Xanthan Gum Free Ginger-Lime Béarnaise
Classic béarnaise is already a naturally thickener-free sauce — the magic comes entirely from the emulsion of egg yolks and butter — so this ginger-lime riff fits beautifully into a xanthan-free kitchen without any workarounds or substitutions. What makes this version exciting is the aromatic reduction built from fresh lime juice, dry white wine, rice wine vinegar, grated ginger, and shallot, which gets cooked down to an intensely flavored tablespoon before the eggs ever hit the bowl. That concentrated base gives the finished sauce a bright, citrusy backbone with a gentle heat that feels genuinely different from anything you'd find in a jar. The bain-marie method keeps the yolks from scrambling while you whisk in cold butter cube by cube, building a glossy, velvety emulsion that clings beautifully to whatever it's spooned over. A final stir of fresh ginger, lime zest, and a squeeze of juice keeps the flavors vivid and alive rather than muted by heat. It's the kind of sauce that makes a simple piece of fish or grilled chicken feel like a restaurant plate — and every single ingredient is exactly what it says it is, no stabilizers needed.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the reduction
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated (about a 1-inch piece)
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- ¼ tsp white pepper
For the sauce
- 3 pasteurized egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cold water
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp lime zest
- salt, to taste
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
- 1
Combine the lime juice, white wine, rice wine vinegar, grated ginger, minced shallot, and white pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 4–5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, pressing on the solids; discard the solids. Let the reduction cool for 2 minutes.
- 2
Add the pasteurized egg yolks and cold water to the bowl with the cooled reduction and whisk until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
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