Shrimp Benedict
intro
A luxurious seafood twist on classic eggs Benedict, featuring plump sautéed shrimp, runny poached eggs, and creamy hollandaise over crisp toasted English muffins.
Ingredients
Steps
Toast the English muffins
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Arrange split English muffin halves cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet, toast for 6-8 minutes until golden and crisp around the edges. Transfer 2 muffin halves to each of 4 serving plates and set aside.
Sauté the seasoned shrimp
Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add patted-dry shrimp, season with 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon (0.75 grams) black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes per side, until shrimp are opaque, pink, and reach an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F). Remove from heat and set aside, 2 shrimp per muffin half.
Poach the eggs gently
Fill a large deep saucepan with 8 cm (3 inches) of water, bring to a gentle simmer (small steady bubbles rising, no rolling boil) over medium-low heat, then stir in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) white vinegar. Crack each cold egg into a separate small ramekin, lower gently into the water one at a time, working in 2 batches of 4 eggs to avoid overcrowding. Cook for 3 minutes per batch for runny yolks, until egg whites are fully opaque and set but yolks remain soft. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon, drain excess water on paper towels, and place one egg on each muffin half.
Make the hollandaise sauce
Add 3 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) kosher salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon (0.75 grams) black pepper to a high-speed blender. Blend on medium speed for 10 seconds to combine. With the blender running on low speed, slowly stream in hot melted butter (70°C/160°F) in a thin, steady pour over 45 seconds, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and pale golden yellow. Keep the sauce warm (not hot) until serving.
Layer the base components
Divide cooked shrimp evenly across the 8 toasted muffin halves, arranging 2 shrimp on top of each half to cover the muffin surface. Nestle one drained poached egg on top of the shrimp on each muffin half, pressing gently to keep it stable.
Garnish and serve immediately
Spoon 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of warm hollandaise over each poached egg, letting it drip naturally down the sides of the eggs and shrimp. Sprinkle the tops evenly with smoked paprika and finely chopped fresh chives. Serve right away while all components are warm.
Tips
2.When making hollandaise, stream melted butter in very slowly while the blender runs to prevent the sauce from splitting; if it separates, add 1 teaspoon of hot water and blend for 5 seconds to re-emulsify.
3.Use the coldest, freshest eggs possible for poaching, as firmer fresh egg whites hold their shape better in simmering water and produce fewer loose, wispy strands.
OMG this Shrimp Benedict was the star of my weekend brunch potluck! I was nervous to make hollandaise for the first time but the steps were so straightforward, even I didn’t mess it up. The plump shrimp paired with the tangy lemon in the sauce? *Chef’s kiss* SO good, all my friends asked for the recipe before they left!
Really solid recipe, my whole family loved it for Sunday dinner! Only thing I adjusted was adding a little extra Cajun seasoning to the shrimp because we like a kick. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is the cook time took me closer to 45 minutes instead of 35, but that’s probably because I was juggling helping my kid with homework while cooking. Will absolutely make again!
Total game changer! I meal prepped the poached eggs and shrimp ahead for easy weekday brunches before work, and it held up so much better than I thought it would. I never thought I could make restaurant-quality benedict at home for half the price. My roommate even stole a bite and said it’s better than the stuff we get at our usual brunch spot downtown!
Made this for my husband’s birthday breakfast and he RAVED about it! He’s usually a classic Canadian bacon benedict guy, but he said the shrimp version might be his new favorite. I added a little sprinkle of Old Bay on top and served it with roasted asparagus on the side. 10/10, will be making this for every special occasion breakfast from now on!
My kids LOVED it! I was worried the hollandaise would be too rich for my picky 7 year old, but he cleaned his entire plate and asked for seconds. I used frozen pre-peeled shrimp to cut down on prep time, and it worked perfectly. Such a nice upgrade from our usual Saturday pancake breakfast!
Tried this for my first ever time making eggs benedict, and honestly it turned out way better than I expected! The only issue I had was my hollandaise broke the first time I tried to make it, so I had to start over on that part. End result was delicious though, my girlfriend said it tasted like it came from a fancy brunch spot. Any tips for keeping the hollandaise from separating next time?