A foolproof Bearnaise Sauce recipe that rivals any upscale restaurant version but is super easy to make! Enjoy this versatile sauce drizzled over your grilled steak, roast chicken or salmon, steamed broccoli or asparagus, and much more!
I’ve had bearnaise sauce at some point in my past, but it never made much of an impression until I had it in a fabulous restaurant in Seattle, WA. That luxuriously smooth, creamy, buttery, rich yet delicate sauce drizzled over my steak totally “wowed” me. I knew the moment I tasted it that I’d be working on the perfect recreation of it when I got home. And I did. This bearnaise sauce recipe is as good as any you’ll find served at a five-star restaurant but is super easy to make because instead of using the traditional double boiler method, we’re using a blender!
What is Bearnaise Sauce?
Béarnaise sauce is a creamy, emulsified classic French sauce made from egg yolks, clarified butter, white wine vinegar, shallots, tarragon and often chervil, and black pepper. It has a rich and tangy flavor and is commonly paired with grilled or roasted meats, such as steak.
Where Did Bearnaise Sauce Originate?
Béarnaise sauce, often misspelled bernaise sauce, originated in France.  It is a derivative of Hollandaise sauce and is an opaque light yellow color with a very smooth and creamy texture. In France Béarnaise is a traditional steak sauce.
Chef Jules Collinet is credited with having created it for the 1836 opening of the restaurant Le Pavillion Henri IV, located just outside of Paris. The sauce was created in honor of the southwest region of Béarn where Henry IV was from.
© Elena Veselova | Dreamstime
Bearnaise vs. Hollandaise – What’s the Difference?
Bearnaise is a variation, or “child”, of Hollandaise sauce, one of the five French “mother sauces.” Both sauces are an emulsion of egg yolk and butter with some added acidity. The difference lies in the form of acidity and the added flavorings. Hollandaise is simpler. It is acidified with lemon juice and is usually seasoned with white pepper or cayenne.  Bearnaise sauce is acidified with white wine vinegar and has the added flavors of shallots, fresh herbs (traditionally tarragon and chervil), black pepper, and white wine. Both sauces can be used interchangeably but the flavor of Bearnaise is more complex and interesting.
Can You Reheat Bearnaise Sauce?
That question correlates with another one: Can you make Bearnaise sauce in advance? The short answer to both questions is no, you’re not supposed to. The longer answer is yes, but here’s what you have to do: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just before serving put the bowl over a double boiler and whisk constantly until the sauce is warm. If you don’t have a double boiler then reheat it over the lowest heat in a small saucepan, whisking constantly, and may the force be with you!
How to Serve Bearnaise Sauce
In France it is a traditional steak sauce and that’s how you’ll commonly find it served in restaurants throughout the world. But don’t let that stop you from fully enjoying Bearnaise in a wide variety of delicious applications because it is deliciously versatile!
Here are a few additional ideas to get you started. Serve it with or mixed in:
- Grilled steak (as already mentioned)
- Roast chicken
- Grilled salmon
- Poached fish
- Lobster
- Steamed asparagus or broccoli
- Eggs Benedict
- Omelets
- Potato Salad
- Pasta Salad
- Au Gratins
Bearnaise Sauce Recipe
Sauce Bearnaise is quick to make but is easy to mess up because when you combine hot butter with egg yolks it will cause them to cook and curdle unless you’re whisking quickly and constantly. This sauce is traditionally made using what is known in French as a bain-marie, or double boiler.
We’re going to skip the traditional method of using a double boiler and constant whisking and instead use a fool-proof method that guarantees a stable emulsion: Blending the mixture in a blender. It’s simpler, quicker, and produces equally good results.
Let’s get started!
Chervil can be fiercely difficult to find here in the U.S. (I’ve started growing my own). If you cannot find chervil, double the tarragon.
Combine the wine, vinegar, shallots, pepper, and herbs in a small saucepan and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half (about 3 tablespoons liquid). Do not strain. Let it cool completely.
Place the cooled mixture in a blender with the egg yolks.
Blend until smooth.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave.
Remove the center stopper from the blender cap (see photo in blog post), turn the blender on HIGH and gradually pour the very hot butter through the blender hole in a steady stream while the blender is running. Blend for 30 seconds until the consistency is like a thin mayonnaise.
If it’s too thin continue to blend on HIGH for another 5 seconds before checking again.
Stir in the remaining chopped tarragon.
Serve immediately while warm or place the blender container in a sink or bowl of warm water to keep warm until ready to serve.
Note: Depending on preferences and what you’re serving it with, Bearnaise sauce can also be served room temperature or cold. Also, see blog post about how to reheat Bearnaise sauce.
Enjoy!
For more classic French sauces be sure to try out:

Béarnaise Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon minced shallot (can substitute onion if necessary)
- 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper , or 4 crushed black peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon fresh chervil (can substitute more tarragon if you can't find chervil)
- 4 large fresh egg yolks
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut into cubes
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon (to stir in at end)
Instructions
- Combine the wine, vinegar, shallots, pepper, salt, and herbs in a small saucepan and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half (about 3 tablespoons liquid). Do not strain. Let it cool completely. Place the cooled mixture in a blender with the egg yolks. Blend until smooth.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave. Remove the center stopper from the blender cap (see photo in blog post), turn the blender on HIGH and gradually pour the very hot butter through the blender hole in a steady stream while the blender is running. Blend for 30 seconds until the consistency is like a thin mayonnaise. If it's too thin continue to blend on HIGH for another 5 seconds before checking again.
- Serve immediately while warm or place the blender container in a sink or bowl of warm water to keep warm until ready to serve. Note: Depending on preferences and what you're serving it with, Bearnaise sauce can also be served room temperature or cold. Also, see blog post about how to reheat Bearnaise sauce.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet May 17, 2021
David Campbell says
Hi Kimberly, I made your Bearnaise Sauce recipe last night and it was absolutley delicious and so simple to make. Many thanks for the recipe!
Just a little question from a beginner… A 1/4 teasponn of salt is includedd in the Ingredients but is omitted from the Instructions. Should the salt be added at the beginning with the herbs or later on with the eggs, or does it really matter?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, David, thank you! Thanks for catching that. It’s added along with the other seasonings but no, it doesn’t really matter if it’s added at the beginning or the end.
Rose says
Can you double this recipe will it turn out OK?
Kimberly Killebrew says
Hi Rose, yes you can!
Anthony says
Nice:) I love bearnaise sauce. I’m used to making it the classic way with a whisk and bain marie on the stovetop. This blender version is a lot simpler!
John Bolz says
How hot is very hot butter? I’m guessing around 220 F?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi John, 220 F is too hot. You just want to melt the butter, do not boil it. Once the butter is melted add it to the blender.
Jim Voss says
This is assuming that you have a high end blender like a Vitamix. The blades on a Vitamix spin so fast that the friction actually cooks your sauce in the blender, so that you don’t have to concern yourself with the actual temperature of the melted butter. It works, and it’s like magic!
Catalina says
I really need a new sauce for the grilled salmon! Looks amazing!
Beth says
This was absolutely delicious and went perfectly with our steak! I’ll definitely be making this again soon!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Beth, thanks so much!
Beti says
I am in love with this sauce! It is SO GOOD! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Beti, I’m happy you enjoyed it!
katerina says
I love how easy and delicious this Bearnaise Sauce is! Can’t wait to try it!
Toni says
We just tried it with roast chicken and it turned out so good!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad, Toni, thank you!
Erin says
This Bearnaise Sauce couldn’t look any more perfect!
Vikki says
This sauce is so easy and delicious I’ll have to start making it more often!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Vikki, thank you!
SueV says
Hi Kimberly, only way I will eat tenderloin, topped with bearnaise sauce, but I hate making it, so next time I cook tenderloin, will give this a try. Knowing your recipes it will be a winner.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much for the compliment, SueV, and I hope you enjoy it! :)