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Crab cake Benedict combines two favorite, classic recipes. Makes a wonderful breakfast or brunch for special occasions — and it’s easy, promise.
Why we love this recipe
Crab cake Benedict is an elevated take on an already pretty fabulous meal. A little bit seaside, a little bit fancy hotel brunch, a little bit absolute perfection. This recipe:
- Makes a beautiful, impressive centerpiece for a small brunch party
- Swaps out the one unimpressive part of regular Benedict and swaps in a dreamy homemade crab cake
- Comes together in about 20 minutes if you make the crab cakes in advance
- Makes use of the easiest, most foolproof method for perfect Hollandaise sauce
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- You can use any eggs you like, but sourcing good ones makes all the difference in such a simple recipe. Nothing beats the gorgeous golden yolk of a fresh egg from a well-treated hen. I’ve devoted a whole section to helping you parse the details.
- Here’s how to make my favorite crab cakes. You can make a batch in advance and even freeze them (before or after cooking) if you like.
- Immersion blender Hollandaise sauce takes the guesswork out of the process. You’ll never turn back — I promise.
- Not pictured: a couple of tablespoons of distilled white vinegar in the poaching water help the proteins in the egg whites to set beautifully while the yolks stay soft.
Sourcing eggs
The least-complicated (though often not the most convenient) way to source great eggs is to buy from local farmers whom you know and trust, either directly from the farm or at a farmers’ market or small grocery store.
If you’re shopping at a U.S. supermarket, things can get a little more complicated. Here’s a quick guide to the terminology that will and won’t help you choose the best eggs you can afford.
Words that mean something
- Organic
- Pastured (best) or free-range
- USDA A or AA
- Certified Humane or Animal Welfare Approved seals
Words that don’t mean anything
- Natural (anything can be called natural)
- Vegetarian-fed (chickens are natural omnivores)
- No added hormones (this is required by the government)
- Antibiotic-free (chickens are rarely medicated with antibiotics)
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a beautiful meal of crab cake Benedict. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Toast and butter the English muffins. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer, and add the vinegar.
- Carefully slide in each egg and poach for four minutes.
- Place a crab cake on top of each muffin half and top with an egg.
- Top with plenty of Hollandaise, snipped chives, and pepper, and serve. That’s it!
Expert tips and FAQs
You can make the crab cakes up to a week in advance and store them in the fridge, or up to three months in advance if you’d like to freeze them, either before or after cooking. Please refer to the recipe for details.
You may be surprised to learn that you can make poached eggs a day in advance, store them submerged in cold water in the fridge and simply reheat in a pan of barely simmering water for about a minute right before serving. Restaurants sometimes use this technique, and if you’re cooking for a large crowd, it’s a good one to keep in your back pocket.
Make the Hollandaise and assemble the Benedict right before serving.
Hollandaise will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours. Reheat gently so the sauce doesn’t break.
More favorite Eggs Benedict variations
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Crab Cake Benedict
Ingredients
- 2 English muffins
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter
- 4 Old Bay crab cakes
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) distilled white vinegar
- 4 eggs
- 1 batch immersion blender Hollandaise sauce
- Snipped chives, to garnish
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Split the English muffins and toast to your liking. (Lightly toasted, gently crisp on the outside and tender inside if you're looking for a recommendation.) Divide among 4 plates.
- Butter each muffin half while still hot and place a crab cake on top.
- To poach the eggs, fill a wide sauté pan halfway with water. (A pan like this is ideal.) Add vinegar and bring water to a brisk simmer, then reduce heat so the water is virtually still.
- Crack each egg into a small bowl and tip carefully into the water, submerging the bowl a bit as you pour. I like to add the eggs in a clockwise circle starting near the handle so I remember in which order to remove them for even cooking.
- Cook undisturbed for four minutes, until whites are set and yolks are runny.
- Remove eggs from pan with a strainer spoon (something like this). Gently place eggs on a paper towel-lined plate and dab the tops to remove excess water. Cut away any scraggly whites if you like.
- While the eggs poach, make the Hollandaise.
- To serve, place a poached egg over each crab cake and spoon some Hollandaise sauce overtop.
- Garnish with plenty of snipped chives and freshly ground black pepper. Serve right away.
Notes
- A couple of tablespoons of distilled white vinegar in the poaching water help the proteins in the egg whites to set beautifully while the yolks stay soft.
- You can use any eggs you like, but sourcing good ones makes all the difference in such a simple recipe. Nothing beats the gorgeous golden yolk of a fresh egg from a well-treated hen. I've devoted a whole section to helping you parse the details.
- Immersion blender Hollandaise sauce takes the guesswork out of the process. You'll never turn back — I promise.
- You can make the crab cakes up to a week in advance and store them in the fridge, or up to three months in advance if you'd like to freeze them, either before or after cooking. Please refer to the recipe for details.
- You may be surprised to learn that you can make poached eggs a day in advance, store them submerged in cold water in the fridge and simply reheat in a pan of barely simmering water for about a minute right before serving. Restaurants sometimes use this technique, and if you're cooking for a large crowd, it's a good one to keep in your back pocket. Make the Hollandaise and assemble the Benedict right before serving.
- Hollandaise will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours. Reheat gently so the sauce doesn't break.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
