Is béarnaise made from hollandaise?

Not literally, but they're built the same way. French cooking treats béarnaise as a 'daughter' of hollandaise: same egg-yolk-and-butter base, different flavoring.

Do hollandaise and béarnaise taste eggy?

Not much. You taste butter first, then lemon or tarragon. A sauce that's been held too long or overheated can start tasting eggier.

Hollandaise vs béarnaise: what's the difference?

Both are warm, buttery egg-yolk sauces, but hollandaise is flavored with lemon, while béarnaise uses a tarragon, shallot and vinegar reduction, making it more herby and tangy.

Hollandaise

Very light

Indulgent

Subtle

Big punch

Mellow

Zingy

Silky, buttery and lemony, the sauce that makes eggs Benedict.

Béarnaise

Very light

Indulgent

Subtle

Big punch

Mellow

Zingy

Just as buttery, with tarragon's faint licorice and a sharper, oniony tang.

The real difference

Béarnaise is basically hollandaise's grown-up sibling. Both whisk egg yolks with melted butter into a warm, thick emulsion (fat and liquid held together in one smooth sauce). Hollandaise gets lemon juice. Béarnaise starts with vinegar or white wine reduced with shallots and tarragon, then gets fresh tarragon at the end.

Side by side

HollandaiseBéarnaise

Flavored withLemon juiceTarragon, shallot, vinegar or white wine

TastesButtery, lemony, mildButtery, herby, tangier

On a menuEggs Benedict, asparagus, poached fishSteak frites, beef tenderloin, burgers

Which to order

Order hollandaise if you want brunch: rich, lemony and soft over eggs.
Order béarnaise with steak if you like rich sauces with a herby, tangy kick.

Quick questions

Is béarnaise made from hollandaise?: Not literally, but they're built the same way. French cooking treats béarnaise as a 'daughter' of hollandaise: same egg-yolk-and-butter base, different flavoring.
Do hollandaise and béarnaise taste eggy?: Not much. You taste butter first, then lemon or tarragon. A sauce that's been held too long or overheated can start tasting eggier.