Eggs Benedict Salad
This salad features poached eggs smothered in a bacon-laced hollandaise sauce. Buttered whole-grain English muffins are great for soaking up the sauce, or you can use a grain-free muffin (or skip it entirely for a lower-carb option).
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Get Cracking
Nature’s perfect breakfast food, eggs are a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that have been linked with a lowered risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. They’re also rich in choline, important for brain health.
Ingredients
- 4 1-oz slices bacon, chopped (no added nitrates or nitrites)
- 1/3 cup organic unsalted butter, melted + additional for buttering muffins
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt + additional to taste
- 4 large eggs + 3 large egg yolks (NOTE: Use in-shell pasteurized eggs yolks if you prefer.)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch paprika, optional
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 whole-grain (or grain-free) English muffins, split, toasted
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 green onions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
Preparation
1. To a medium skillet on medium-low, add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is golden and fat has rendered (adjust heat as needed to prevent burning), 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon; transfer fat to a measuring cup. Add melted butter to cup with fat.
2. Meanwhile, poach eggs: Have a few paper towels ready nearby. In a large skillet with high sides, bring 2 to 3 inches water to a simmer. Add vinegar and salt. Crack 4 eggs into separate small cups. Working one at a time, slide eggs carefully into skillet, leaving space between each. Cook until whites are set and yolks are still runny, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs one at a time in the same order they were added. Pat bottom of spoon with paper towels to remove excess water. Place eggs on a plate and cover to keep warm.
3. Prepare hollandaise: To a blender, add 3 remaining yolks. Add lemon juice and paprika (if using); blend on lowest speed. Remove cap in center of lid, raise speed slightly and drizzle in bacon fat mixture in a thin stream until thickened and well incorporated. Season with additional salt and pepper.
4. Spread butter on toasted muffin halves; cut each half into wedges. Place lettuce and onions in a bowl, add enough dressing to lightly coat leaves, season with additional salt and toss. Divide among plates. Top each with an egg and bacon. Garnish with muffin pieces. Serve any extra dressing on the side to drizzle over eggs.
MAKE AHEAD: You can cook the bacon and make the hollandaise up to 1 day ahead; cover separately and refrigerate. Reheat the hollandaise in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisking occasionally.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size ¼ of recipe
- Calories 453
- Carbohydrate Content 17.5 g
- Cholesterol Content 385 mg
- Fat Content 37 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 14.5 g
- Saturated Fat Content 18 g
- Sodium Content 601 mg
- Sugar Content 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 4 g