Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe (2024)

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This easy, creamy Homemade Mayonnaise recipe is healthy and can be made in just 2 minutes with fresh ingredients! Use the fail-proof immersion blender method or make it in a food processor!

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe (1)

Homemade Mayonnaise

If you have never made your own mayo, I highly suggest you give it a try! It is so much more delicious than most processed versions you can find in a store.

Homemade mayonnaise is healthy (assuming you choose a healthy oil!), uses simple ingredients, and best of all, comes together in minutes!

It is truly the best way to take sandwiches, salads, and dressings to the next delicious level.

In this recipe, I've included 2 methods to make your own mayo at home. The first method uses an immersion blender (I've linked to my favorite below in the Pro Tips). This is what I call the fail-proof method. I have never, ever had my mayo break when I use this method.

The second method is using a food processor (This is the one I have and love.). This method is equally simple, but I have had my mayo break on me once when I used this method. So, I would say this method is just a bit more temperamental, and you will need to follow the directions very very carefully to make sure your mayo turns out!

What Oil to Use for Homemade Mayonnaise

Any liquid oil will work with this recipe. My favorite option is light olive oil. It's healthy and has a mild flavor.

Avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil will also work, but they have much stronger flavors that can be overpowering in the mayo.

Other mild oils include sunflower oil or canola oil.

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe (2)

My Mayo Broke. Can I Fix It?

Especially with the food processor method, I've had comments from readers about mayo being too runny. Another way to say this is that the mayo "broke."

This usually happens when the oil is added too quickly to emulsify properly. Patience will pay when making mayo, and save you from wasting ingredients. Be sure to add the oil slowly to keep it from breaking in the first place.

If your mayo does break, here's how to fix it.

Place one egg yolk in a clean bowl. Use the broken mayo as the oil component, and slowly whisk in, one small dollop at a time. When the mayo has begun to thicken, you can begin adding the broken mayo/oil mixture in a thin, steady stream, being careful not to add too much at once.

You can also use your broken mayo as a base for a salad dressing. Add some herbs and garlic, and it makes a perfect creamy, healthy salad dressing base!

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe (3)

Is Raw Egg a Concern?

Yes and no.

Let me first disclaimer, that I am not a nutritionist or doctor, and I speak from my own experience, as well as my own reading and research.

That being said, a quick search on Google will tell you that about 1 in 20,000 eggs have salmonella. That's a 0.005% risk (a half of a half of a half of a percent!). That risk is low enough for me to not worry about it, personally.

As long as you're storing your mayo covered in the refrigerator for a week or less, that risk stays low.

If you still have concerns, you can use pasteurized eggs to make your homemade mayo and eliminate any salmonella risk.

Use Your Homemade Mayonnaise in These Delicious Recipes

  • BLT Dip - a delicious classic made into a fun dip will taste even better when made with your homemade mayo.
  • Southern Creamy Coleslaw - crunchy slaw with a creamy dressing that all starts with a base of mayo.
  • Homemade Tartar Sauce - turn your mayo into a dipping sauce for your favorite fish.
  • Classic Egg Salad - hard-boiled eggs, mayo, and mustard for a delicious sandwich or salad topping.
  • Spicy Tuna Roll Bowl - the best part about spicy tuna rolls? The spicy mayo sauce! Make this healthy, delicious bowl and drench it in delicious spicy mayo that you made from scratch!
  • Best Southern Potato Salad - everybody knows you need the best mayo to make the best potato salad. Combine these two, and you won't know what hit you!

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe (4)

Homemade Mayonnaise

Make your own creamy, smooth homemade mayo right in your own food processor with this easy homemade mayonnaise recipe!

4.78 from 36 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Homemade Mayo, Homemade Mayonnaise

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 22 tablespoons

Calories: 90kcal

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 cup oil (I prefer light olive oil)

Instructions

With an Immersion Blender

  • Place all ingredients in a jar or container that fits tightly to your immersion blender (see notes). Allow ingredients to settle for a minute.

  • Place head of immersion blender all the way at the bottom of the jar.

  • Turn on blender and hold still at the bottom. Do not move until white, creamy, thick mayo forms at the bottom. This will probably take at least 30 seconds.

  • Begin to slowly tilt the head to one side. Allow mayo to emulsify before slowly shifting it around in a circle. Then slowly lift the immersion blender to blend in the remaining oil at the top of the jar. Your mayo should now be thick and ready use!

In a Food Processor

  • Add all ingredients except oil to your food processor, and process for about 10 seconds, or until creamy.

  • With the food processor still running, begin SLOWLY adding the oil. Start off with just a couple drops. Wait 30 seconds and add a few more drops. Continue this process until you see that the mixture is starting to thicken.

  • When the mixture begins to thicken, you can begin pouring in the oil in a steady, thin stream. (Pouring too much, too fast will break the mayo and make it runny). Stop pouring every once in a while to check that the mayo has enough time to incorporate all of the oil before continuing.

  • When all of the oil is incorporated, taste to check consistency and check seasonings.

Notes

This recipe makes just under 1.5 cups (about 21-22 tablespoons total).

  • This homemade mayonnaise recipe is keto, gluten free, and dairy free, as well as paleo and whole30 compliant.
  • For the food processor version, you can use 2 egg yolks instead of 1 whole egg. Typically, mayo is made with egg yolks, but it does make it more temperamental and prone to breaking.
  • For the immersion blender version, make sure your blender just fits inside the container you're using. Most blenders will come with a container, which will work perfectly for this. The container should also have a flat bottom.
  • Add 1 clove of minced garlic or ¼ teaspoon horseradish for some extra zingy flavor. Stir in after blending.
  • Immersion blenders are a great and inexpensive kitchen tool. This is the one I have and recommend.
  • Use cold ingredients. I always have a more difficult time making mayo in the summer when the house is warmer, as well. Your mayo will thicken best with cold ingredients (except the oil, which should be at room temperature) and a cool environment.
  • Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 3mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?I love seeing your creations. Snap a quick photo and mention @TheGraciousWife or tag #thegraciouswife on Instagram! Leave a STAR rating below!

UPDATE INFO: This recipe was originally published in June 2015. It has been updated with new pictures, video, and detailed instructions and republished in January 2020.

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Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is homemade mayo not advisable? ›

Homemade mayonnaise is made with raw eggs that will not be cooked. The United States Department of Agriculture does not recommend eating raw shell eggs that are not cooked or undercooked due to the possibility that Salmonella bacteria may be present.

Why add mustard to homemade mayonnaise? ›

Mustard adds a bit of flavor, but it also helps to keep the mayonnaise stable. Along with the egg yolk, mustard helps emulsify the mixture, reducing the risk of our mayo breaking.

What oil is best for mayonnaise? ›

Safflower, canola, grapeseed and peanut oil all do nicely. Just make sure the oil is at the same temperature as the egg. You can use cold oil and cold eggs, but I found room temperature eggs and oil to be the easiest to work with.

Why add lemon juice to mayonnaise? ›

This is where the lemon comes in: it helps prep the egg yolks so that the lecithin is ready to do its magic, which helps the mixture emulsify when you mix in the oil. It's not just lemon, though: any acid can play this role, including different varieties of vinegar, or even lime juice.

How long will homemade mayonnaise last? ›

Homemade mayonnaise has a shelf life of about two weeks, because it doesn't contain any preservatives. That's a long shelf life, and you'll probably go through all of it before then! It's just that fresh and delicious.

How do you fix homemade mayonnaise that didn't emulsify? ›

So, if you have added too much oil, the remedy is simple: place a small amount of your broken mayonnaise in a clean bowl and add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar. As the mixture improves, gradually add the rest of the broken mayonnaise and alternate with a few drops of liquid, until your mayonnaise looks better.

How to make homemade mayonnaise taste better? ›

Salty ingredients lift up mayonnaise, too. We're talking about ingredients that are not salt itself, but miso paste, soy sauce or anchovies, which add a splash of umami. This kind of mayo works great for grilled food and salad. More umami ideas: fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, shrimp paste, shredded nori.

What does vinegar do in mayonnaise? ›

Vinegar is one of the ingredients most often used to form an antimicrobial barrier. It is the most common acid used in the preservation of mayonnaise because it has antiseptic value and also helps prevent deterioration and rancidity (21).

How to thicken homemade mayonnaise? ›

A common way to thicken homemade mayonnaise is to gradually add more oil while continuously whisking the mixture. Another method is to add a small amount of dijon mustard, which can help to emulsify the ingredients and give the mayonnaise a thicker consistency.

Can you add too much oil to mayo? ›

Why Mayo Breaks: Too much oil was added at once. A lot of the time, if you add all of the oil at once, it is too much for the egg to take and it won't emulsify.

What oil is used in Hellmans mayonnaise? ›

Soybean oil, water, whole eggs and egg yolks, vinegar, salt, sugar, lemon juice, calcium disodium edta (used to protect quality), natural flavors.

Why is my homemade mayo bitter? ›

However, a more promising explanation for the bitterness is the presence of polyphenols, like oleuropein in olive oil, which are known to taste bitter and scientists consider them to be responsible for the bitterness that shows up in olive-oil based mayonnaise.

What does mixing ketchup and mayo do? ›

What Is Mayo Ketchup? A staple of the Puerto Rican table, Mayo Ketchup is also a popular condiment in many different countries, where it can be known as fry sauce, salsa rosada, or pink sauce. The combination of mayonnaise and ketchup creates a rich and creamy dressing with slightly honeyed and tart notes.

Why pour oil slowly when making mayonnaise? ›

The oil must be added very slowly and whisked in vigorously so it becomes dispersed as droplets in the water. If oil is added too quickly, it forms a continuous phase on the surface instead of an emulsion. You can think of mayonnaise as a template for making emulsion sauces from any flavour you like.

What makes mayonnaise so good? ›

why mayonnaise makes food taste better: it adds fat, salt, and acidity. Mayonnaise, colloquially known as. "mayo", is an emulsion of oil, egg and lemon juice.

Is it safe to eat homemade mayonnaise? ›

Heating the yolks to at least 160 degrees kills common pathogens, and abundant lemon juice keeps the mayo food-safe for up to one month.

Why is mayonnaise so unhealthy? ›

Consuming mayonnaise in excess can increase the risk of heart disease. About 1.6 grams of saturated fat is found in one tablespoon of mayonnaise. In this case, if you eat more mayonnaise, it can increase cholesterol. High cholesterol in the body increases the risk of heart disease.

Why does store-bought mayo last longer than homemade? ›

With these types of mayonnaise, the eggs are usually pasteurized, which also lowers the levels of harmful bacteria. For these reasons, commercially made mayonnaise will have a longer best-by date than the homemade variety. In contrast, homemade mayonnaise has a much shorter viability.

Why is homemade mayo healthier? ›

Making homemade mayonnaise is easy, and it tastes better than most store-bought versions. In addition, you can choose to include only healthy ingredients in your mayo. This way, you can avoid the refined vegetable oils that most commercial brands use.

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