French · sauce

Classic Béarnaise Sauce with Tarragon and Chervil

Classic Béarnaise Sauce with Tarragon and Chervil — from French Cooking Academy's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 8:09

Video by French Cooking Academy on YouTube · Open on YouTube

30 minMakes 8 × 2 tbsp129 kcal a portion
  • Keto (1 g net carbs a serve)
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Nut-free

Contains: Egg, Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Egg yolks whisked with clarified butter and fresh herbs, with no flour or sugar: 2 tbsp give about 130 kcal and 1 g of net carbs, almost all the energy from fat, so it suits a keto plate. It is rich (8 g saturated fat), so a spoonful goes a long way.

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Ingredients 10

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Put the wine, vinegar, shallot, 1 tbsp each of chopped tarragon and chervil and the crushed peppercorns in a small pan. Simmer gently until only about 1 tbsp of liquid is left. 1:22
  2. Take the pan off the heat and let this reduction cool until cold, so the yolks won't scramble when they go in. 3:13
  3. Add the egg yolks and the cold water. Whisk over very low heat, lifting the pan off whenever it gets too hot to hold, until pale, thick and foamy and you can see the base of the pan as you whisk. 3:40
  4. Off the heat, whisk in the warm clarified butter a few drops at a time, then in a thin stream once it starts to thicken. Add a pinch of salt about halfway through. 5:58
  5. Stir in the last of the chopped tarragon and chervil and serve warm with steak, fish or vegetables. 6:40

Tip. Ghee works as the clarified butter. No chervil? Use a little parsley with extra tarragon. The yolks are only gently cooked, so use pasteurised eggs for pregnant women, young children or anyone unwell. Makes about 1 cup.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One portion (2 tbsp) gives you 1 of 8

Energy129 kcal540 kJ
Protein0.9 g2% of a day
Fibre0.3 g1% of a day
Carbohydrate1.3 g1 g net · 0.4 g sugars0% of a day
Fat14 g8.2 g saturated17% of a day
Sodium50 mg2% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 3%
  • Protein 3%
  • Fat 94%

Fits keto: 1 g net carbs a serve, with 94% of the energy from fat.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin A Source14%

126 µg a serve, mostly from warm clarified butter (83%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin K Source14%

17 µg a serve, mostly from fresh chervil (73%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Show the other 13
Vitamin B124%

0.1 µg a serve, mostly from egg yolks (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Selenium4%

2.5 µg a serve, mostly from egg yolks (97%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin E3%

0.5 mg a serve, mostly from warm clarified butter (73%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Omega-33%

0 g a serve, mostly from warm clarified butter (84%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Iron2%

0.3 mg a serve, mostly from egg yolks (41%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin C2%

1.5 mg a serve, mostly from fresh chervil (65%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Folate2%

9.6 µg a serve, mostly from egg yolks (65%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin B62%

0 mg a serve, mostly from french shallot (48%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Potassium1%

30 mg a serve, mostly from french shallot (48%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Calcium1%

12 mg a serve, mostly from egg yolks (47%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Magnesium1%

2.8 mg a serve, mostly from french shallot (38%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Zinc1%

0.1 mg a serve, mostly from egg yolks (72%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin D1%

0.2 µg a serve, mostly from egg yolks (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by French Cooking Academy; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.