• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Best Beef Recipes logo
  • Home
  • Find A Recipe
  • Holiday Beef Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About Best Beef Recipes
  • Follow Us!

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Sauces for Beef

    Bearnaise Sauce Recipe

    Published: Jul 3, 2023 Modified: Sep 1, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

    Share

    Share
    Pin27
    Tweet
    Email

    This post may contain paid links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

    Jump to Recipe

    Take your steak to a new level of luxury with a creamy, decadent Bearnaise Sauce for Steak! Just made a perfect steak? Top it with this incredible restaurant-worthy sauce following my easy and foolproof recipe.

    bearnaise sauce on a spoon being poured on a steak
    Jump to:
    • Bearnaise Sauce for Steak
    • What is Bearnaise sauce?
    • Béarnaise Sauce Ingredients
    • How to Make Bearnaise Sauce
    • Bearnaise Steak Sauce Tips
    • Bearnaise Sauce Recipe FAQs
    • Best Sauces for Steak
    • 📌 Pin it for later!
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Bearnaise Sauce for Steak

    A masterfully cooked steak deserves a masterfully cooked sauce! I've definitely had my days where I've cooked up the best steak yet, only to realize there's no sauce in the house worthy of it- I want the best sauce for steak. What I want is creamy, rich, luxurious Bearnaise.

    Luckily, steak bearnaise sauce is so much easier thank you might think. Don't let its reputation scare you! With attention to detail and a bit of time, you'll be cooking up sauce for beef fit to be served in a fancy restaurant. And as one of the best steak sauces I've ever tried, I promise, it's worth making!

    So if you've never tried steak with Bearnaise, now's the time! Follow my recipe and you'll be wowing your family with steak Bearnaise in no time. Make a little extra: you'll want more!

    a teal serving dish of bearnaise sauce with herbs on a towel

    What is Bearnaise sauce?

    Bearnaise is a derivative of Hollandaise sauce, made with much of the same base. Bearnaise still uses butter and egg yolk for the bulk of the sauce but changes things by swapping lemon juice out for vinegar and adding tarragon and pepper.

    Originating in Béarn, France, this sauce was accidentally created by Jean-Louis Françoise-Collinet, a French chef who was attempting to make the mother sauce Hollandaise with a few little changes. It quickly became a classic sauce for steak!

    Béarnaise Sauce Ingredients

    • White wine vinegar
    • Shallot
    • Chopped Tarragon leaves
    • Black pepper
    • Egg yolks
    • Unsalted butter
    all of the ingredients for bearnaise sauce in separate bowls with labels

    How to Make Bearnaise Sauce

    1. Place a small frying pan over medium heat, and add in the vinegar, shallot, black pepper, and fresh tarragon and stir. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until well reduced- there should be no more than a few tablespoons of liquid left. Set aside.
      a metal bowl filled with reduced vinegar and herbs next to a stick of butter and egg yolks
    2. In a small saucepan, heat about an inch of water. While heating, take a metal mixing bowl and combine in it the cooled herb mixture, egg yolks, and a splash of water. Place the mixing bowl on top of the water-filled pan, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. (You can also use a double boiler.)
      egg yolks being added to a metal bowl full of reduced oil and herbs
    3. While whisking continuously, add in the butter 2-4 tablespoons at a time, and melt butter. Whisk until fully melted before adding more butter.
      a double boiler full of bearnaise sauce being whisked
    4. Once the sauce is at your desired level of thickness, remove from the heat and pour into a gravy boat. Drizzle over steak, and serve!
      bearnaise sauce poured over a freshly sliced steak

    Bearnaise Steak Sauce Tips

    • Bearnaise sauce isn't too hard, but it does take patience! Always make sure to cook it at as low a temperature as possible. This will keep the yolks from solidifying into scrambled eggs in butter!
    • It's extremely important to whisk the entire time the sauce is cooking. Even a minute without whisking can create hot spots on the sides of the pan that will overcook some of the yolk and leave the sauce chunky.
    • If it's getting a little too thick, add a splash of water. Just make sure it's not hot water!
    • The quality of the eggs makes a huge difference in Hollandaise-based sauces, so if you can get them, try to get eggs from a local source. If not, high quality free-range eggs from the store are worth the price for this recipe!

    Bearnaise Sauce Recipe FAQs

    What do you put Bearnaise sauce on?

    Bearnaise sauce is rich and creamy with a vinegar tang, making it perfect for savory dishes. Its delicate tarragon flavor compliments meatier, heavier flavors like beef, marinated chicken breasts, and flavorful vegetables like beans and broccoli.

    What meat goes with Bearnaise sauce?

    Bearnaise sauce is delicious paired with all kinds of meat, but for the best combination, pour it on steak! The heavy umami of steak and tender, juicy meat pairs incredibly with tangy bearnaise, making for a luxurious meal you'll want to make again.

    What does Bearnaise sauce taste like?

    Bearnaise sauce is mainly made of butter and egg yolks, giving the base of the sauce a rich and buttery flavor. Vinegar, shallots, tarragon and black pepper build on this to give bearnaise a flavor of zippy vinegar and a mild, gentle touch of licorice that pairs just beautifully with steak!

    Best Sauces for Steak

    • Red Wine Reduction
    • Espagnole Sauce
    • Au Jus
    • Garlic Butter
    • Carolina BBQ Sauce

    Looking for something a little different? There are so many amazing sauces for steak! Try out any of these steak sauce recipes and you'll be sure to love the results! Serve Bearnaise Sauce with one of my Best Steak Recipes or as a Sauce for Prime Rib. Also try my Beef Gravy Recipe!

    a top down view of a bowl of bearnaise sauce with sprinkled herbs

    📌 Pin it for later!

    Did you enjoy this page? Save it on Pinterest for later!

    Share

    Pin

    If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!

    📋 Recipe

    a spoonfull of thick bearnaise sauce over a bowl of bearnaise
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Bearnaise Sauce for Steak

    Serve up nothing short of luxury with my Bearnaise Sauce for Steak! This rich, decadent sauce is a classic with steak for a reason!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time35 minutes mins
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: French
    Keyword: Bearnaise sauce, bearnaise sauce for steak, bearnaise sauce recipe, bearnaise steak sauce
    Servings: 1 cup
    Calories: 1408kcal
    Author: Isabel Laessig

    Equipment

    • Sauce pan
    • Metal mixing bowl
    • Double boiler optional, replaces mixing bowl

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup White wine vinegar
    • 1 Shallot minced
    • 1½ Tablespoons Tarragon dried or fresh
    • 1 teaspoon Black pepper
    • 2 Egg yolks
    • 1½ sticks Unsalted butter

    See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!

    Instructions

    • Place a small frying pan over medium low heat, and add in the vinegar, shallot, black pepper, and tarragon. Let simmer 10-15 minutes or until well reduced- there should be no more than a few tablespoons of liquid left. Set aside.
      ½ cup White wine vinegar, 1 Shallot, 1½ Tablespoons Tarragon, 1 teaspoon Black pepper
      a metal bowl filled with reduced vinegar and herbs next to a stick of butter and egg yolks
    • In a small saucepan, heat about an inch of water. While heating, take a metal mixing bowl and combine in it the cooled herb reduction, egg yolks, and a splash of water. Place the mixing bowl on top of the water-filled pan, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. (You can also use a double boiler.)
      2 Egg yolks
      egg yolks being added to a metal bowl full of reduced oil and herbs
    • While whisking continuously, add in the butter 2-4 tablespoons at a time. Whisk until fully melted before adding more butter.
      1½ sticks Unsalted butter
      a double boiler full of bearnaise sauce being whisked
    • Once the sauce is at your desired level of thickness, remove from the heat and pour into a gravy boat. Drizzle over steak, and serve!
      bearnaise sauce poured over a freshly sliced steak

    Notes

    • Bearnaise sauce isn't too hard, but it does take patience! Always make sure to cook it at as low a temperature as possible. This will keep the yolks from solidifying into scrambled eggs in butter!
    • It's extremely important to whisk the entire time the sauce is cooking. Ever a minute without whisking can create hot spots on the sides of the pan that will overcook some of the yolk and leave the sauce chunky.
    • If it's getting a little too thick, add a splash of water. Just make sure it's not hot water!
    • The quality of the eggs makes a huge difference in Hollandaise-based sauces, so if you can get them, try to get eggs from a local source. If not, high quality free-range eggs from the store are worth the price for this recipe!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1408kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 148g | Saturated Fat: 91g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 40g | Trans Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 753mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5208IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 5mg
    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Isabel Laessig
    Isabel Laessig
    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!
    » About Me
    Isabel Laessig
    Latest posts by Isabel Laessig (see all)
    • Leftover Prime Rib Recipes - December 10, 2023
    • Horseradish Sauce for Prime Rib - December 10, 2023
    • Steakhouse Creamed Spinach - December 8, 2023

    Share

    Share
    Pin27
    Tweet
    Email
    « Korean Meatballs
    Smoked Beef Short Ribs »

    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!
    » About Me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a comment or question - we love to hear from you! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Family Foodie Facebook
    • Sunday Supper Pinterest
    • Sunday Supper Youtube
    • Family Foodie Instagram
    • Family Foodie Tiktok
    Isabel smiling with a stack of ribs

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie. Welcome to my beef-obsessed recipe website!

    About Me

    Best Beef Dinner Ideas

    • Beef chuck roast with potatoes and carrots
      Chuck Roast in the Oven
    • close up of burger seasoning inside of a brown dish
      Our Famous Burger Seasoning
    • Two air fried steaks on an offwhite plate, cut partially into slices to show the medium rare middle and topped with garlic butter
      Air Fryer Steak
    • Beef birria tacos on a white platter
      Birria Tacos
    • smoked brisket sliced with red gravy
      Smoked Brisket Recipe
    • Two slices of prime rib roast on a cutting board
      Boneless Prime Rib Recipe

    Footer

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Our Brands

    Best Beef Recipes | Sunday Supper Movement | Easy Sauce Recipes | Side Dish Ideas | Pork Recipe Ideas

    About Us

    • Contact Us
    • About Best Beef Recipes
    • Disclosure & Privacy
    • No AI
    • Sign up for our Newsletter!
    Sunday Supper Logo

    Best Beef Recipes is part of the Sunday Supper Media publishing family.

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright ©2019-2023 Best Beef Recipes, All Rights Reserved.