Smoked Salmon and Avocado Eggs Royale layers toasted English muffins with creamy avocado, silky smoked salmon, gently poached eggs, and warm lemon hollandaise. Gentle heat is the key cooking method: it sets the egg whites while keeping the centers soft and gives the hollandaise enough heat to thicken without scrambling the yolks.

Smoked Salmon and Avocado Eggs Royale featured image

The dish works because contrasting textures are built separately and assembled at the end. Toasting drives off surface moisture for crisp edges, avocado adds richness without extra cooking, and slow emulsifying lets egg yolks hold butter and lemon juice in a smooth sauce rather than separating. American Egg Board
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Before You Start

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 Eggs Royale
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Intermediate

Essential Kitchen Tools

2-quart (1.9 L) saucepan for hollandaise
3-quart (2.8 L) saucepan for poaching eggs
Medium heatproof mixing bowl
Medium whisk
Slotted spoon
Small bowl for cracking eggs
Fork
Measuring cups and spoons
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Toaster or toaster oven

Ingredients That Matter

Smoked Salmon and Avocado Eggs Royale ingredients

For the Hollandaise

■ 3 large pasteurized egg yolks, room temperature
■ ¼ cup (60 ml) water
■ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
■ ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
■ ⅛ teaspoon (0.75 g) fine salt
■ 1/16 teaspoon (0.1 g) cayenne pepper

For the Eggs Royale

■ About 3 quarts (2.8 L) water, for poaching
■ 4 large pasteurized eggs, chilled
■ 2 English muffins, split into 4 halves
■ 1 medium ripe avocado, about 5 ounces (140 g) flesh, peeled, pitted, and sliced
■ 4 ounces (113 g) cold-smoked salmon, divided into 4 portions
■ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
■ 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh chives, finely chopped

Cold-smoked salmon: Its silky texture and concentrated saltiness balance the rich egg and butter sauce without additional cooking. Substitution: Use hot-smoked salmon, which gives the dish a firmer, flakier texture and stronger cooked-salmon character.
Avocado: Its fat and moisture create a creamy layer that cushions the crisp muffin and complements the soft poached egg. Substitution: Use ½ cup (120 g) plain mashed white beans; the result is less buttery but still gives the stack a soft, moisture-rich base.
Unsalted butter: Butterfat forms the body of the hollandaise as the yolks emulsify the fat with lemon and water. Substitution: Use clarified butter in the same amount; the sauce will taste slightly cleaner and may feel a little less creamy because the milk solids are removed.

Cooking Method

Fill the 3-quart (2.8 L) saucepan with about 3 quarts (2.8 L) water and bring it to 190 to 200°F (88 to 93°C) over medium heat, about 8 minutes. Keep the surface at a gentle simmer with small bubbles rather than a rolling boil so the eggs cook without being battered apart.
Whisk the 3 pasteurized egg yolks, ¼ cup (60 ml) water, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice in the 2-quart (1.9 L) saucepan over very low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C), looks pale, and lightly coats the whisk; controlled heat thickens the yolks without scrambling them.
American Egg Board
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Keep the saucepan over very low heat and whisk in the ½ cup (113 g) butter one piece at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, allowing each piece to melt before adding the next. Remove the pan from the heat when the sauce is glossy, smooth, and thick enough to coat a spoon, then whisk in the salt and cayenne; gradual fat addition keeps the emulsion stable.
American Egg Board
Crack each of the 4 chilled eggs into the small bowl, then gently slide them one at a time into the 190 to 200°F (88 to 93°C) water. Poach for about 4 minutes, until the whites are fully set and the yolks remain soft, then lift each egg out with the slotted spoon and drain briefly.
Good Food
Toast the 4 English muffin halves in a toaster or toaster oven at about 350°F (177°C) for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cut surfaces are dry, crisp, and golden brown; browning adds flavor while evaporation keeps the base from turning soggy.
Arrange the sliced avocado over the warm muffin halves and drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice. Let it stand for no more than 1 minute; the acid brightens the avocado and slows surface browning while keeping its texture creamy.
Divide the 4 ounces (113 g) smoked salmon among the avocado-topped muffin halves, then place one warm poached egg on each. Assemble immediately while the muffins are crisp and the eggs are still hot enough to warm the salmon gently.
Spoon the warm hollandaise evenly over the four eggs and scatter with the 2 tablespoons (6 g) chopped chives. Serve immediately while the sauce remains fluid and the muffin retains its crisp surface.

Chef

Keep the hollandaise over very low heat and whisk constantly; excessive heat tightens the yolk proteins too fast and turns a smooth emulsion grainy or scrambled.
American Egg Board
Maintain the poaching water below a hard boil. Gentle convection lets the white set around the yolk instead of tearing it into wispy strands.

Why This Recipe Works

Gentle heat controls the hollandaise emulsion; warming the yolks gradually before adding butter prevents the proteins from tightening too quickly and breaking the sauce.
American Egg Board
A quiet simmer cooks the poached egg whites evenly while protecting the tender yolks from the agitation of a hard boil.
Toasting the English muffins reduces surface moisture, while the avocado and smoked salmon stay uncooked so their creamy and silky textures remain distinct beneath the warm egg and sauce.

Serving, Storage and Prep-Ahead Tips

Refrigerator: Eggs Royale is best eaten immediately because resting softens the toasted muffin and thickens the hollandaise. If necessary, refrigerate leftover salmon, avocado, eggs, and hollandaise separately in airtight containers and use within 2 days; chill promptly rather than leaving the egg-based components at room temperature.
Freezer: Freezing the assembled dish is not recommended. Ice crystals damage the avocado and poached-egg texture, while freezing and thawing can destabilize the hollandaise emulsion and make it separate.
Make-ahead and reheating: Split the muffins, chop the chives, and portion the smoked salmon up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate the salmon and chives. Make the avocado, poached eggs, and hollandaise close to serving; if the hollandaise cools slightly, warm it very gently over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes while whisking, never allowing it to boil because high heat can break the emulsion.

Smoked Salmon and Avocado Eggs Royale final dish

Questions and Answers

What is the difference between Eggs Royale and Eggs Benedict?

Eggs Royale uses smoked salmon in place of the Canadian bacon or ham commonly used for Eggs Benedict. Both are typically served on English muffins with poached eggs and hollandaise.

Can I make Eggs Royale with runny poached eggs?

Yes, but a soft yolk is not fully cooked. Using pasteurized eggs reduces the food-safety risk associated with recipes served with raw or undercooked egg.

American Egg Board

Why did my hollandaise sauce split?

The emulsion can break when the yolks get too hot or the butter is added too quickly. Use low heat and incorporate the butter gradually while whisking so the yolks can hold the fat evenly.

American Egg Board

How do I keep avocado from turning brown?