Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Elegant steamed asparagus served with a Hollandaise butter sauce. A perfect recipe for Mothers Day, a special breakfast, or a side for a special dinner!

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated March 20, 2023
Elise Bauer
Steamed asparagus on a dark plate topped with Hollandaise sauce

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

The best thing about knowing how to make an easy blender hollandaise sauce is that once you get the hang of it, you can make the most simple of vegetables into something quite elegant.

Case in point, these steamed asparagus!

I like asparagus any which way, but drizzle a little (or more than a little) hollandaise over them? Oh my.

Steamed asparagus on a dark plate topped with Hollandaise sauce

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound)

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)

  • 3 egg yolks

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (skip if using salted butter)

  • 1 pinch cayenne

Method

  1. Prep the asparagus:

    Break off the tough ends with your fingers. Bend the asparagus spears near the end and they will break naturally where the spear is no longer tough.

    Preparing asparagus spears on cutting board for steamed asparagus
    Elise Bauer
    Slightly peeled Asparagus spears for Steamed Asparagus and Hollandaise Sauce
    Elise Bauer

    For an elegant presentation of the spears, use a vegetable peeler to peel off a very thin layer of the outer skin of the lower 2 to 3 inches of the asparagus spears.

    Prepare a large, shallow pan (with a cover) with a half inch of water and a steamer rack.

  2. Prepare the Hollandaise sauce:

    Melt the butter in a small pot. Put the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne into a blender.

    Blend the eggs for 20 to 30 seconds at medium to medium-high speed until lighter in color.

    Turn the blender down to the lowest setting and slowly drizzle in the hot melted butter while the blender is going. Continue to blend for a few seconds after all of the butter is incorporated.

    Taste the sauce and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Keep warm while you are steaming the asparagus.

    Sauce in a blender to make Blender Hollandaise.

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Bakes
    Drizzling melted butter in Blender Hollandaise Sauce.

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Bakes
  3. Steam the asparagus:

    Bring the water in your steaming pan to a boil. Place the asparagus on the steaming rack. Cover.

    Steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender, but still a little crisp, definitely not mushy. The timing depends on how thick the asparagus spears are.

    Steamed Asparagus in Steamer
    Elise Bauer
  4. Serve:

    To serve, plate the asparagus. Pour Hollandaise sauce over them.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
347 Calories
34g Fat
5g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 347
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 43%
Saturated Fat 20g 98%
Cholesterol 262mg 87%
Sodium 367mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 9mg 46%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 324mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.