Upgrade Recipes: 5 BEST Substitutes for Bearnaise Sauce

Crafting a perfect Bearnaise sauce is a tricky process, as the complex combination of ingredients can be challenging to get right.

But why should one take the time to learn how? After all, what makes Bearnaise so special?

What can it bring to your meal that other sauces cannot?

And if you’re stuck with an ingredient shortage or don’t want to bother making the original recipe anyway, what substitutions can you use?

Here’s the rundown on Bearnaise sauce – from how to make it and when to serve it, to which five best substitutes you can use for a delicious and successful dish.

The 5 Best Substitutes for Bearnaise Sauce

Though it may be hard to come by or too difficult to make at home, there are plenty of delicious substitutes that can easily be made in no time.

Here are the five best substitutes for bearnaise sauce.

1 – Creamy Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise sauce is a close substitute to bearnaise because they have similar ingredients.

In fact, Hollandaise sauce is the base of béarnaise sauce, with an added flavor boost from shallots and herbs such as tarragon.

Hollandaise sauce is made from butter, egg yolks, lemon juice and pepper.

Traditionally served with eggs benedict or vegetables like asparagus and artichoke hearts, it’s a creamy addition to any dish that needs some extra richness.

2 – Beurre blanc

Beurre blanc is a classic French sauce made with butter and acid (such as vinegar or lemon juice).

This sauce is slightly sweet and has a smooth, creamy texture.

To make this sauce, butter is melted in a pan and seasoned with salt and pepper.

The acid is added and the sauce should not be allowed to boil.

Beurre blanc provides excellent flavor to any dish that you might use bearnaise sauce for such as beef, pork or fish.

Beurre blanc can also be used to flavor vegetables dishes or even desserts such as souffles or puddings.

3 – Garlic Butter Sauce

Garlic butter sauce is a classic alternative to bearnaise and one of the most popular choice.

It’s incredibly easy to make; just combine melted butter with garlic, lemon juice, and herbs.

This simple concoction has a light flavor and taste great on top of steak or fish.

To make garlic butter sauce, simply melt 1/3 cup of butter in a small saucepan.

When melted, stir in 3 minced cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon each chopped fresh parsley and thyme, 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Stir together until everything is well combined – you can also add red pepper flakes for some extra heat.

Once the sauce is done cooking (it should only take about 5 minutes) serve it over your favorite grilled steak or fish dish.

4 – Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is not a traditional béarnaise ingredient.

It does, however, have a similar flavor and consistency and is perhaps the more popular substitute on the market.

To ensure that you don’t make a mayonnaise-based béarnaise sauce too watery, try only using ½ cup mayonnaise with ¼ cup of melted butter.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once prepared, this combination of butter and mayonnaise should create a thick, creamy sauce that works just as well as the real deal.

5 – Vegan Avocado Aioli

Vegan Avocado Aioli is a great substitute for bearnaise sauce, as it is similar in texture and flavor.

It’s made by blending together ripe avocados, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

The resulting creamy sauce is delicious when served with grilled fish, asparagus or steamed vegetables.

The smooth texture also makes it an excellent alternative to mayonnaise on sandwiches and salads.

This vegan version can be prepared using vegan ingredients such as maple syrup instead of honey and coconut milk instead of cow’s milk.

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