Perfect Poached Eggs Benedict with Spinach

If you ask me, eggs Benedict is one of those breakfast dishes that feels special every time.

This classic brunch favorite gets a nice update with fresh spinach layered between the English muffin and perfectly poached egg. The creamy hollandaise sauce drapes over the top, making every bite rich and satisfying.

It’s made with simple ingredients but comes together in a way that makes any morning feel like a celebration. The runny yolk mixing with the lemony hollandaise creates a sauce that’s just meant for soaking up with toasted English muffin.

It’s a breakfast that works just as well for a lazy Sunday morning as it does for hosting friends for brunch.

What Kind of Eggs Should I Use?

For eggs benedict, fresh large eggs are your best bet since they’ll be the star of the show. The fresher your eggs, the better they’ll hold together when poaching – you can test freshness by placing an egg in water; if it stands upright or floats, it’s getting old, but if it lays flat on the bottom, it’s nice and fresh. Regular white eggs work perfectly fine here, but free-range or organic eggs often have deeper-colored yolks and some say a richer taste. When poaching, make sure your eggs are cold straight from the fridge, as this helps them hold their shape better in the hot water. And if you’re making the hollandaise sauce, room temperature egg yolks will blend more smoothly than cold ones.

Options for Substitutions

While some ingredients in Eggs Benedict are essential, there are several ways you can switch things up:

• English muffin: You can swap the English muffin for other bread options like sourdough, brioche, or even a bagel. Just make sure to toast it well to hold up under the sauce.
• Canadian bacon: Not a fan of Canadian bacon? Try regular bacon, ham, smoked salmon, or even sliced turkey. For a vegetarian version, use grilled mushrooms or tomato slices.
• Spinach: Feel free to swap spinach with other greens like arugula, sautéed kale, or steamed asparagus.
• Eggs: The poached eggs are pretty essential to a true Eggs Benedict – this is one ingredient I wouldn’t substitute!
• Hollandaise ingredients: For the sauce, you need the egg yolks and butter (they’re non-negotiable), but you can swap lemon juice with white wine vinegar. The cayenne can be replaced with black pepper or a dash of hot sauce.
• Chives: Out of chives? Try using finely chopped green onions, dill, or parsley as your garnish.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The trickiest part of Eggs Benedict is nailing the hollandaise sauce – if your butter is too hot when adding it to the egg yolks, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a smooth sauce, so make sure your melted butter is just warm, not piping hot.

When poaching eggs, a common mistake is using fresh-from-the-fridge cold eggs and not creating a proper whirlpool in the water – instead, let your eggs come to room temperature and create a gentle vortex in the simmering water before sliding them in.

Many home cooks struggle with timing all components to be ready at once, but here’s a pro tip: keep your hollandaise warm by placing the bowl over a pot of warm (not hot) water, and hold your poached eggs in ice water until ready to serve – just dip them in hot water for 20-30 seconds to reheat.

For perfectly wilted spinach that’s not too watery, avoid overcrowding the pan and cook it quickly over medium-high heat just until it starts to wilt.

What to Serve With Eggs Benedict?

Since Eggs Benedict is such a rich breakfast dish, I like to balance it out with some lighter sides that complement without overwhelming. Fresh fruit like berries or citrus segments add a bright, refreshing element that cuts through the richness of the hollandaise sauce. A simple mixed green salad dressed with just olive oil and lemon juice works perfectly here too. If you’re serving this for brunch, some crispy breakfast potatoes or hash browns on the side help soak up any extra hollandaise sauce – and trust me, you’ll want to catch every drop! For drinks, a mimosa or fresh-squeezed orange juice pairs wonderfully with this classic breakfast.

Storage Instructions

Keep Components Separate: If you have leftover hollandaise sauce, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For the best results, store the cooked Canadian bacon, toasted English muffins, and sautéed spinach separately in the fridge – they’ll stay good for about 3 days.

Make Ahead: You can prep some components in advance to make breakfast assembly faster. Cook the spinach and Canadian bacon, and store them in separate containers in the fridge. The hollandaise is best made fresh, though – it can be tricky to revive stored hollandaise without it separating.

Warm Up: To serve leftover components, warm the English muffins in a toaster, and give the Canadian bacon and spinach a quick heat in the microwave or skillet. Make fresh poached eggs and hollandaise sauce just before serving – these are the two elements that really need to be made right before eating.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	15-25 minutes
Total Time	30-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1300-1500
• Protein: 50-60 g
• Fat: 100-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

For the benedict base:

• 1 english muffin
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 slices canadian bacon
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh chives

For the poached eggs:

• 2 eggs

For the hollandaise sauce:

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pinch cayenne

Step 1: Prep and Toast the English Muffin

• 1 english muffin
• 1 tbsp butter

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Slice the English muffin in half, then spread the butter evenly over both halves.

Place the buttered muffin halves on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

Step 2: Sauté the Spinach

• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil

While the muffin is toasting, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.

Add the baby spinach leaves and a pinch of salt, cooking until the spinach wilts down.

Set the wilted spinach aside for later assembly.

I like to make sure the spinach is just cooked through so it retains a bit of texture.

Step 3: Cook the Canadian Bacon

• 2 slices canadian bacon

While prepping the other components, heat a small skillet over medium heat.

Add the Canadian bacon slices and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, until heated through and lightly browned.

Set aside.

Step 4: Poach the Egg

• 1 egg

Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Using a wooden spoon, swirl the water in a circular motion to create a vortex.

Crack an egg into a small bowl, then gently slide the egg into the center of the swirling water.

Cover and poach for 3-5 minutes, until the egg white is set but the yolk remains runny.

When done, use a slotted spoon to remove the poached egg and set aside.

Step 5: Assemble the Eggs Benedict

• toasted english muffin halves (from Step 1)
• cooked canadian bacon (from Step 3)
• sautéed spinach (from Step 2)
• poached egg (from Step 4)
• fresh chives

To assemble, place the toasted English muffin halves (from Step 1) on a plate.

Top each half with a slice of cooked Canadian bacon (from Step 3), a generous spoonful of sautéed spinach (from Step 2), and a poached egg (from Step 4).

Pour prepared hollandaise sauce over each stack, and finish with a sprinkle of fresh chives.

For an extra touch, I like to add a pinch of cayenne to the sauce for subtle heat.