Eggs Benedict for a Crowd

The green basil and pink prosciutto make it look Christmasy, don't they? 

Assemble all ingredients on baking sheets and muffin tins so they can bake at the same time.

Eggs benedict might be my very favorite food. It is definitely my favorite breakfast food. My mom used to make it on Christmas mornings, so it has lots of happy memories associated with it. And, before WP was born, the husband and I used to go out to eat... a lot. We only half jokingly claimed that eating was our "thing we do together."  I have probably eaten 30 different versions of Eggs Benedict. This recipe includes elements from all of my favorites... including my mom's Hollandaise Sauce.  I have made true Hollandaise sauces from scratch (with egg yolks), but this one is by far the most flavorful, the lightest, and the easiest to make.  I have also altered the cooking methods a bit to make this easier to prepare for a crowd. I'm excited to share this recipe - it is one of my very favorites! 


Lauren's Eggs Benedict - serves 6
2 cups water

12 eggs

12 slices Italian bread (or 6 rolls, cut in half)

8-16 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto (6-12 thin slices)

2 large tomatoes
Salt & pepper

capers (optional)

'Hollandaise' Sauce

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

The key to preparing this dish for a crowd is to prepare all of the ingredients on baking sheets and in muffin tins so they can bake in the oven at the same time. 

Preheat oven to 400. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  While the water boils:

• Slice bread into small toast-sized pieces. Butter the bread and place on baking sheet or in muffin tins. (I have also used King's Hawaiin Rolls in place of Italian bread. Kids love this sweet bread!) 
• Pull the thin slices of proscuitto apart and lay them individually on a foil-lined jelly roll pan (some of the fat will cook out, so make sure your pan has sides.) 
• Slice the tomatoes and lay the slices out on a foil-lined jelly roll pan (same one as the prosciutto if you have room.) Lightly salt & pepper the tomatoes.
• Lightly spray 12 silicone muffin cups with cooking spray.

Once the water is boiling, place 2 tablespoons water into a muffin cup then add one egg. Cover the egg with 1 additional tablespoon of water. Repeat until all eggs are in muffin cups. (Note: if you don't have silicone baking cups, you could still follow this same process with a muffin pan. It's just easier to remove the cooked eggs if you have the silicone cups.)

Place the eggs, bread, tomatoes and prosciutto in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Check the eggs for doneness.  The eggs are done when the whites are set/white.  Cook a bit longer for firm yolks, less for runnier yolks. Remove ingredients from oven.  Use a paper towel to dab water from the tops of the eggs. 


While the ingredients bake, prepare the sauce by whisking together mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice and basil. 


Assemble Eggs Benedict: bread, tomato, prosciutto, egg, sauce and capers (optional).  

Print recipe here.