Food & Cooking Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Easy Eggs Benedict 3.1 (95) Add your rating & review By Shira Bocar Shira Bocar Shira is food editor at large for Martha Stewart Living. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 7, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Chris Simpson Prep Time: 25 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 4 This brunch classic may seem like a feat of timing best left to the pros, but our recipe helps you pull off Eggs Benedict at home. The trick to any kind of stress-free entertaining is to do as much as you can ahead. About a half hour before showtime, pre-poach the eggs, whir up the hollandaise, and split the muffins. When it's time to dine, you'll play short order cook for a few minutes then you'll sit down to eat (and bask in the compliments!). Master the classic, then try our fun variations listed below the recipe. Ingredients Eggs Benedict 8 large eggs 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for serving 8 slices (8 ounces) Canadian bacon 4 English muffins, split Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 recipe Blender Hollandaise Sauce, kept warm Watercress, for serving Cayenne pepper, for serving Directions Crack eggs into a bowl. Fill a large pot with 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to medium. When water is barely simmering, tilt pan slightly to create a wave and add eggs all at once. After 30 seconds, gently release eggs from bottom of pan with a rubber spatula. Cook eggs until white is set and yolk is still soft, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer eggs to a bowl filled with room temperature water. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add Canadian bacon in two batches and cook until crisp, flipping once, about 4 minutes per side. Preheat broiler. Arrange English-muffin halves craggy side up on a baking sheet. Broil until golden and toasted, 1 minute. Spread with butter and top with crisp bacon. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon and blot on a folded paper towel to remove excess water. Top muffin halves with poached egg. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon hollandaise over muffin. Top with watercress and a pinch of cayenne. Variations Caramelized TomatoSeason 1/2-inch-thick tomato slices with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a nonstick skillet and cook tomatoes with a few thyme sprigs, flipping once, about 4 minutes a side. Use in place of, or with, Canadian bacon.Crab SaladIn place of the Canadian bacon, combine 8 ounces chopped crabmeat, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and a squeeze of lemon juice and mix until combined.Gluten-Free Replace the English muffins with roasted portobello mushrooms: Preheat oven to 425°. Brush both sides of 8 medium mushrooms, stems removed, with olive oil. Arrange, gill-sides down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, flipping once, until tender, about 25 minutes. Rate it Print