Can you eat béarnaise sauce while pregnant?
Check firstOnly if the egg reaches 160°F. Béarnaise is thickened with yolks over gentle heat, so a kitchen that holds it warm and loose can leave the egg undercooked and carrying Salmonella.
Why
Béarnaise is an emulsion of egg yolk, butter and a tarragon vinegar reduction, cooked deliberately low so it never scrambles. That gentle handling is the problem: FoodSafety.gov sets 160°F as the safe internal temperature for egg dishes, and a classic béarnaise is often held well below it to keep the texture silky. The NHS puts sauces made with raw or partially cooked egg on its pregnancy avoid list for the same Salmonella reason. Shelf-stable jarred béarnaise is heat treated and safe, and a home version made with pasteurized eggs and cooked to 160°F is safe too.
Safer alternatives
- Jarred shelf-stable béarnaise such as Maille or Delouis, which is heat treated
- Béarnaise made at home with pasteurized liquid egg yolk and cooked to 160°F
- Tarragon compound butter melted over the steak
- Chimichurri or a red wine pan reduction
Sources
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
- FoodSafety.gov (FDA) https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Last reviewed by the pregAI editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order béarnaise at a steakhouse?
Ask whether it is made in house or comes from a heat-treated base. House-made béarnaise held warm is the version to skip, since the yolk may never reach 160°F. A prepared base is safe.
Is jarred béarnaise safe while pregnant?
Yes. Shelf-stable jars are pasteurized during production, so the egg risk is gone. Refrigerate after opening and finish it within the window on the label.
I ate béarnaise before I knew I was pregnant. Should I worry?
One serving is very unlikely to cause a problem, and most restaurant sauces are safer than the classic method suggests. Salmonella makes itself known quickly with fever, cramping and diarrhea. If none of that turned up, nothing happened.
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