fauxllandaise (mock hollandaise sauce)

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Hollandaise is a culinary icon, creamy, lemony, and luscious. But it’s also fussy, full of butter, and notoriously prone to breaking if you so much as look at it wrong. Enter our hero: Fauxllandaise!

Born out of brunch cravings and a desire to hit protein goals before lunch, this cottage cheese-based alternative gives you all the velvety tang without the double boiler drama.

But this wasn’t an overnight invention. No, no. This was a saga of lemon juice debates, mustard swaps, nutritional yeast experiments, and cautious battles with black salt and MSG.

the origin story

It all started with a simple plan: a crab cake breakfast bowl. We had grits. We had greens. We had the crab cake. But something was missing — a silky, rich touch to bring it all together. Hollandaise was the obvious choice, but we weren’t about to whisk egg yolks over steaming water before coffee (or log all those extra fat grams and calories).

So we did what we always do… we reached for the cottage cheese.

Blended cottage cheese is the unsung hero of breakfast sauces and nutritionally conscious food choices. It’s mild, creamy, and high in protein. And unlike yogurt, it doesn’t break or go runny when heated gently. We tossed in lemon juice, a little mustard, and boom — we were close! But not quite there yet.

the tweaks and trials

Here’s what we tested, and why each of these landed on the final draft.

mustard

We tried Dijon, but landed on Dusseldorf mustard for its mellow complexity. It adds a gentle warmth and subtle bite without overwhelming the sauce. (Though you are certainly free to use the Dijon if you can’t find Dusseldorf.)

lemon juice

Fresh is best. It brightens the mix, adds that classic tang, and lifts the whole thing from “cheesy” to “saucy.” When you taste for seasoning at the end, if it needs a bit more of that punch, you can dribble in a few drops of apple cider vinegar. (Go slowly!)

dill

Fresh is great; if echoes classic seafood pairings and adds herbal freshness. But it can be hard to find at times, and other times you might not want to shell out $4 for one of those flat plastic packs of sad little fronds. If that’s the case, or you’re just looking for a bit more convenience, dry dill works great.

nutritional yeast

The MVP here. It brings savory depth, body, and a bit of golden color. Skip this and you will definitely notice the lack! I know a lot of folks think it doesn’t smell great, but trust me. You want it in this recipe.

the salt debate: kosher, black, or msg?

We tried all three. Kosher salt is reliable and balanced. A pinch of black salt (kala namak) adds the “eggy” funk that is missing from egg whites alone.

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Batch Yield: ~1 cup total (4 servings of ~1/4 cup each)
Storage: Airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
Origin: Developed by Sunny + Chad

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base ingredients (4 servings)

• 8 egg whites
• 4 whole eggs
• 4 tsp blended cottage cheese or plain non-fat Greek yogurt (e.g., Fage)
• 1/4 cup water (or 1/4 cup water + 4 tsp whole milk powder)
• 4 tsp Dusseldorf mustard
• 4 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

optional flavor boosters:

Choose one (or skip both for a neutral base):

• Scant pinch black salt (kala namak) — for eggy funk (add after cooking)
• Scant pinch MSG — for smooth umami depth (add to mix or post-cook)

optional additions (to taste):

• 1/4 tsp turmeric (for warm color)
• 1/4 tsp white or black pepper
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• Tiny splash of vinegar or lemon juice

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Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to blender, immersion blender cup, or food processor (“Vida”).
2. Blend or pulse until smooth — avoid over-aerating! Some foam is okay; it will settle in the fridge.
3. Pour into a jar or squeeze bottle and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
4. Shake gently before each use.
5. Use ~1/4 cup per serving. Cook low and slow for best soft scramble texture.
6. Add black salt or MSG after cooking for best flavor control.

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Protein Boost Notes

• Cottage cheese and yogurt provide additional casein-based protein
• Egg-to-white ratio keeps it creamy and satisfying with fewer calories

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Notes

• If using a high-speed blender (like a VitaMix), use pulse mode to avoid whipping air into the mixture
• If you accidentally over-blend, just let the mix rest in the fridge — froth will settle
• Swirl gently before use to reincorporate layers

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Serving Suggestion: Perfect for Sunny’s Chesapeake Breakfast Bowl, sausage McBetter muffins, veggie strata, and more.