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A closeup image of crab eggs benedict with caviar on a plate.

Crab Eggs Benedict with Caviar Recipe (video)

45 minutes prep + 20 minutes cook
4 servings
Rich and decadent crab eggs benedict with caviar, homemade hollandaise sauce, and poached eggs. The best special-occasion breakfast!

Ingredients 
US Customary - Metric

For Lemon & Herb Butter Crab:

  • 1/2 lb King crab meat, about 1 pound with shells
  • 4 tbsp salted butter
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

For Homemade Hollandaise Sauce:

  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives

For Muffins:

  • 2 large English muffins, split
  • 1 tbsp butter

For Poached Eggs:

  • 4 large eggs
  • salt, for seasoning water
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, or distilled vinegar

For Serving:

  • 1 oz sturgeon caviar
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped chives

Instructions

Preparing the Crab:

  • Start by preparing the crab. If you have purchased pre-cooked crab, go straight to step 2. If you have raw crab: preheat the oven to 350F. Place the crab onto a large baking sheet and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until the crab legs are hot and steaming.
  • Start by removing the crab meat from the crab legs. I like to wear cut gloves with disposable gloves over the top to keep my hands safe from sharp edges. Use kitchen shears to cut open the shell and gently remove the crab meat and place into a mixing bowl.
  • Use your hands to gently pull apart any larger chunks of crab meat into smaller pieces.
  • Preheat a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add in 4 tablespoons of salted butter. Season the melted butter with salt, pepper, paprika, parsley, chives, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
  • Drop in the crab meat and toss in the seasoned butter. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, just until the crab meat is warmed. Remove the pan from the heat, but keep it warm on the side.

Making Hollandaise Sauce:

  • Next, prepare the Hollandaise sauce: Fill a small pot about halfway with water and heat the water over medium heat to a low simmer; the water needs to be just steaming.
  • Find a mixing bowl that fits nicely over the pot; the bottom of the bowl should be about an inch above the water and not touch the water! Add the eggs yolks and lemon juice to the bowl, season with salt, and whisk.
  • Once the water is hot and steaming, place the mixing bowl over the pot. Begin adding the melted butter, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking constantly, until all the butter is added. This should take about 5 minutes.
  • After adding all the butter, continue to cook and whisk the sauce for a few more minutes, until it’s thick and creamy.
  • Remove the sauce from the heat, season with smoked paprika and chives; cover and keep warm.
  • Note: if the sauce thickens too much, thin it with a few tablespoons of hot water.

Toasting the Muffins:

  • Next, toast the English muffins. Preheat a large frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Add a few tablespoons of butter and melt.
  • Slice the English muffins in half, the toast the muffins in the melted butter until golden brown. Remove onto a tray and keep warm.

Poaching the Eggs:

  • First, prepare the eggs for poaching; this step can be done ahead of time. Break each egg into a small ramekin, then drop the egg into a small, fine-mesh strainer. Rock the egg back and forth to strain out any loose egg white and discard. This will give you a more perfect poached egg. Place the strained egg back into the ramekin.
  • Fill a large, deep sauté pan with 1 ½ inches of water. Season the water generously with salt and a few tablespoons of white vinegar. Bring the water to a low simmer.
  • Once the water is simmering, reduce the heat to a medium-low. Gently drop the eggs from the ramekins into the hot water; cook all the eggs at the same time.
  • Cook the eggs for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes, or until the egg white has set but the egg yolk is still soft.
  • Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and set onto a tray lined with paper towels to absorb any excess water.

Assembling the Benedict:

  • To assemble the benedict, start with the toasted English muffin. Top each muffin half with a generous amount of crab meat and melted butter.
  • Top the crab with a poached egg, then add a generous spoonful of hollandaise sauce over the top. If the hollandaise sauce has thickened too much, thin it out with a few tablespoons of hot water. Garnish with finely chopped fresh chives.
  • Add a spoonful of caviar on top and enjoy! This dish is best enjoyed immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 595kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 534mg | Sodium: 1816mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2164IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 3mg