Pregnancy Friendly Fennel Béarnaise Sauce
Classic béarnaise is one of those sauces that often gets quietly crossed off the list during pregnancy because of the raw or barely-cooked egg yolk situation — but this version is built specifically to sidestep that concern. The egg yolks are pasteurized before they ever hit the bowl, and the double-boiler method brings the mixture all the way to 160°F, the established food-safety threshold for cooked egg sauces, so you get every bit of the richness without the worry. White grape juice stands in for the traditional white wine, delivering that same bright, slightly tart backbone for the reduction without any alcohol in the mix. Fennel adds a gentle, anise-like sweetness that plays beautifully with the fresh tarragon, making this feel a little more interesting than a standard béarnaise while still being unmistakably luxurious. The butter goes in one tablespoon at a time, which sounds fussy but is genuinely the secret to that glossy, velvety texture that clings perfectly to whatever you're serving it over. Steak, roasted vegetables, poached fish, steamed asparagus — this sauce makes everything feel like a special occasion. It's the kind of recipe that proves you really don't have to give up the good stuff.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the reduction
- 3 tbsp white grape juice
Ingredient noteMake sure to buy pasteurized juice. If making at home, make sure to wash all produce thoroughly.
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon stems, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fennel bulb, finely chopped
For the sauce
- 3 pasteurized egg yolksIngredient note
The eggs here are pasteurized, which kills salmonella, so the egg itself is fine during pregnancy even when it is not cooked.
- 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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