EGGS BENEDICT
If I’m out to brunch somewhere, then I’m most likely ordering the eggs Benedict. It’s delicious and kind of fancy, and it’s one of my favorite breakfast dishes. When I was younger, on Christmas morning and other special occasions, my family made our own version of the Egg McMuffin—an English muffin toasted with butter and topped with Canadian bacon, a fried egg, and some cheese. Now that we eat Paleo, we make this version, which takes a little longer but is just as luxuriously creamy and satisfying as the original. SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
FOR THE MUSHROOMS AND EGGS
8 portobello mushroom caps
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Splash white vinegar
8 eggs
4 slices Canadian bacon or thick-cut ham
FOR THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted, grass-fed butter, melted
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Pinch salt
TO MAKE THE MUSHROOMS AND EGGS
- Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of each portobello mushroom cap with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place them in the pan, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. Remove them from the heat, and set aside.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a low simmer. Add the white vinegar. Crack 1 egg into a small dish. Use a large spoon to swirl the water into a slow whirlpool. Carefully slide the egg into the water and, without hitting the egg, continue the swirling motion with the spoon. Allow the egg to cook for a minute or two, until the white has set. Carefully scoop the egg out and place it on a paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- In the skillet you used for the mushrooms, heat the Canadian bacon over low heat, about 2 minutes per side.
TO MAKE THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
- Place a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (don’t let the bowl actually touch the water).
- Put the egg yolks and lemon juice in the bowl, and quickly whisk them together until the mixture becomes frothy and starts to expand, about 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle the melted butter in while stirring, and continue to whisk until the sauce has doubled in size, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, and add the cayenne and salt.
- Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve. 〉
TO ASSEMBLE THE EGGS BENEDICT
Plate each portobello mushroom cap with the bottom side facing up. Add a slice of Canadian bacon to each, top each piece of bacon with a poached egg and some hollandaise sauce, and serve.
VARIATION 1 SOUTHWESTERN BENEDICT: Switch out the Canadian bacon for ¼ cup Pulled Pork (here) or beef brisket and add a teaspoon of chipotle seasoning to your hollandaise for a spicier, heftier dish.
VARIATION 2 TOMATO BENEDICT: Use thick slices of tomato instead of the portobello mushrooms if you’re short on time and want to skip a step. This is how I order eggs Benedict in a restaurant.
PREP TIP: Poaching eggs can take some practice, but you can find egg-poaching gadgets out there that make it a lot easier. You can also make the eggs first and keep them in a very low heat oven (200°F (93°C) or lower) until you’ve assembled the rest of the dish; just undercook them a tiny bit in the pan so you don’t overcook them in the oven.
More Recipes You'll Love
Eggs benedict gets the paleo treatment here: grilled portobello caps stand in for English muffins, layered with Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and a whisked-over-water hollandaise. Luxuriously creamy and completely weekend-worthy. The whole spread takes about 45 minutes.
Pro Tips
- Brush the portobello caps with olive oil and grill them 7-8 minutes per side. They are the muffin here, so give them a real sear.
- Poach the eggs in gently simmering water with a splash of white vinegar, swirling the water into a slow whirlpool before sliding each egg in.
- Build the hollandaise over a water bath: whisk yolks and lemon juice until frothy, then drizzle in the melted butter slowly until the sauce doubles in size, 5-6 minutes.
- Poached eggs can be made first and held in a 200°F (95°C) oven - just undercook them slightly so they finish warming through.
- Variations: swap the Canadian bacon for pulled pork or brisket with chipotle in the hollandaise, or use thick tomato slices instead of mushrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is eggs benedict paleo?
This version is - portobello caps replace the English muffin, and the hollandaise is egg yolks, lemon, butter, and cayenne. No flour anywhere.
How do I poach eggs without breaking them?
Keep the water at a low simmer, swirl it into a whirlpool, and slide the egg in from a small dish. A minute or two until the white sets is all it takes.
Can I make the hollandaise ahead of time?
It is best fresh, though it can rest in a warm spot for a little while. If it separates, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water.
What can I use instead of portobello mushroom caps?
Thick tomato slices are the quick variation - they skip a cooking step and make a lighter base for the eggs.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brush both sides of each portobello mushroom cap with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Place them in the pan, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on each side.
- Remove them from the heat, and set aside.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a low simmer.
- Add the white vinegar. Crack 1 egg into a small dish. Use a large spoon to swirl the water into a slow whirlpool. Carefully slide the egg into the water and, without hitting the egg, continue the swirling motion with the spoon. Allow the egg to cook for a minute or two, until the white has set. Carefully scoop the egg out and place it on a paper towel–lined plate.
- Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- In the skillet you used for the mushrooms, heat the Canadian bacon over low heat, about 2 minutes per side.
- Place a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (don’t let the bowl actually touch the water).
- Put the egg yolks and lemon juice in the bowl, and quickly whisk them together until the mixture becomes frothy and starts to expand, about 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle the melted butter in while stirring, and continue to whisk until the sauce has doubled in size, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, and add the cayenne and salt.
- Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve. 〉
