Roasted Asparagus with Brown Butter Hollandaise
Besides the trees and flowers blooming, asparagus popping up at the market is the biggest signal of spring for me. These tender little spears are at their peak right now, they’re sweet, grassy, and perfect for my Roasted Asparagus with Brown Butter Hollandaise. We’re elevating the tried and true roasted asparagus here with a silky, nutty hollandaise sauce that’s elegant but a simple side dish for any meal this spring. The rich, nutty brown butter adds depth to a classic hollandaise, while a hint of cayenne brings just the right amount of spice and warmth. The best part? It comes together in under 30 minutes, perfect for a nice dinner in or a leisurely weekend brunch with your people.
Make it the center of brunch
You can easily turn this dish into the centerpiece of your next brunch table. Think of it as a spring-inspired Eggs Benedict—toast up some English muffins or sourdough, poach a couple of eggs per serving, and layer everything together. The roasted asparagus adds an earthy contrast to the rich hollandaise, while the runny yolk ties it all together. Serve with crispy bacon or smoked salmon for extra indulgence, and you've got a restaurant-worthy brunch right at home!
Tips for making hollandaise
Making hollandaise is all about managing heat—too little and it won’t thicken, too much and you’ll end up with scrambled eggs and a broken sauce. The sweet spot? A gentle double boiler setup, where a glass bowl sits over a pot of barely simmering water. The steam will warm the eggs slowly, giving you control. If things start heating up too fast, just lift the bowl off the pot for a breather. A food thermometer isn’t necessary but so helpful here as 145°F is the goal for a silky sauce.
Whisking constantly is the key here. You need to keep things moving in the same direction as your heating the eggs to avoid any curds from forming and whisking while incorporating the butter emulsifies everything together.
Roasted Asparagus with Brown Butter Hollandaise
Roasted Asparagus with Brown Butter Hollandaise is the ultimate springtime side dish. Tender, lightly charred asparagus is draped in a rich, nutty hollandaise sauce for an easy yet elegant addition to any meal. Perfect alongside meaty dinners or as the base for a stunning Springtime Eggs Benedict.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- 2 egg yolks
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cold water
- Cayenne pepper
- Flake salt
Instructions
- In a small sauce pot, add 8 tablespoons of butter and cook over medium heat until the butter foams and the solids brown, about 7 minutes. You’ll know it's done by the nutty aroma and golden color. Remove from the heat, drop in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 400 and wash out that pot, we’re using it again.
- Place the asparagus on a baking dish and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt and a few cranks of fresh cracked pepper. Bake until tender and lightly charred, 15 minutes should do the trick.
- Fill the pot half way up with water and bring it to a steamy simmer over medium heat. We don’t want the water to be too hot.
- Nest a glass bowl that’s larger than your pot over top of the pot of simmering water. Add 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and constantly whisk the two together until the hollandaise has thickened and falls in a ribbon when you lift the whisk, about 5 minutes (you’re aiming for a temperature of 145 degrees). Immediately remove from the heat and nest the glass bowl on a dish towel.
- While continuing to whisk the egg and lemon mixture, slowly stream in the melted butter in an even stream. Slowly stream in the remaining ½ tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of cold water to thin the sauce out a little bit. Finish with a pinch of cayenne pepper and kosher salt. Taste and adjust if necessary.
- Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter and spoon the hollandaise over top. Finish with an extra pinch of cayenne and some flake salt.
