Nitrate & Nitrite Free Hollandaise Sauce with Ginger & Fennel
Rich, velvety, and just a little unexpected, this hollandaise gets a bright lift from fresh ginger and the delicate anise note of fennel fronds. It's the kind of sauce that makes a simple poached egg or steamed vegetable feel genuinely special. Every ingredient here is clean and straightforward — pasteurized egg yolks, unsalted butter, white wine vinegar, and fresh aromatics — so there's no need to second-guess labels or worry about hidden preservatives sneaking into your meal. The double-boiler method keeps the heat gentle and controlled, coaxing the yolks into a silky emulsion without scrambling them. Adding the melted butter in a slow, steady drizzle is the real key to that glossy, spoon-coating texture that makes hollandaise so satisfying. The ginger adds a subtle warmth that cuts through the richness beautifully, and the optional fennel fronds finish it with a pop of color and freshness. Make it right before serving and it will be the best thing on the plate.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 pasteurized egg yolks
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh fennel fronds, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until fully liquid, then remove from the heat and set aside — it should be warm but not bubbling.
- 2
Fill the same saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat. Set a heatproof bowl over the pan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
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