I don’t know why it took so long for me to make homemade mayonnaise. It takes about 10 minutes total (including clean up!), and costs pennies. The main ingredients are eggs and oil, which we always have on hand. This is another pantry basic we grew up always buying at the store. In fact I didn’t think you could make it at home.
There is one crucial piece of equipment that you need, however, and that is a food processor (maybe a blender would work too, but I haven’t tried it). Otherwise, since the ingredients are what most people always have on hand it’s actually quicker to make than to run to the store to buy it.
At it’s core mayo is just oil, eggs and a little salt whirred up until thick (think about that the next time you pick up a jar at the store and look at the label…), but I grew up with Miracle Whip (I know, cringe-worthy), so I find straight mayo just a little too oily for me. On the other hand, I find I don’t like MW anymore either, so I guess I’ve now made it impossible for me to find anything at the store to suit my tastes.
The solution is to add a little vinegar, garlic powder, and Dijon mustard, but these are optional and can be omitted or adjusted to your tastes. Just be careful, or you might find you will always have to make it, too!
To make homemade mayo:
1. The first step is to add the egg to the bowl of a food processor. I guess I should take this moment to point out that the egg is raw and will remain raw. If that is a concern for you (usually that means elderly, toddlers, or problems with health) then you may want to steer clear of this recipe or try a pasteurized egg product. Personally, I have had no problems eating raw eggs and I know no one who has, though I’ve read the warnings. So I leave it up to you.
MY LATEST VIDEOS2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the oil. I encourage you to look at the ingredients in your favorite spread. The one you like best may include garlic powder, etc. and you will know to add those things when making your own.
3. Blend it all together.
4. With the motor running, add the oil (any kind you want – how cool is that?) in a slow stream. Today I used Safflower Oil. 5/10 UPDATE: Since reading more about industrial oils, I now use only olive oil to make our mayo. It gives it a green tint, but we’re okay with that.
5. Process another 30 seconds. Remove the cover and prepare to be amazed – there will be actual real mayonnaise (I swear, I still can’t believe it’s going to happen until I lift the cover!).
6. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. The first time I made it, I had to take several tastings (I used a lettuce leaf) and I wrote down what I liked so I when I made it again it would be the same. Or at least similar.
7. Store the mayo in a glass jar the refrigerator. It lasts more than a month in our house and only at the very end does some of what is left start to go “clear” as old mayo does (I don’t know how else to describe it!).
Not bad for 10 minutes time and being in control of the ingredients.
PrintPantry Basics: Homemade Mayonnaise
Yes, you can make mayo at home easily – and in less than 10 minutes!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 1- 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 egg, at room temperature (best, but I’ve used cold ones and had success)
- 1-1/2 TB vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, optional
- 1/8 tsp. garlic powder, optional
- 1 cup oil of choice (or 1/2 c. of two different kinds)
- Update: I use all olive oil now
Instructions
- Add the egg to the bowl of a food processor. Add the vinegar or lemon juice and salt. Add any of the remaining ingredients you desire except the oil.
- Process the ingredients a couple seconds, then with the motor running, add the oil in a slow stream.
- Process another 30 seconds.
- Taste to adjust seasonings.
- Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Click the link below for lots more basic pantry items you can make at home!
Pantry Basics at An Oregon Cottage
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I’m a culinary student and you can actually do this by hand with a balloon whisk. Also they teach to add a pinch of cayenne and white vinegar as well as a squeeze of lemon. Also if it gets to thick or if you want a whiter creamier product you can sprinkle in very cold water to get it to the right consistency. This also doesn’t last long, just a couple days.
Thanks for these ‘chef’ tips, Rebecca – appreciate it!
This is the BEST mayo recipe! I have tried others that were pretty good but none compare to this. I used vinegar not lemon juice and it is just like deli mayo. Thank you so much for sharing this!!!!!
So glad to read this, Mimi! We use vinegar, too, and like it best that way like you. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been thinking of making mayo lately because I’d like to avoid the nasty oils they use. Newman’s Own Organic Extra Virgin First Cold Press Olive Oil (long name!) would be great for this because it is yellow and has a light, nutty flavor. You’d think it would be greener and heavier, but it’s just the opposite. Try different grades, just don’t go refined.
I hope this works with Egg Replacer because my kids are allergic to eggs and that soy-based mayo is just gross.
That Newman’s Own sounds like a great option, Katie. Let us know how it works with the egg replacer!
Thanks for sharing the mayo recipe! Tuna salad is the only way I’ve found so far to be able to stomach eating fish, but I’d been using store-bought mayo with the unhealthy oils. Today I decided to try your recipe and it worked great! The only thing I didn’t have on hand was the dijon, but I’m going to pick some up for next time because I agree it would be a good addition. I’ve been trying to cut down on carbs, so I had the tuna salad in half of a red bell pepper – thumbs up! SO excited to try the caesar dressing recipe now…
I put a couple of TBSPs of Flaxseed with a tsp of water in my Vitamix to make a egg white like substance.I use it as a substitute for egg in my breads. It has the consistency of egg white and am wondering if I could use this in place of an egg. I will try it and post the results.
It’s better tasting if you don’t use the extra virgin olive oil. I don’t mind the flavor with the cheaper, less strong tasting olive oil, but I prefer it with organic sunflower oil and mostly use that now.
Oh, wonderful advice, Dani! I should’ve read your comment before answering Pam above, as we pretty much said the same thing. 🙂
Hahaha. Except you sounded smarter. 🙂
I use half and half…half evoo and half sunflower or whatever. Works well and cuts the strong flavor others are talking about.
I have tried mayonnaise recipes with olive oil and they were TERRIBLE! How did you get it to taste right and not be overpowering? I even used organic olive oil and it was so bad it had to be thrown out every time. I would love to find a good mayonnaise recipe that does not use the “bad” oils.
Hmm, I’ve heard from others that they really don’t like the taste of olive oil in it – have you tried a slightly more refined olive oil, usually labeled “pure olive oil?” This is oil from the second pressing and has less of the strong flavor, but still is a good alternative to industrial oils. If that doesn’t work, I would try the least offensive nut or seed oils – maybe sunflower? I think you could test on a piece of bread and if it seemed mild, then try it in mayo. I’ve also used expeller-pressed coconut oil (no flavor), but it got stiff and was just weird, though Brian still ate it. 🙂 Everybody’s different, so you’ve just got to search around for what works for you!
This is not a suggestion – it is a question. Can you use coconut oil to avoid having the “green” color and still be using a healthier oil? I see a lot of health fool people pushing this coconut oil and some people saying eat it out of the spoon. I tried a spoonful and it is, to me, like taking a mouthful of any other oil or grease. So I have a couple of jars to use some other way, and was wondering if it might work in this. I have scads of olive oil as well, so either way it will be OK with me. Once you mix the mayo with the tuna or other stuff you eat it with, you won’t notice the green, I hope.
You’re right, Gena – you don’t notice the green from the olive oil except when you’re spreading it on bread. But some people do find the stronger flavor of EVO to be off-putting. I actually HAVE used coconut oil in this recipe (I’m laughing at your typo of ‘health fool’ instead of food – what a freudian slip, huh?) and it’s just very stiff when refrigerated, like coconut oil is. That’s the only problem, ’cause it makes it a bit hard to spread. If using it in food like tuna, a few seconds in the microwave should soften it.
Might I suggest using the coconut oil in Maple-Honey Granola Bark? It’s the bomb! I also use coconut oil to saute and stir fry. Oh, and adding cocoa powder and a bit of honey to the coconut oil makes it much easier to eat by the spoon. 😉
I just made this with a freshly laid egg from one of my chickens 🙂 Didn’t have to worry about bringing the egg to room temperature!
It’s dark yellow and delicious. I followed the recipe exactly as written, except I did use canola oil.
Now, I’m going to make your classic Caesar dressing with this mayo!!
Thanks!
Michele
Just out of curiosity: jars are sealed tight on the store shelves and make the old “pop” when I open them. Is this something that is just stored in a Ball jar (similar) and placed in the fridge? I see your recipe states it lasts about one month in the fridge if not consumed first, but is there a way to make multiple jars if I were to make a big batch and put it in storage? Great, great site BTW!
I just recently made mayo for the first time and found your site because of a search for fishy taste. I realized I’m using high-Omega3 eggs. Which I want to keep using! so have to figure out something. Funny that the egg doesnt taste fishy in any other dish I’ve used it in. Maybe I’ll try a regular egg for comparison.
BTW, I have a small sous vide setup, which works great for pasteurizing the egg – 1 hour at 135F and you don’t have to worry about salmonella.
I bet it’s because the egg isn’t cooked in mayo like your other dishes. Maybe the mayo is the one place to use a regular egg. 🙂
Taking my first shot at homemade mayo today! Can’t wait to taste it.. I have been a die hard mayo worshiper since a child.. Wish me luck! Also making the homemade Ranch dressing which is above and beyond HVRANCH(never thought them words would leave my mouth! Me and my daughter ate a whole jar in a week.. She loves veggies but eats a butt load more with the dip 🙂 Thx.
This is great to hear – so glad you like the Ranch Dressing! Hope you’re equally satisfied with the mayo. 🙂
What if it turns out to look like liquid instead of mayonnaise? Also is the 1-1/2 TB
one and one half tablespoon? Do you use 1 TB or 1/2 or both? I am new at this. I would
like to make this because we use alot of mayonnaise at my house.
It’s one-and-a-half tablespoons – that’s what I use, but you can start with 1 and see if you’d like a bit more. Did you make it and it was liquid? I’ve never had it not combine and emulsify for me – it’s always kinda like magic to me that way. 🙂 My only advice would be to try again, because it really does work and it really is very good and very easy!
Hi Dee, I’ve been making my own Mayo for years. About 1 out of 20 times, it won’t emulsify – it just stays like oil. I’m not sure why. I think it’s important for the eggs to be room-temp. AND I’ve always heard not to try to make mayo in a thunder storm.
I have been trying a lot of make-it-yourself recipes for the pantry, and this is definitely on my list. My boys live on tuna and mayonnaise sandwiches and we go through a lot of mayo! Thanks for sharing.
Hi! Found this recipe on Pinterest and we love it! Just one question, I know you said that the mayo last about a month at your house but does anyone know how long it will last total? Meaning if I made it last night 5/19/12 what is the expiration date? We are worried about the eggs in it and because they are raw does the mayo only last as long as the expiration date on the eggs?
As I said in the comment above, it’s been in our fridge longer than a month and is just fine. The “expiration” date on eggs is just a sell-by date- the eggs are fine after that date for a long while (couple months? I’ve actually never had an egg go bad in my life!).
Honestly, I just use my nose and eyes to determine if something has gone bad, just like my great-grandma did. 😉
Angela- I know I’m probably supposed to say that it will last X number of weeks, but honestly, I’ve not had this go bad and sometimes it’s been a couple months! It gets a little clear where it touches the glass (like reg. mayo), but it’s still good. Let’s just say awhile. 🙂 And if you are worried it’s been in there too long, plan to make a potato salad or something like that! 🙂
Thanks for all the yummy recipes! I’d like to try this, but there are just two of us in our household. How long will this keep in the fridge?
I LOVE homemade mayo! The store stuff now looks so disgusting to me. 🙂 I use 1/2 Wildtree Garlic grapeseed oil and 1/2 olive oil…so yummy!
Can’t wait to try this!
This sounds great! I’d try it right now but my daughter just finished the supper dishes and she’d not be happy if I got more dirty right now
Wow! It really worked! I don’t even have a food processor, so I used my crochety old Hamilton Beach blender, and the mayonnaise still turned out perfectly. No more Hellmans for us! Thank you.
Rebekah- Whoo-hoo! Good for you.
Right on, Jenelle! Third time’s the charm? or something like that.:-)
Ok, I made it yesterday and he loves it! 🙂 Woo Hoo! says he will give up the Best Foods if I continue to use this recipe. Thank you!
Oooo, I’ll be waiting to hear. 🙂
I talked to my husband about this, this weekend and he says he thinks he just “lost his mayo making mojo”. So I am going to give it a go, and see if he like your recipe. I know he would sometimes add herbs to it, but I don’t know if he ever added mustard or vinegar or anythng. Hopefully he likes it! 🙂
Jenelle- wow, that’s weird. I can’t figure out why eggs, oil and some spices would ever taste fishy! I don’t know what to tell you about that. I do know I always put the mustard, vinegar, spices and bit of sugar in there to offset the “greasy taste” of regular mayo that I don’t care for. I eat very little of it, too, but my family hasn’t tasted anything fishy. Too bad.
My husband made our mayo for some time a while back and then switched back to store bough because he said the home made had a fishy taste to it. Have you ever had that problem? Do you know how to correct it? I’d like to go back to home made but he and the kids eat it not me (I’ve always disliked mayo), so my vote doesn’t seem to count. But I I could make some he liked better…… 🙂
I have read that certain plants that chickens eat can give their eggs a ‘fishy taste’. These plants also cause the eggs to be higher in Omega-3 oils. We have our own chickens but in the winter I buy the high omega-3 eggs. I have never noticed a difference though. Maybe a different brand of egg would change the fishy taste.
I posted how the recipe for Miracle Whip a few weeks back. Your recipe sounds yummy and I will have to try it also.
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