With just egg yolks, oil, mustard, vinegar, and your blender, it’s incredibly quick and easy to whip up homemade mayonnaise that tastes far better than anything you can get at the store. (Curious about the best tasting store-bought mayonnaise? Check out my condiment showdown!)
While store-bought mayo is convenient, a lot of it contains hydrogenated soybean oil, preservatives, and other mystery ingredients. Homemade mayonnaise doesn’t contain anything mysterious — just protein and healthy fats. When you make your own mayo at home you can ensure that your mayo is gluten free and dairy free as well.
Mayo is surprisingly useful too! While the best reason to learn how to make mayonnaise is because it’s delicious, but one shouldn’t discount the fact that this condiment is also useful around the house.
What’s In It? Homemade Mayonnaise Ingredients
Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil and eggs, and to make your own mayo at home, all you need are four simple ingredients and a blender — no whisking, boiling, baking, or cooking required!
By the way, in case you’re wondering about the difference between mayonnaise and Miracle Whip, Miracle Whip is basically mayo (same ingredients), but with added sugar and spices. Some people love that sweeter flavor! Another question a lot of people ask is if Hellman’s (Best Foods) mayonnaise is gluten-free. Yes it is! A son with celiac’s has led me to question everything! By the way, using malt vinegar will add gluten to your mayonnaise because it is made from barley.
1. Eggs
Mayonnaise starts with egg yolks. There’s always a certain amount of risk involved with eating raw eggs (as raw eggs may contain salmonella), so be sure to use high-quality eggs — you can also eliminate the risk factor by using pasteurized eggs.
Note: Raw eggs should be avoided in food prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised.
2. Mustard
Mustard packs a flavorful punch and helps emulsify the mixture and prevent it from “breaking.” The type of mustard you use is up to you — dijon works well, as does whole-grain mustard. Use whichever you prefer!
3. Vinegar (Or Lemon Juice)
Much like mustard, vinegar (or lemon juice, if you prefer) adds a tangy flavor to mayo and helps stabilize the mixture.
4. Olive Oil
I like to use light olive oil here, but if you can use any neutral-flavored oil you like. Grape seed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, and canola oil would all work just as well!
How Fresh Are Your Eggs?
When using raw eggs to make things like mayonnaise, it’s important to make sure your eggs are fresh. Learn to read the codes on egg cartons to learn where and when they are packed, and the quality of the eggs. Eggs that are past their prime typically have an unmistakable, sulfur-like smell, so if your eggs smell bad, don’t use them!
If your eggs don’t smell, test them for freshness by placing them in a bowl of cold water for a minute or two. If the eggs sink to the bottom and lay on their sides, they’re fresh. Eggs that sink but stand on one end are less fresh, but still probably okay to eat, while eggs that don’t sink at all are probably well past their prime and shouldn’t be eaten.
How To Make Mayonnaise (Homemade Mayo Recipe)
Ingredients:
- 2 egg yolks (save the egg whites to add to your next omelet!)
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup light olive oil
Directions:
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- Add the egg yolks, white wine vinegar, mustard, and salt to your blender* and start it on low speed.
- With the blender running, slowly pour in a thin stream of oil to allow the mixture to emulsify and thicken.
- Once it reaches the desired texture, it’s done!
*Note: You can also make this in a food processor, or using an immersion blender or stick blender.
Adding spices, herbs, or seasonings to your homemade mayo is a great way to make the mayonnaise more flavorful. Consider adding a bit of curry powder, chili powder, chives, rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley, or dill. (Start with around 1 teaspoon per cup of mayonnaise, then taste and adjust as necessary.)
Troubleshooting: How To Fix Broken Mayonnaise
If you don’t add the oil slowly enough, it won’t emulsify properly, so be patient. However, if your mayonnaise does break and take on a curdled appearance, never fear! You can fix it by blending in a couple teaspoons of boiling water OR another egg yolk. (Adding water will obviously result in a thinner mayo, but it will still taste great!)
Storing Homemade Mayonnaise
Store your homemade mayonnaise in an airtight container and refrigerate it, and it will keep for about one week. (It may last a bit longer if you use really fresh eggs!)
How To Use Your Homemade Mayo
After you make this recipe, you use it just like you’d use store-bought mayo. For extra tasty results, use it in recipes that call for mayonnaise — the results will knock your socks off! Here are a few recipes to consider:
- 10 Tried And True Dip Recipes You’ll Want To Save
- The Secret To Making The Best Utah Fry Sauce
- How To Make The Best Potato Salad Faster Than Ever
- Warm Crab & Artichoke Dip With Parmesan Crostini
In hardly more than the time it would take you to walk to the pantry and open a new jar of mayo, you can whip up the best homemade mayo you’ll ever eat. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Have you ever made mayonnaise at home?
Easy Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup light olive oil
Instructions
- Add the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, and salt to a container and then use your immersion or stick blender to combine them. Or if you are using a blender or food processor, add the ingredients directly and start it on low.
- Pour the oil into the blender SLOWLY while the egg yolk mixture blends, allowing it to emulsify.
- Once the mixture has reached the desired thickness, you’re done!
Instead of eggs and oil, a much healthier version starts with tofu.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I like my Dukes mayo, but just for kicks I’ll make this to see how they compare.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My recipe is close and makes approximately 1 cup
Please log in or create a free account to comment.1 large egg
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 cup light tasting olive oil
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
using immersion blender
Helpful hint expires when eggs expire
I’ve just started making hummus, something I have almost every day, as a way to beat inflation and be sure of what it consists of. I was thinking what a good idea it would be for OGT to do a series on things like that you can make yourself. No surprise, you’re one step ahead of us as usual. Thanks for this recipe. I love potato salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, etc. but need to stay away from vegetable oil – this will be perfect.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I like this. thank you.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.oh shoot now I remember I used coconut oil…did not like it. :(
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hello Jillee,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I tried this recipe from another website I believe was the same…I used Dijon mustard and I really did not like the way it tasted… I threw it out. Where did I go wrong? The texture was great looked just like mayo. but the taste not so good…does it take some getting used to?
Hey Jillee, great recipe. Better than storebought, indeed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I meant to say, I’ve made MAYO for years not mustard. This will teach me to proof read closer!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve made mustard for years and never used mustard. It tastes fine without (but I plan to try some next time.)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am allergic to eggs. Does anyone know of a substitute that would work in this recipe?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My mother used to make a mayo substitute with plain greek yogurt and oil (we used either olive or avocado oil). I’m not sure if she added any spices like mustard or not. It was pretty good. It might possibly have been closer in taste to miracle whip? She would also use it for the basis of a dip that she originally made using mayo and yogurt. (Definitely added spices then.)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For those that are allergic to eggs look up chick pea water to make your mayo with.
Can you use this recipe without raw egg?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was told by a physician who eats raw eggs daily that salmonella can be prevented by wiping the egg shell with chlorox wipes or the equivalent.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Egg shells are very porous……I would not use Clorox wipes.
I love this idea but wonder if anybody has tried using coconut oil, as it is much healthier
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Perhaps with fractionated coconut oil, which will stay liquid at cool temps. The other would be too hard at room temp or fridge temp to make the emulsification function like a normal mayo.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It’s fractionated coconut oil edible?? I’ve only used it for my skin and hair.
I use frozen Egg Beaters or other brands for safety instead of raw eggs. Works wonderfully.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also use Egg Beaters in my homemade mayo. I also usually use fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar and canola oil instead of olive oil. When I’m out of lemons I substitute with vinegar. I’ve been making for years, and since my boyfriend goes through mayo like crazy it sure has been a life saver. Not to mention that he thinks it tastes much better than store bought.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Terry: How do you make yours and do you use mustard? What is your recipe? Sounds hopeful for me as I do not want vinegar or mustard (acid reflux). If you do use mustard, what would you suggest I could use instead?
I would not use canola oil it is not any better than soybean oil for your health. I have made the mayo for years and have found that for an even better tasting mayo I add garlic powder and paprika they not only act to thicken the mayo but the taste is even better than just plain mayo.
Thank you Margie and Terry! With family members on immune-suppressant drugs, raw eggs are out! I was actually reading the comments just to see if someone had an alternate, no raw egg version. Yea!
Have you ever tried reconstituted eggs in this recipe and/or would they work ok? If so, would they eliminate the fear of salmonella?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can’t wait to try it,looks yummy
Please log in or create a free account to comment.IS white vinegar gluten free, I’ve looked online and have seen both yes and no answers to this question, I’m confused. I worried that I accidently glutened myself by eating pork that had been tenderized with vinegar, I was sick for about 2 days.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It depends on what the vinegar is made of. The most commonly used starting materials for vinegar are apple, grape, corn, and rice. If non-distilled vinegar uses wheat, barley, or rye as a starting material the vinegar is not gluten free. Malt vinegar is not gluten free because it contains malt which contains barley.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been making my own for years now and won’t go back to store bought. I have chickens so my eggs are really fresh. I use one whole egg. I use light Olive oil and lemon juice instead of vinegar. I add granulated garlic to flavor and we really like the result.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Avocado oil makes the BEST mayo.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for this suggestion, Olive oil is not very well liked in our household!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I like olive oil but not in mayo. I suppose if it was really mild I wouldn’t mind it but I’m going to try avocado oil. I’ve used canola oil with good results. Peanut oil is great for some things but disgusting in mayo. What I really like is One Good Thing!
What about the risk of salmonella from consuming raw eggs?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can buy pasteurized eggs, or you can pasteurize your own if you are worried about salmonella in raw recipes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How does one pasteurize eggs?
Contrary to popular belief, the risk of salmonella in raw eggs is very low. To lower is further, I suggest rinsing the shell thoroughly before breaking it. Also, let the prepared mayo sit awhile before using it — the acid in the vinegar or lemon juice has anti-bacterial (and coincidentally anti-fungal) properties.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Janne, I read an article a few years back about studies showing that salmonella bacteria can be inside the egg, not just on the outside. Otherwise, commercially raised eggs would already be considered to have no risk, as they are washed before packing.
With family members on immuno-suppressant drugs, due to RA, I can’t take that risk. Jillee acknowledges that with her “Note: Raw eggs should not be used in food prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised.” If you are comfortable with it, fine.
The oil, salt and vinegar act as preservatives, so will actually keep much longer than the use by date on the eggs. Months and months, although you would have much stronger will power than me, if you can make it last that long. You don’t even need to keep it in the fridge, unless the temperature is above 30’C.
If you’re used to a sweeter tasting mayonnaise, try googling condensed milk mayonnaise. This one usually gets refrigerated in my family, as we don’t eat it in the vast quantities as we do the other mayo…but definitely closer to the sweetness of kraft mayo.
I’ve never tried to sweeten the first mayo, but I would assume that if you added the sugar to the vinegar before adding the oil it should still emulsify fine…or beat in super fine sugar a little at a time at the end until you got the sweetness you require.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree with you Kate!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does this taste like “regular mayonnaise” like a brand you’d buy in the grocery store (looking at the ingredients). I never knew what went into mayonnaise. Wanting to use it for potato salad :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I make it with canola oil using the immersion blender method it tastes like Hellmann’s to me. I really like the immersion blender method — you just dump all the ingredients in a jar that the blender will fit in all the way to the bottom but with little room to spare. Start at the bottom and withdraw the blender slowly as the ingredients emulsify, 8 or 10 seconds or so (no hard and fast rules here). For some reason it turns out thicker for me than the slow-stream-of-oil method.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It tastes so much better!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For some reason, my mayo never emulsifies in the blender. However, when I whisk it by hand, it always does, and I get great mayo in 5 minutes tops. The trick, if you do it by hand, is to add very little oil (like 1/2 tsp) at the beginning, then to add a little more cautiously, and then, when it has started to emulsify, you can add it faster.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh, and 1 egg yolk allows you to whip up to 16 liters (yes!) of mayo, so no need to use two!
It’s even easier with with an immersion blender. Just break the egg in a wide-mouth Mason jar & add everything else. Put the blender all the way to the bottom of the jar, & start blending. Slowly lift the blender up & down a couple of times & it’s done.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I second this! So much easier, quicker, and more reliable than the slow-pour-oil way which sometimes wouldn’t emulsify.
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