BLT Eggs Benedict is what you get when you want brunch but also lunch, which is basically what brunch is I guess, but still, you know what I mean. It’s when you want a sandwich, but an open-faced sandwich. When you can’t decide between a Breakfast BLT or eggs benedict first thing in the morning. So you combine the two together into one mega brunch dish because it’s the only way to go from here. The next time you’re having people over for a weekend brunch or are in need of a good holiday breakfast to please a crowd, keep this one in mind. I’ve always been a big fan of eggs benedict, mainly because whenever I order it for brunch it makes me feel like I’m super fancy. It’s the thing you do at brunch. Always. At times though, the classic version just seems a bit tired and rundown, so that’s why I thought it needed a makeover. And not like that one time when I made it over for Easter, this time it’s different because bacon is involved. Which is already a game changer. If you really want to take things over the edge, might I suggest avocado? I don’t even have to say how good that would be in this dish because you already know. You know.
This is a pretty easy, straight-forward recipe, and the only daunting step is probably going to be the hollandaise sauce. But I’m here to tell you that it’s not that hard. It’s actually quite simple, and if I can do it, you definitely can. Whisk the egg yolks with lemon juice until doubled in volume.
Place the bowl of a pot of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Keep whisking the eggs so that you ensure that the yolks don’t cook or get too hot. Slowly whisk in the melted butter, in a slow steady stream. Continue to whisk until doubled in volume. Remove from heat and season with a pinch of salt and cayenne.
**Tip: You can keep the hollandaise sauce warm by covering it with foil until ready to use. If it gets too thick, whisk in a small amount of hot water until thinned out.**
Split the english muffins in half and toast (if desired but how could you not toast your bread?!?) and then spread each half with as much pesto mayo as you’d like.
**Note: I just mixed mayo with some store-bought pesto until smooth. You can add as much pesto as you’d like depending on your tastes.**
Top each half with a handful of baby arugula and a thick slice of tomato. Because I’ve often said that when you cook, it’s important to season as you go, you need to season each slice with a bit of salt and pepper. Tomatoes just taste better with a little bit of both.
**Note: I like using a large beefsteak tomato for this because it’s the perfect width for the eggs benedict, but if you’d prefer, you can use a roma tomato or a vine-ripe tomato.**
Then pile on some bacon onto each. I used thick cut bacon that I cooked in the oven until crispy, then drained and cut each in half. You can pile about 3 half slices onto each or add as much as you’d like. I’m not here to judge.
**Tip: Whenever I need bacon in large quantities, I line a baking sheet with foil and then lay out the bacon in a single layer. I cook it in a 375 degree F oven until crispy. It prevents the stovetop from being so messy!**
Top each with a poached egg and then pour the hollandaise over the top of the egg. Sprinkle with a bit of cayenne pepper for taste and color. If you don’t like the spice from the cayenne, you can use paprika instead!
These are best eaten right away when you assemble them so you should plan that out and make them right before you plan on eating/serving them. The good thing is that they take no time at all to make and you can really make the hollandaise sauce up to 30 minutes before!
If you make these in the summer, or when tomatoes are in full season for you, they’d be great with heirloom tomatoes in different colors, not just because of how they look but because I honestly think that heirloom tomatoes have so much more flavor than regular red tomatoes.
Keep these in mind the next time you’re in need of a brunch or breakfast recipe. They’re super delicious and are easy to make. These BLT Eggs Benedict with endless mimosas or bloody marys, can you picture it? I definitely can.
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- pinch of cayenne
- pinch of salt
- 4 english muffins, split
- ½ cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
- 1½ cups baby arugula
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
- 12 slices crispy thick-cut bacon, cut in half
- 8 large eggs, poached
- Place the egg yolks in a heat-proof bowl with the lemon juice, and whisk vigorously until doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Place the bowl over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water. Just make sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Keep the heat low so that the egg yolks don't get too hot. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter in a slow steady stream, whisking nonstop until doubled in volume. Remove from heat and whisk in a pinch of cayenne and salt. If it gets too thick, you can whisk in a small amount of hot water to loosen it up before serving.
- Split the muffins in half and toast in a toaster or under the broiler. In a small bowl, stir together the mayo and pesto. Spread each half with the pesto mayo and then top with a handful of arugula, a slice of tomato, a few pieces of bacon, and a poached egg. Top each with the warm hollandaise sauce and a sprinkle of cayenne. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
This is such a creative and fun way to spruce up a BLT sandwich! Love the idea and will definitely give it a try soon ♥
This is wonderful! You always find great ways to offer new takes on classic dishes. I can’t wait to try this out.