Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with Lemon Hollandaise Sauce
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Salmon Benedict is the ultimate Sunday brunch recipe. Rich smoked salmon melts into cream cheese, complemented by the briny burst of capers and sharpness of red onions. Pour some velvety lemon hollandaise over to tie everything together.
Bonus: I’ve got tips to make ahead for a group. It’s perfect for serving a crowd, whether you’re hosting guests, celebrating Mother’s Day, or simply treating your family to something special.
You’re in for a treat with this salmon Benedict, one of my favorite ways to make brunch feel extra special. Smoked salmon steals the show, paired with rich, velvety cream cheese and topped with crunchy red onions, briny capers, and buttery hollandaise that brings everything together.
It’s exactly the kind of dish I love waking up to on a relaxed Sunday morning. With a few easy make-ahead steps, it’s also perfect for serving to a group, so you can enjoy brunch with your guests instead of standing in the kitchen the whole time.
This seafood version of the classic eggs Benedict (which I also love) is a fantastic way to switch up your brunch routine.
Ingredients notes
A salmon benedict is always delicious, but adding the right finishing touches elevates it to another level! Little items like capers and thin red onions make you seem like a maestro in the kitchen. This is what you need:
- Ingredients: English muffins, eggs, cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, thinly sliced red onion, a pinch of black pepper
- Lemon hollandaise sauce: Egg yolks, water, butter, fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of sea salt combine to make a delicious sauce with a velvety consistency.
How to poach eggs for a brunch party
If you have a crowd coming over and want to impress the socks off your guests, serve them up some salmon benedicts! No one wants to be stuck poaching eggs for a group – even poaching them for a family of four might be intimidating. Rest assured, we have a little tip that makes it super simple … Just partially pre-poach your eggs so you can finish them all at the same time. It’s actually super simple, and how restaurants turn out so many perfectly poached eggs at brunch – here’s the instructions:
- First, fill a large bowl with water and ice, keeping it to the side so you can immediately cool down any partially poached eggs, stopping the cooking process. Poach an egg for two minutes, remove it with a slotted spoon, then place it in the ice water. Repeat with all the remaining eggs you’ll be serving.
- Once they’re cold, you can stash them in the fridge in cold water for up to 5 days.
- When you’re ready to impress with smoked salmon eggs benedict, just simmer some water, drop in your pre-poached eggs all at once for 2 minutes, and voila – it’s service time!
What to serve with salmon benedict
Smoked salmon benedict is impressive enough on it’s own that you can serve it next to a handful of arugula or a spring mix salad and call it a day. You can also add some grilled tomatoes, garlic butter asparagus, or sliced avocado to the plate. Enjoy with an Irish cream latte or a green breakfast smoothie – or go straight for a mimosa!
For something a little unique, try my Mexican egg Benedict with guacamole and chipotle hollandaise. Or, to switch things up while sticking to the seafood theme, my coconut shrimp eggs Benedict with green curry hollandaise is an excellent option.
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with Lemon Hollandaise Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 English muffins (cut in half)
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese
- 3 ounces smoked salmon (salmon lox)
- 2 teaspoons capers
- Thinly sliced red onion
- A pinch of black pepper
Lemon Hollandaise Sauce
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- A pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the hollandaise sauce. Add the egg yolks and water to a small frying pan. Holding the pan 2 inches above an element on medium-high and whisk the eggs until they are frothy and warm. Add the butter to the pan (do not place the pan on the element!) and whisk until the hollandaise is thick. Whisk in the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and set the pan aside.2 large egg yolks, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, A pinch of sea salt
- Lightly toast the English muffins either in a toaster or by frying them in a little butter on their cut sides. Place them on plates and then spread the cream cheese on top. Divide the smoked salmon between them.2 English muffins, 4 tablespoons cream cheese, 3 ounces smoked salmon
- When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat so that it gently simmers. Crack the eggs in one at a time and let them cook for 4 minutes. Remove them from the pot using a slotted spoon and place one egg on top of each English muffin.4 large eggs
- Pour the hollandaise sauce over the eggs and top with a few slices of red onion, some capers, and a little black pepper.2 teaspoons capers, Thinly sliced red onion, A pinch of black pepper
- If you’re serving this with arugula, toss a few handfuls of baby arugula with a drizzle of olive oil and place the salad beside the eggs benedict.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Tips for poaching eggs
Poaching eggs has a reputation of being a bit finnicky, however once you learn a few tips, it’s actually really simple to do. You’ll get the best result with the freshest eggs, as fresh eggs hold their shape better. Here are the steps we follow for perfectly poached eggs every time:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil and crack your egg into a small cup, small bowl, or ramekin. This helps prevent the egg from dispersing if you crack it directly into the water. You can make a few eggs at a time, just be careful not to overcrowd your pot.
- Stir the simmering water in a circular motion to create a vortex.
- When the water is swirling, gently add the eggs.
- Cook for about 3 minutes. They will be firm on the outside and runny on the inside.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg (or eggs) and place them on a plate.
Some people also add a splash of white vinegar to the pot – this is optional, but it helps coagulate the egg whites.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make a dill hollandaise?
Adding finely chopped fresh dill to your hollandaise at the end of cooking will brighten the dish, adding a fresh, herbaceous note that complements the lemon perfectly.
How do I reheat the lemon hollandaise sauce?
To warm the sauce, avoid using the microwave. Instead, transfer the sauce to a heat-resistant glass bowl or container, then immerse it in a bowl of hot water. Allow it to rest, stirring occasionally, until it is thoroughly heated. This way, you’ll gently reheat the sauce and avoid cooking the egg yolk, altering the flavor and texture.
More egg brunch recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of my breakfast recipes!
It looks delicious and I’ve had eggs benedict with salmon before(awesome).
There has to be a better way to make the hollandaise. This was so awkward
If you find it difficult to hold the pot over the element you can set it over a pot of simmering water.
I just finished eating this for breakfast, and I will definitely be making this one again! Wow!
We made these for brunch with some friends, one of whom is gluten-free. She had never had eggs benedict before but had always wanted to try it. She (and all of us for that matter) absolutely loved this recipe!! Thanks!
Tonight was my first time making hollandaise sauce. Your instructions were really easy to follow and made the whole process a lot less intimidating. Thank you, everything turned out perfectly 🙂
You’re very welcome!
Why do you call it “Eggs Benedict”, which is made with ham? If it’s made with spinach, it’s called “Eggs Florentine”, and if it’s made with smoked salmon, it’s called “Eggs Royale”.
Where I’m from, we call all variations of poached eggs on English muffins with hollandaise Eggs Benedict. Or more affectionately, Eggs Benny. 🙂
I’d love to give 10 stars, please. 😉 Seriously, I’ve been so scared of making eggs benedict and this was SO easy. All of the flavors blended together so seamlessly – this might be my new favorite breakfast. I can’t wait to serve this to my friends and family (as soon as I can hang out with my friends and family…). Simply delicious.
Absolutely delicious and super easy! Thank you!
Fantastic! I will definitely be making this again.
Yay!!
Loved it! Super easy and so tasty!! I had it on the bed of arugula and it was amazing!
I’m so happy to hear you love the recipe!
Delish…..eating some as w3 speak…..great tip to premake the eggs if you have a crowd…..Thanks
So happy to hear you like the recipe!
That pre-poaching trick is genius!! I can’t wait to give it a try this weekend. Making poached eggs for brunch is definitely one of my favourites…but trying to time them out so everyone can eat at the same time is too tricky. Thanks so much!!
Megan
It’ll make your brunch making life so much easier! I hope you like these bennies as much as I do!
This is such a great recipe! I was always scared to make holandaise sauce but you convinced me and it turned out great. I have a new weekend habit!
I’m so happy you conquered your hollandaise fear! Yaaaa!!
This sounds like a mash-up of my two favorite breakfasts!
Now I’m curious what your two favorites are!
LOVE eggs benedict but I’m always hesitant to order them at a restaurant because there is such a fine line between under/over cooked! I’m not one to send back a dish but have had to on a few occasions because I don’t want a boiled egg! Your hollandaise recipe is spot on as well!
It totally is a fine line between being under/over cooked. Luckily for me I prefer my eggs on the over done side so it’s easier to order at a restaurant 🙂
I’m a total sucker for brunch too. Seems dangerous to know how to make it at home.
It totally is dangerous!