shallots, black pepper, and fresh herbs like tarragon or chervil. Lemon juice is sometimes added to make it extra bright and zippy. The shallots and herbs are strained out of the reduction and mixed with egg yolks before the mixture is cooked. The result is a creamy sauce with a punchier, more herbaceous flavor profile.
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.
When to use hollandaise versus béarnaise
Hollandaise and béarnaise can often be used interchangeably, but for some dishes, one sauce works better than the other. Both are among the best sauces and condiments for eggs, with hollandaise being famous worldwide as a topping for a traditional eggs Benedict recipe. Theyre also both delicious when poured over roasted vegetables. For most dishes, though, you should consider the flavor profiles of each sauce in order to create the most harmonious result.
Opt for hollandaise when you want to highlight the delicate flavors of more mild ingredients. The sauce is bright and rich, yet not overly assertive. Lightly-cooked vegetables and steamed or poached seafood will benefit from a generous spoonful. Blanched asparagus, silky filets of salmon, or artichoke hearts will also be delectable with a sheen of hollandaise, while their inherent flavors still sing loud and clear.
Béarnaise would be delicious with these same dishes, but this steakhouse classic can also stand up to heartier dishes. You should choose it over hollandaise when you want a little more boldness and depth. The acidity in béarnaise can complement not only a seared steak, but also a hearty piece of grilled white fish or some pan-roasted mushrooms. Using béarnaise in place of hollandaise can also jazz up the aforementioned eggs Benedict.
And if you need even more inspiration to make these sauces, what better way to start cooking than being enticed by a trio of celebrities? On YouTube, you can watch a classic video of Julia Child making Béarnaise sauce with Martha Stewart and celebrated chef Jacques Pepin and possibly pick up on more tips and tricks while watching.
Most of us have tasted a variety of sauces in our life, from ketchup on a thick, juicy burger to mayonnaise for dunking greasy french fries to salty soy sauce for dipping a delectable piece of sushi. And sauce connoisseurs will surely know a thing or two about the famous five French mother sauces, especially if theyre fans of eggs Benedict served with a dollop of tasty hollandaise sauce on top. Michelin Guide reports that the five mother sauces originally consisted of only four sauces, created by Antonin Careme in the 19th century. However, Auguste Escoffier chucked out one Caremes sauces years later and added two new sauces, completing the five French mother sauces we know and love today.
The main difference between the two is that Béarnaise uses white wine vinegar for acidity, while hollandaise is usually made with lemon juice. Both sauces are instantly recognizable for their pale yellow color and smooth, creamy consistency. But each one is typically used to flavor different dishes and ingredients. For example, hollandaise is often added to eggs Benedict and steamed asparagus, and it goes exceptionally well with poached fish. Béarnaise, on the other hand, is most often served with grilled meat such as steaks. However, it also goes well with grilled fish (per The Kitchn).
MasterClass reports that hollandaise sauce consists of egg yolk “emulsified with unsalted butter and acid.” On the other hand, Béarnaise sauce uses all the same ingredients and builds on them with added shallots and tarragon. Chef and cookbook author Thomas Keller provided his recipe for MasterClass in which he reduced the hollandaise and added heavy cream, egg yolks, peppercorns, white wine, vinegar, clarified butter, tarragon, and shallots to make a Béarnaise. Keller recommends serving the sauce warm.
They can be divided into two groups: white sauces and brown sauces. The brown sauces are sauce Espagnole and sauce tomat, while the white ones are béchamel, velouté, and hollandaise. And if you love hollandaise as much as we do, you might have also heard of sauce Béarnaise because its actually “a variation on hollandaise” that was created by chef Jules Colette in Paris in the 1830s. The sauce was aptly named in honor of the French province of Béarn (via Our Everyday Life). However, béarnaise and hollandaise sauces are pretty much alike, so it can be easy to confuse them. Luckily, we know the real difference between the two sauces.
What is the difference between hollandaise and bearnaise sauce?
FAQ
Can you substitute bearnaise sauce for hollandaise sauce?
Which is better on steak hollandaise or béarnaise?
What’s the difference between hollandaise sauce and Benedict sauce?
What is bearnaise sauce used for?
How does Béarnaise sauce differ from hollandaise sauce?
This sauce differs from hollandaise in the ingredients used, as well as the food it’s served with. Béarnaise gets its acidity from white wine vinegar, rather than the lemon juice used in hollandaise sauce. It is also flavored with shallots and fresh herbs, like tarragon and chervil.
What is Béarnaise sauce?
Béarnaise sauce was introduced later, and is a derivative of hollandaise. This sauce differs from hollandaise in the ingredients used, as well as the food it’s served with. Béarnaise gets its acidity from white wine vinegar, rather than the lemon juice used in hollandaise sauce.
Is hollandaise better than Béarnaise?
Hollandaise and béarnaise can often be used interchangeably, but for some dishes, one sauce works better than the other. Both are among the best sauces and condiments for eggs, with hollandaise being famous worldwide as a topping for a traditional eggs Benedict recipe. They’re also both delicious when poured over roasted vegetables.
How do you make Béarnaise sauce?
Béarnaise sauce builds on hollandaise with egg yolks, butter, white wine vinegar, shallots, and tarragon. Find Chef Thomas Keller’s hollandaise recipe here, then follow his method below to transform hollandaise into béarnaise sauce.