5best2buy
The Recipe · No.760 · Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise Sauce, and where to source it

Hollandaise Sauce — 5best2buy.com 5BEST2BUY.COM Hollandaise Sauce French 5best2buy.com

Whisk the yolks with a little water and acid over gentle steam until they thicken before any butter goes in. If the bowl gets too hot the yolks seize and scramble; low, steady heat and constant whisking keep the sauce smooth and pourable.

By Vince Gonzalez · Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026

Prep10 min
Cook5 min
Makesabout 1 cup
CuisineFrench
Cost$
VegetarianGluten-free
Contains  dairy · eggs
Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Cook for 1 cup
Our ratio, your call. The amounts below are a tested starting point — a version, not the one and only. Anything tagged to taste is the knob you turn: start there, then make it yours.
Egg yolks
Fresh yolks are the emulsifier and the body. Deep-gold pasture yolks give a richer color.
3recommended
Source it →
Butter
Melted and kept warm, not boiling. A good cultured butter makes a rounder sauce.
1/2 cuprecommended
Source it →
Lemon juice
The acid that cuts the richness; freshly squeezed. Fresh.
1 tbsprecommended
Source it →
Cayenne and salt
A pinch of cayenne for warmth and salt to season. A fresh cayenne is brighter.
to tasteto taste
Source it →
The Rundown
Greedometer ●●●●● Barely a splurge
A light hand — your arteries say thanks.
EffortEasy
Cook it with
No-cook
The Method
  1. Start the baseWhisk the yolks, lemon juice, a splash of water, and salt in a metal bowl.
  2. Cook the yolksSet the bowl over barely-simmering water and whisk constantly until it thickens to coat a spoon.
  3. Add the butterOff the heat, stream in the warm butter slowly while whisking until thick and glossy.
  4. AdjustWhisk in a little warm water and cayenne if it gets too thick or starts to tighten.
The Toolkit

Metal bowl · Saucepan · Whisk

Straight Answers
Can you freeze Hollandaise Sauce? — Not ideal

Not really — the cream, custard, or emulsion turns grainy or splits once thawed. This one is best kept fresh in the fridge.

Can you make Hollandaise Sauce ahead of time? — Yes

Yes — it keeps in the fridge for several days; stir or shake it before serving.

Is Hollandaise Sauce gluten-free? — Yes

Yes — nothing in this recipe as written contains gluten. As always, glance at the labels on any packaged items (broth, sauces, chocolate), since brands vary.

Is Hollandaise Sauce vegan? — Vegetarian, not vegan

It’s vegetarian but not vegan as written — it has dairy and egg. Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.

Community Notes

Made it, tweaked it, or recognize which restaurant this tastes like? Leave a note — first-name basis, no account.

Loading notes…

Notes are public and posted as written. Be kind, no links. Spam and abuse get removed.

More French recipes
Beef TartareBaguetteBeef ConsomméVichyssoisePoule au PotChateaubriand
All French recipes →  ·  Browse all 1433 →
One list, with a link to where to buy each one.

Some ingredient and tool links are affiliate links — if you buy through one, 5best2buy may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never costs the maker anything, and it never decides who we recommend. The list is the list.
© 2026 5best2buy.com · Recipe No.760

Open data. Every maker on this site is published as a free dataset under CC BY 4.0 — use it in anything, commercial or not, as long as you credit 5best2buy. Browse the datasets →