How To Make Mayonnaise: Easy Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

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:

1. Add the egg yolks, white wine vinegar, mustard, and salt to your blender* and start it on low speed.
2. With the blender running, slowly pour in a thin stream of oil to allow the mixture to emulsify and thicken.
3. 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?