Citric Acid Free Ginger-Lime Hollandaise
Hollandaise is one of those sauces that feels impossibly luxurious, and this ginger-lime version takes that richness somewhere bright and unexpected. The combination of fresh lime juice, fragrant grated ginger, and a whisper of lime zest cuts right through the buttery base, giving you a sauce that's velvety but alive with flavor. For anyone avoiding citric acid — the kind that shows up as a preservative in bottled sauces, store-bought condiments, and even some packaged butter — making hollandaise from scratch is genuinely the cleanest path forward. Every ingredient here is whole and straightforward: pasteurized egg yolks, real unsalted butter, fresh citrus, and aromatics you grate yourself. The double-boiler method keeps the eggs gently cooked to a safe 160°F without scrambling them, and adding the butter piece by piece builds that signature silky emulsion. A pinch of cayenne at the end is optional but adds just enough warmth to make the ginger pop. Spoon it over poached eggs, grilled fish, or roasted asparagus and prepare for people to ask you for the recipe.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 pasteurized egg yolks
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tbsp cold water
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp lime zest, finely grated
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Cut the butter into 8 roughly equal pieces and set aside at room temperature. Fill a small saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat — the water should steam but not boil.
- 2
In a heatproof bowl that fits snugly over the saucepan without touching the water, whisk together the pasteurized egg yolks, lime juice, and cold water until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
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