This Heavenly Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict uses a buttery, toasty English Muffin to float salty smoked salmon, creamy avocado, and a perfectly poached egg all topped off with a smooth, zesty Hollandaise sauce.
This dish is a true showstopper! Hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but even better with these Crispy Breakfast Potatoes to soak up every last drop of that delicious Hollandaise.
This smoked salmon breakfast recipe is by far the most requested special occasion brunch in my house (I make this every year for my husband’s birthday!) and it NEVER disappoints!
As a busy mom, this recipe does take a little more effort than my typical 15-minute breakfasts, but I can guarantee it’s worth the effort. Think of it as one of those treat-yourself breakfasts perfect for birthdays, Christmas morning, or a cozy Sunday brunch with friends.
I know Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, sometimes referred to as Eggs Royale, can be a little intimidating to make at home, but I promise you I am going to hold your hand through the process with detailed steps! Let’s get to it!
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict Ingredient Highlights
I use unsalted butter for my Hollandaise sauce because that’s what I usually have on hand, but you can use salted butter and just omit or adjust the amount of added salt.
My favorite grainy mustard to use here is Grey Poupon.
Apple cider vinegar works in place of white distilled vinegar here. Truly, any smoked salmon or lox can be used. I went with Nova salmon.
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict Tips and Tricks
How I Make Quick and Easy Hollandaise Sauce
First, melt the butter and set it aside to allow it to come down to room temperature.
The Hollandaise sauce in this recipe requires two egg yolks, so the first step is to separate them from the whites! Don’t worry, it’s very easy to do so!
To separate the egg white from the yolk, crack your eggshell in half over a bowl and transfer the egg yolk back and forth between either half of the shell, allowing the egg white to fall into the bowl.
Once all of the whites have fallen into the bowl, simply place the yolk in a separate bowl and repeat with your second egg.
Don’t toss your egg whites! Use them up for this Egg White French Toast or these Candied Cinnamon Sugar Walnuts.
Add the yolks, grainy mustard, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to a blender or food processor. Then, turn the blender on high. With the blender on, pour the melted butter and continue to blend for another 10-15 seconds. Easy as that!
Adding the butter slowly and once it’s had a chance to cool with make sure you avoid the warm butter from scrambling the eggs.
How to Poach the Perfect Egg for Eggs Benedict
You can’t have heavenly Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict without a perfectly poached egg.
Get that perfect poached egg with these 5 tips:
1. Always crack your egg into a separate dish first
The one time you don’t will be the one time you break your yolk or get a dreaded bloody egg. It’s also easier to get closer to the boiling water, so your egg doesn’t have to jump off the high dive to get poached.
2. Use a large pot
I know it seems silly to use such a large pot for such a small egg, but you want to be able to comfortably fit at least 12 & 1/2 cups of liquid into the pot without it boiling over.
This allows you to take a wooden spoon and stir vigorously to form a little whirlpool in the center of your liquid. That way, when you drop the egg right in the center, it will remain in the middle of the pot, keeping it intact and cooking it evenly.
3. Use a mixture of water and vinegar
This recipe calls for 12 cups of water and 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar. Why vinegar? The vinegar actually helps the egg white cook faster so that it doesn’t separate from the yolk and scatter all around the pot.
4. Allow your eggs to dry before adding them to your Benedict
The biggest mistake you can make is transferring your egg straight from the boiling water directly onto your Eggs Benedict. I like to remove the poached egg with a sieve and place it onto a drying rack.
Your English Muffin will get soggy and the Hollandaise Sauce will slink sadly off the side of your eggs and onto your plate. I actually like to put them on a drying rack to ensure that all the water comes off.
5. Always time yourself
It’s really hard to tell how cooked your eggs are while you are cooking them—cutting into them with your knife is the moment of truth!
After much trial and error, I can confidently say that 3 minutes will get a large brown egg perfectly poached. If you are using a larger egg or if you like your yolks a little more well done, add 30 more seconds to your cook time.
Assembling Your Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict
Start with a toasted English muffin and add a generous layer of smoked salmon on top. Then, slice your avocado and place it on top of the smoked salmon.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the avocado to season it, then top it with the perfectly poached egg. Lastly, pour the Hollandaise sauce to finish it off.
If You’re Not a Fan of Hollandaise
If you’re not a fan of Hollandaise sauce or just want a simpler recipe for Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, there are several substitutes you can use. Here are some ideas:
- Breakfast Sandwich Sauce
- Avocado Ranch– you can whip this up instead of adding the sliced avocado.
- Pesto butter
- Southern style gravy
- Or simply leave it off. This recipe has avocado which gives it freshness and moisture, even without the sauce!
How I Store and Reheat Eggs Royale
Hollandaise sauce will last for 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to two months in the freezer. Aside from Eggs Royale and Eggs Benedict, Hollandaise sauce is also delicious over Roasted Asparagus!
As for the poached eggs, they will also last for two days in the fridge, but I do not recommend freezing them. Once the avocado is sliced open, it’s best to enjoy it fresh.
However, placing it in a container and covering it with water will keep it from browning for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Heavenly Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEIngredients
Hollandaise Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (1 lemon = approx. 4 tablespoons juice)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
Poached Eggs
- 12 cups boiling water
- ½ cup white distilled vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 4 large eggs
Eggs Benedict
- 2 English Muffins
- 3 ounces smoked salmon
- 1 hass avocado
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Hollandaise Sauce
- In a microwave-safe dish, melt the butter in 20-second intervals until it is completely liquefied. Set aside to cool.4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Separate your egg yolks from the whites by cracking the eggshell in half over a small bowl. Transfer the egg yolk back and forth between the two halves of eggshell, allowing the egg white to fall into the bowl underneath. Then, place the yolk into a separate bowl or ramekin and repeat with the second egg.2 large egg yolks
- Add the yolks, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to your blender. Turn the blender on high. With the blender on, slowly pour in the melted butter and blend for another 10-15 seconds until smooth.1 tablespoon grainy mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 pinch of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Poached Eggs
- In a large pot, bring 12 cups of water and 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar to a rolling boil.12 cups boiling water, ½ cup white distilled vinegar
- Crack your egg into a small ramekin or bowl. This will give you a chance to remove any eggshells that may have fallen in. It also allows you to drop the egg into the water bath more easily.
- Stir the boiling water vigorously to form a whirlpool in the center of your pot. Drop the egg in the center of your whirlpool and cook for 3 minutes. Remove carefully with a small sieve or slotted spoon and set aside to dry (*see notes). Repeat for all 4 eggs, cooking for 3 minutes each.4 large eggs
Eggs Benedict Assembly
- Prep your ingredients by toasting your English Muffins, slicing and seasoning your avocado with salt and pepper, and separating 4 English-muffin-sized portions of smoked salmon.2 English Muffins
- Add an even layer of smoked salmon on each piece of English Muffin and top with sliced and seasoned avocado.3 ounces smoked salmon, 1 hass avocado, salt and pepper to taste
- Top with poached eggs and pour over a generous amount of Hollandaise sauce. Serve warm.
Pro Tips
- *If you are taking your time with the eggs and want to take the pressure off of all the multi-tasking, you can keep your poached eggs warm in the oven to give yourself time to assemble the rest of the Benedict. Use the “keep warm” setting on your oven if you have one, otherwise set it to its lowest temperature (usually 200°F).
- Allow the water to dry off of your fresh poached eggs before adding it to your muffin to avoid sogginess.
- If your Hollandaise cools too much and hardens, you can very gently reheat it, stirring constantly. I usually put it in a small creamer or ramekin and hold it over the pot the eggs are poaching in, using the steam to heat and loosen it. You can also put it in a pot and heat on low, whisking continuously.
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The Inspiration Behind This Dish
The first time I had this brunch beauty was at my favorite breakfast joint Briarpatch, which has quickly become my go-to morning hangover spot (because nothing cures a hangover like a black coffee, a five-stack of pancakes, and a heaping pile of scrambled eggs and hashbrowns).
My husband and I have a delicious—and in my opinion, romantic—tradition of splitting the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict and Classic French Toast. So it became my mission to perfect this dish before our wedding anniversary.
It is now a new anniversary breakfast-in-bed tradition.
Cheers!
3 thoughts on “Heavenly Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict”
Wow – that’s definitely another one to add to my favourites – keep them coming Marley – great job!!
(Review provided by a family/friend of marleysmenu.com)
Couldn’t wait to try. Found it absolutely delicious and easy.
more recipes please
Hi Joyce! Oh yay I’m so pleased!! Working on more recipes as we speak