Hazelnut Free Fennel Béarnaise Sauce

Total time30 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time15 min

4.9

(19)

Béarnaise is one of those sauces that feels impossibly luxurious — silky, buttery, and fragrant with fresh tarragon — and this version adds a gentle twist with finely chopped fennel built right into the reduction. The fennel softens into the white grape juice and water as it simmers down, lending a subtle anise sweetness that plays beautifully against the richness of the finished sauce. Every ingredient here is straightforward and naturally free of tree nuts, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about hidden allergens sneaking into your hollandaise-style base. The double-boiler technique keeps the pasteurized egg yolks from scrambling while you whisk in the butter piece by piece, building that glossy, spoon-coating texture classic French cooking is famous for. Reaching 160°F ensures the sauce is both food-safe and perfectly set — no guesswork, just a reliable result every time. Spoon it over grilled steak, roasted asparagus, or poached fish and watch it disappear fast.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the reduction

3 tbsp white grape juice
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp fresh tarragon stems, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fennel bulb, finely chopped

For the sauce

3 pasteurized egg yolks
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-tbsp pieces
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped

Instructions

1
Combine the white grape juice, water, chopped tarragon stems, and fennel in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces to about 2 tablespoons, 5–7 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, pressing the solids to extract all the liquid; discard the solids.
2
Add the pasteurized egg yolks to the strained reduction in the heatproof bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.

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