Even though I mostly stick to a plant-based diet, my absolute favorite breakfast dish is Eggs Benedict with sliced tomato, steamed spinach, and yes — a poached egg. I just love that warm stack of vegetables topped with runny yolk and creamy Hollandaise sauce. But knowing it’s not very good for me, I only order it on the rare occasion that we go out for brunch. Well I’ve decided that this is far too infrequent for me to be eating such a wonderful breakfast, so I decided to improve my (and your) life by concocting a more healthful version! You’re welcome.
I quickly realized that the biggest challenge to this endeavor would be to come up with a vegan Hollandaise sauce. After all, real Hollandaise is just egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and butter or heavy cream. Oy.
Sometimes I surprise myself, and this is one of those times. This recipe is so good, I bet you could serve this to unsuspecting non-vegans without their knowing it’s not the real thing. Afterwards you can break the news, and they’ll be like . . .
“SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!”
If you do try to trick people into being healthy, I suggest adding a pinch of turmeric to the recipe to give it more of a yellow color. As it is, it’s a creamy white.
The secret ingredient to this sauce is canned artichoke hearts. I tried to think of something that would replicate the salty, tangy flavor of Hollandaise, and that’s what I ended up using. Artichokes, combined with the tartness of lemon juice and the creaminess of blended cashews and nutritional yeast created the flavor and texture I wanted. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Hollandaise Sauce (Vegan)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 1 hour, drained
- 1 15-oz. can artichoke hearts, tough outer leaves removed, water reserved
- 2 T. nutritional yeast
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup + 2 T. artichoke water
- 1/4 t. sea salt, plus more to taste
- Optional: pinch of turmeric (for yellow color)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until completely smooth. If sauce is too thick, add more water to reach desired consistency. Serve warm over Eggs Benedict, cooked asparagus, fish, etc.
Tip: This sauce can be made ahead of time and kept covered in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring to reduce formation of clumps. Add more lemon juice (about half a lemon), because it tends to lose its acidity when stored.
Hollandaise sauce (sans turmeric)
Hollandaise with a pinch of turmeric to give it a slight yellow color
This Hollandaise sauce would be great over steamed asparagus, grilled veggies, or roasted tomatoes!
Update: One reader tried this recipe and said she actually prefers it to the traditional Hollandaise sauce! I’m biased, but I agree! 🙂
Try it and let me know what you think!
[…] Since I’m a dietitian, I have to start by saying that eggs are not necessarily a health food. I’d say I eat one egg per week, if that. But since it’s New Years Day, I wanted to make my husband a special breakfast and use my new vegan Hollandaise sauce recipe. […]