How To Make Mayonnaise

Learn how to make Mayonnaise from scratch with this easy homemade mayonnaise recipe! It takes seconds to make using an immersion blender, turns out super creamy, tart, and full of tangy flavor! Use this staple condiment for sandwiches, salad dressings, marinades, or baking! If you’re a fan of Hellman’s mayonnaise or Duke’s then wait until you try this homemade sauce!

 

Mayonnaise is the base of many creamy dressings and is used on hamburgers, sandwiches, French fries, salad, or even as a marinade for fish or grilled chicken meat! You’re likely to use mayonnaise when it’s on hand and making it at home takes less than 5 minutes! It’s ultra creamy, has clean ingredients, and by using vinegar or any fermented brine you can store and prolong the fridge-life of homemade mayo!

What is Mayonnaise?

Mayonnaise is a creamy condiment used on sandwiches, as a base in creamy sauces (like ranch dressing, thousand island, or spicy mayo), and for dipping French fries, or sushi! The main ingredient is oil which gets emulsified with eggs, lemon juice, and vinegar. That simple combination was so popular that Hellman’s mayonnaise mass-marketed it in 1926. This recipe for mayonnaise turns out super creamy using standard ingredients and simple tools. Making mayo is easier than you think and can be a healthier option as you can customize the type of oil you use and stay away from the refined sugars. Plus you’ll avoid the many thickeners and preservatives that some mayonnaise brands have from the store!

“If you want to stay true to the flavor of your favorite mayonnaise it should be on the tangier level. Store-bought mayonnaise is very tart and salty which is why sugar balances out the flavors. The acidic ingredients not only flavor the mayonnaise but work as a natural preservative to prolong the storage”.

So, what is mayonnaise made of? The main ingredients in mayonnaise are super simple! Mayonnaise mostly consists of 80% oil so, use one that is neutral-flavored! My recipe uses whole eggs instead of yolks which is more frugal and saves you time from separating the eggs without affecting the texture. You will be amazed at how quick and easy it is to make mayonnaise at home!

Mayonnaise Ingredients:

Here are all the ingredients in homemade mayo:

• Oil- I used a mild-flavored sunflower oil. Use any neutral unflavored oil like avocado oil, canola, or grape seed oil. Olive oil can be very harsh and can have a strong aftertaste.
• Yellow Mustard- prepared yellow mustard enhances the mayo flavor and gives the sauce a pale yellow color.
• Whole egg- you need one raw egg for this recipe. The purpose for eggs in mayo are essential for thickening mayo and increase viscosity, improve texture, and ensure a stable emulsion. They also contain lecithin which helps hold emulsions together in sauces. Use pasteurized eggs if you are concerned about Salmonella (a germ eggs sometimes contain) or follow the CDC's suggestions on how to reduce the risks of using raw eggs.
• Vinegar- creates that tangy flavor in mayonnaise we all love! The acid produced from the fermentation of vinegar helps stabilize bacteria making it suitable for longer storage. Use white distilled vinegar with a 5% acidity. I’ve also used my homemade pear-cider vinegar with fantastic results! You may also use any type of fermented liquid coming from sauerkraut, brine of pickles, or homemade vinegar for prolonging the storage and adding probiotics!
• Lemon juice- works like a natural citric acid and gives mayonnaise its sour taste.
• Salt- flavors the mayonnaise so don’t be shy to use the full teaspoon it’s necessary for this amount of creamy sauce.
• Sugar- I use granulated organic cane sugar which is not as refined. The sugar neutralizes the acidic ingredients coming from the mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice. If you omit it the mayo it can be too tart.

How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise:

Mayonnaise can be made by hand, food processor, immersion blender, or stand mixer with the wire whisk attachment. The key to disperse the oil for emulsion in some of these preparation methods is to mix vigorously while adding the oil slowly. Using an immersion blender is the best as you can directly add all the ingredients in at once and emulsify the oil going slowly up from the bottom. The other methods require a tidy process of slowly adding in the oil.

Follow these easy steps to make mayonnaise with an immersion blender!

1. Prep the immersion blender. Attach the stick blender to the base and use the cup attachment that comes with the hand blender to make mayonnaise.
2. Add an egg to the cup of your hand blender followed by the rest of the ingredients ending with the oil.
3. Plunge the stick blender all the way down to the bottom of the cup.
4. Holding it in place turn on the stick blender and start mixing it for 10 seconds (not moving the blender).
5. As the mayonnaise starts to emulsify and thicken you can slowly move the stick blender upward.
6. Continue blending until the oil is almost combined. When the mixture is too thick to mix, you can now move the stick blender up and down, until the oil is completely combined. You now have homemade mayonnaise!

Tips for using an immersion blender: only use the cup that comes with the stick blender. Anything wider and the ingredients can seep down the sides and not emulsify properly. The key is to layer the ingredients over the egg directly and keeping the oil on top.

What is the Best Way to Make Mayonnaise?

What do you use to make mayonnaise? For consistent results the best mayonnaise comes together with an immersion blender! If you’re using a blender or food processor then you will need a smaller bowl attachment or narrow blender in order to keep the ingredients as close as possible to the blades. When the ingredients are spread out and not properly layered over the egg it may not emulsify properly.

An immersion blender usually comes with a small cup attachment perfect for layering and blending all of the ingredients at once! So, that means you don’t have to slowly add the oil and wait for it, in order to emulsify. Whereas using the bulkier equipment you’d have to process the egg, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and sugar first (for 20 seconds), and then slowly add the oil until it emulsifies. You can double the recipe to fit in the roomier equipment, but it’s so much easier to wash a cup attachment and stick blender, and I get fail-proof results with a smaller unit!

How Long Does Homemade Mayonnaise Last?

This homemade mayonnaise formula contains about 80% of oil followed by a low percentage of eggs, seasonings, and acidic ingredients like vinegar and prepared mustard. Because of the high oil content and acidic pH levels from the vinegar and lemon juice this mayonnaise won’t spoil as quickly. Our homemade mayonnaise will last easily in the fridge for up to 1 month and if you use a probiotic bacteria from fermented foods like the liquid from sauerkraut you can prolong the mayonnaise up to 12 weeks in the fridge! Always store homemade mayonnaise in an air-tight container or squeeze bottle to prevent separation or discoloration.

How To Flavor Homemade Mayonnaise:

There are different ways to make mayo and add more flavor! Here are some mayonnaise variations to try from the classic!

• Avocado Mayonnaise- use avocado oil for the oil in this recipe. If you want concentrated avocado mayonnaise, reserve 1/3 cup of the homemade mayo and blend it with 1 ripe avocado, lime juice, and 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper.
• Chipotle Mayo- blend in 1-2 tablespoons of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
• Healthy Mayo- use a healthy mild-flavored oil that is low in saturated fat like safflower oil mixed with part olive oil.
• Japanese Mayo- make Kewpie mayonnaise by using rice vinegar for the white distilled vinegar. It is best enjoyed with vegetables or turn it into spicy mayo for dipping with sushi by simply adding Sriracha.

Ways To Use Homemade Mayo:

There are so many uses for homemade mayonnaise but mainly its a base for many different sauces including salad dressings. Mayonnaise is the foundation in tater sauce, Caesar’s salad dressing, ranch dressing, and Thousand Island (mayo, ketchup, and pickles). Here are recipes you can seamlessly add this homemade mayo to!

• Add it to the classic Olivier salad (potato salad) or dressed herring salad (beet salad).
• Smear it over baked fish or marinade grilled chicken with it.
• Mayonnaise is a key baking ingredient in some cake recipes!
• Entrees like chicken salad, Parmesan chicken or mayo chicken is a fabulous way to tenderize or flavor meat!
• Mix it into coleslaws or creamy salads! Anywhere where you’d use Hellman or Dukes mayonnaise!

Are you ready for a DIY take on Mayonnaise? Comment, rate, and upload a photo below to share your experience!