What are the best sides for Eggs Benedict? Eggs Benedict combines English muffins, bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. Continue the luxurious theme with a cheesy salmon and potato bake or a sweet and creamy combination of sausage and apples. Choose sides to complement the richness of the Eggs Benedict, like wholesome pancakes, zesty blueberry compote, or a chilled avocado soup. Simply prepared vegetables are ideal, adding color and brightness, like kale, asparagus, and tomatoes.
With Eggs Benedict at the center, build your brunch so that your guests will linger around the table, enjoying sweet and savory sides.
Salmon And Potato Bake
Combine two brunch favorites, salmon and potatoes, in this hearty casserole, especially good as a side in chilly weather or when you’ve got a table full of guests.
If you have precooked baked potatoes, use those, or cook enough potatoes for four cups of sliced potatoes – you can bake them at 350⁰F for an hour or so.
Make a white sauce with two tablespoons of butter, three tablespoons of flour, a pinch of salt, and two cups of milk.
Open two cans of salmon, drain, and flake, removing any bones and skin. Stir the salmon into the white sauce. (You can also use leftover cooked salmon.)
In an ovenproof dish, layer the potatoes alternately with the salmon mixture. Top with a mix of ½ cup of mayonnaise, ½ cup of grated Cheddar cheese, a teaspoon of French mustard, and a pinch of paprika.
Cover the casserole with more grated cheese and bake for 30 minutes.
Creamy Sausages And Apples
For an indulgent brunch side, add extra pork in the form of breakfast sausages and the freshness of apples to cut through the richness.
Fry or grill sausages of your choice over moderate heat. Set aside.
In a separate pan, fry sliced and cored apples in two tablespoons of butter until golden. Place on top of the sausages and keep warm.
Add ½ cup of apple cider or white wine to the apple pan, bring to a boil, and reduce slightly. Add a tablespoon of brandy and ½ cup of cream.
Reduce the heat and stir well until the sauce thickens. Season well with salt and pepper.
Pour the creamy sauce over the sausages and apples and serve immediately.
Wholesome Pancakes
These light, wholewheat pancakes are delicious as a sweet side with your eggs when you don’t feel like a decadent dessert.
Add fresh berries, mashed banana, or chopped nuts to the batter, or serve with bacon and sausages.
Heat your griddle pan.
Combine two cups of wholewheat flour, ⅔ cup of wheat germ, a teaspoon of salt, and two tablespoons of baking powder.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat four eggs, 2½ cups of milk or buttermilk, ¼ cup of honey, and six tablespoons of canola oil.
Add the eggy liquid to the dry ingredients and beat thoroughly with a whisk. Add an extra tablespoon of milk if the batter is too thick.
Fry ¼ cup at a time on the hot pan, flipping the pancakes when bubbles appear.
Serve with butter, maple syrup, and honey.
Blueberry Compote
Serve this delicious mixture of fruit in syrup with pancakes, over granola, or a coffee cake. Blueberries make an excellent accompaniment to Eggs Benedict, adding sweetness, color, and flavor.
You will need about a pound of frozen blueberries, thawing them and straining the juice. Reserve the juice.
Combine two tablespoons of juice with two tablespoons of cornstarch, stirring until dissolved.
In a small saucepan, combine at least ½ cup of juice, ¼ cup of honey, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixture and the berries.
Stir well and remove from the heat.
Chilled Avocado Soup
A chilled soup is a delightfully refreshing side for Eggs Benedict, suitably creamy to pair with the rich eggs but light enough to enjoy a bowlful.
Puree two peeled and stoned avocados with a cup of heavy cream. Add two pints of chilled chicken stock, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and generous pinches of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Chill the soup.
Kale With Garlic And Parmesan
Spinach is a standard brunch side, especially if you’re making Eggs Florentine for vegetarians. Change it up with nutritious, fresh kale.
Steam 12 cups of coarsely chopped young kale until tender, about half an hour. Drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Fry six garlic cloves until golden. Remove the garlic and reserve the oil.
Toss the kale in the garlic-scented oil, adding salt and extra olive oil. Cook for five more minutes, stirring.
Add ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, cook for three minutes and serve immediately.
Buttered Asparagus
The herbaceous elegance of green asparagus makes it an ideal pairing with Eggs Benedict. This simple preparation lets the asparagus shine.
Trim fresh asparagus spears and boil for 8-10 minutes in salted water or grill for five minutes.
Melt ½ cup of butter with white pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Pour over the asparagus and serve immediately.
Tomato And Yogurt Salad
If you’re having an egg-based brunch, it’s always lovely to have a light, refreshing salad.
Combine ½ cup Greek yogurt, a tablespoon of mayonnaise, two teaspoons of freshly chopped dill, two teaspoons of lemon juice, a pinch of mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Peel, deseed, and slice three large ripe tomatoes. Arrange the tomatoes in overlapping rows on a serving platter and drizzle over the yogurt dressing.
Best Wine Pairings For Eggs Benedict
Brunch and sparkling wine go hand in hand, for a good reason. Apart from the low alcohol levels, sparkling wine’s acidity and bubbles cleanse the palate of the richness of eggs and butter.
Try Crémant de Alsace, Blanc de Blancs Champagne, or Blanc de Brut.
A cocktail based on sparkling wine, like a Mimosa, is also a great idea, as you get the acid of the orange juice.
White wines are another excellent choice for Eggs Benedict. A slightly sweet Riesling offsets the sweetness of bacon while the citrus undertones cut through the Hollandaise.
A Sauvignon Blanc is also delicious, as is Grillo, both of which pair well with soft eggs. Chenin Blanc, especially a semi-sweet South African or Californian variety, is lovely if you add a dessert to your brunch.
Rosé wines are also delightful brunch wines, especially fruit-forward, pale pink varieties from France. They’re savory, crisp, and refreshing.
Best Sauces For Eggs Benedict
The traditional sauce for Eggs Benedict is a Hollandaise sauce, which takes time and skill to prepare. Try this recipe for quick Hollandaise that takes only 10 minutes.
Slowly melt ten tablespoons of salted butter on low heat. Some chefs cook the butter until it turns brown and nutty.
Separate two eggs and place the egg yolks in a blender. Blend until the eggs turn light yellow.
Add one tablespoon of lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Blend again for 30 seconds – no less. This step is essential for making the sauce light.
Slowly add the butter through the top of the blender, keeping the speed on as low as possible. Mix until the butter is incorporated.
Switch off the blender and taste the sauce – it should be buttery and lemony. Season and use the sauce while warm.
For attractive alternatives to Hollandaise, try a cheese sauce with a sharp Gruyère, or add wild mushrooms to the sauce.