The Best Veggies To Top Your Eggs Benedict

If you've tried eggs Benedict, you already know that it's comprised of an english muffin, ham or Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce, per Food Science Institute. But its tasty appeal doesn't come without a few potential challenges.

For poaching the egg, No Recipes explains that the two keys are fresh eggs and low turbulence when cooking. This is because fresh eggs have a more "set" albumen, while older eggs tend to have more watery egg whites, which can lead to foam in the water when poaching. Eggs should also be handled as gently as possible. Using a small bowl to slide the egg into the water is more delicate than cracking the egg directly into the pot and avoids wispy edges. And not stirring the water vigorously when poaching will save it from becoming an eggy whirlpool. 

For the hollandaise sauce, the main problem lies in its emulsification, which is when you mix two liquids that normally aren't compatible to create a smooth mixture via MasterClass. As ThermoBlog explains, when you add butter, the whipping speed plays a crucial role. But if you prefer not to give your arm a workout, you can make the process easier by adding warm butter to the eggs and mixing with an immersion blender.

There's another potential problem with eggs Benedict, and that's what veggies will go on top. It's not a requirement, but it may take your eggs Benedict to the next level.

Eggs Benedict is a pretty rich dish, and sometimes the yolky hollandaise needs some contrast for a more balanced bite, suggests Kitchn. That's where vegetables come into play, and Sur La Table says asparagus is one of the best options. Pantry and Larder says that this asparagus works well in the dish because it isn't overpowering and is enhanced by the creaminess of the hollandaise sauce. They recommend roasting the asparagus, while Sur La Table prefers them steamed.

The Beauty Revival blog also thinks a veggie-less eggs Benedict could use some balance, and does so with blanched and pan-fried green beans with a lemony garlic twist. It's a way to offset the, according to Livestrong, approximately 46 grams of fat in your average eggs Benedict. 

Eggs Benedict is the epitome of decadence for breakfast, and incorporating some asparagus or green beans is a great way to add more balance and flavor to the dish.