Start your morning with a plate of these Paleo-approved Eggs Benedict with a basil avocado cream sauce!
This lightened version of a classic is much healthier (and easier to make!) than the original. We replaced the English muffin base with hearty slices of tomato, and swapped in an easy avocado cream instead of the heavy hollandaise sauce.
The trickiest part of this recipe is poaching the eggs, but this step can be really simple once you get the hang of it. If you struggle to get the right poached eggs, try these helpful tips:
- Use fresh eggs. Older eggs have watery whites, which won't hold together as well.
- Make sure the eggs are room temperature. If they're too cold, they'll mess with the temperature of the water and lengthen the cooking time. The best thing to do is to crack the eggs in a ramekin while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Bring the water to a simmer. After the water reaches a boil, lower the heat. It's ready when just a few bubbles remain, but don't reach the top.
- Remember the vinegar. Once the water is at a simmer, add the vinegar. We used apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar works well too. The vinegar helps to keep the whites together so they don't disperse in the water.
- Try the whirlpool method. Before adding the eggs, use a slotted spoon to swirl the water in the pan, then gently drop the eggs into the center of the vortex. This will help keep the whites together.
The hardest part about making Eggs Benedict is whisking together a hollandaise sauce while trying to time the poached eggs. This recipe only requires a quick pulse of ingredients to bring together the avocado sauce, and you're done! We used avocado, fresh basil, lemon juice, garlic and black pepper, but you can also swap in another herb instead of basil, like cilantro.
To assemble your Paleo Eggs Benedict, serve your poached eggs over slices of tomato, and top with the avocado cream. Garnish with lemon slices and more herbs if you wish, and top with freshly cracked pepper. Enjoy!
