How to Make Homemade Mayonnaise
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Learn how to make homemade mayonnaise in less than 10 minutes with only 4 ingredients. It's a failproof recipe (if you follow my 2 tips) and very easy to make. Homemade mayonnaise can be flavored in many ways and is so much better than store-bought!
Have you ever made your own mayo? It's super simple to do, but I know a lot of people are intimidated by it. That's why I wanted to show you just how easy it is to make mayonnaise.
I think that learning how to make homemade mayonnaise is a cooking skill that everyone should learn. I know it's never going to replace opening a quick and easy jar to slather on a sandwich or make tuna salad, cause let's be real! But it is SO MUCH BETTER when you make it yourself that I think everyone should do it at least once. Just to see what all the fuss is about.
And with the two little tricks I've learned over years of mayo making, this homemade mayonnaise recipe is literally failproof.
The 2 most important tips for making homemade mayonnaise
Making mayo is about getting the egg and oil to emulsify. If they don't, you'll be left with a sad, runny mess. We definitely don't want that! Here are the two things you MUST do to make sure your mayo emulsifies:
- Use a room temperature egg. Whatever you do, don't pull an egg out of your refrigerator and try to make mayo with it. You might get lucky and it will work, but chances are it won't. Don't take the risk. To warm the egg, put it in a glass and fill the glass with hot tap water. Give it 5 minutes and it will be ready to use.
- Whisk the egg yolk with an acid. I like to use lemon juice, but vinegar works, too. The reason you want to do this is that the acid starts to break down the proteins in the egg yolk so they emulsify better. Whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice well (so they look like the picture below) before you begin adding the oil.
Here are a few more tips for making homemade mayo
Once you've followed the 2 most important mayonnaise making tips, these other tips will help make sure you have the best mayo possible.
- Add the oil VERY slowly. When you begin, the oil should be poured in the tiniest stream, like in the picture below. Once the mayonnaise begins to thicken, you can pour the oil a little faster. If you ever notice the oil building up, stop pouring it and whisk the mayo briskly until it is incorporated.
- Use a neutral-flavored oil. My favorite is avocado oil. Avoid olive oil or your mayonnaise will have a very strong flavor.
- Use salt, but sparingly. A pinch or two is all you need.
- Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice. The stuff you buy in bottles will make your mayonnaise taste funny.
- If you'd like a thinner mayonnaise, whisk in a little splash of water or some more lemon juice at the end. For thicker mayo, add an extra egg yolk or more oil.
Are raw eggs safe to eat?
According to the USDA, no. But that definitely doesn't stop me. The risk of salmonella poisoning is so remote that it is not something I'm concerned about. I don't know if it's true or not but I read something once (when I was pregnant and still eating homemade mayonnaise) that a person is more likely to come into contact with salmonella by eating a celery stalk than they are a raw egg.
I would feel less confident about eating raw eggs if the eggs I bought were of poor quality. This is the time to buy eggs from happy hens.
But if you don't feel comfortable eating raw eggs, don't worry! It's super easy to make pasteurized eggs at home.
How to pasteurize an egg yolk
An egg is pasteurized and considered safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 138 degrees. This is easy to do at home!
- Put the eggs in a pot of water over medium-high heat. Attach a meat thermometer to the side of the pot.
- Bring the water to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and keep it there for 3 minutes. Do NOT let the water rise above 143 degrees, or you will cook your egg yolks.
- Drain the water and cool the eggs in cold water.
That's it! Once you do that, your egg will be 100% safe to eat. The pasteurized egg white will look a little cloudy though as they will have started cooking. The yolk will be perfect for making mayonnaise!
Can I use a blender to make mayo?
Sure, but why? If you use a blender, you run the risk of your mayonnaise separating and becoming runny. And besides, a blender is much more difficult to wash than a whisk and bowl. Let's keep life simple!
If you have an ailment that would make it difficult for you to whisk for 5 minutes, then absolutely go ahead and use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender. Follow the directions in the recipe only blend instead of a whisk. Make sure to run your blender on low speed only and add the oil in a slow steady stream to minimize the risk of your mayo separating.
How to make flavored mayonnaise
This homemade mayonnaise recipe is the perfect base for all your flavored mayos. Here are a few ideas to spice things up:
Chipotle Mayo: 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce + a little squeeze of lime juice + a little honey
Dill Mayo: 4 tablespoons chopped dill + 1 tablespoon lemon juice + a little black pepper
Garlic Mayo: 1 minced garlic clove + 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
Honey Mustard Mayo: 1 tablespoon each: dijon + honey + lime juice
Sriracha Mayo: 1 tablespoon sriracha + 1 teaspoon soy sauce + 1 teaspoon lime juice
Lemon Chive Mayo: 2 tablespoons each: lemon juice and minced chives
More frequently asked questions
What oil is best for making mayonnaise?
Neutral flavored oil that is clear or light yellow is best for making homemade mayonnaise. We usually use avocado oil, although some readers have reported that their avocado oil is green. Canola and grape seed oil also make a good mayonnaise. If you have light olive oil (not extra virgin olive oil), that can work too. But usually, olive oil is too strongly flavored for mayonnaise.
Why is my homemade mayo not thick?
If your mayonnaise is runny then the oil has not emulsified. In this case, it's best to start again but use the oil that did not emulsify. Simply whisk a room-temperature egg yolk with lemon juice in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the runny mayonnaise.
Also, make sure that you use a room-temperature egg yolk – cold egg yolks are more likely to cause runny mayo. And always whisk the egg yolk with lemon juice (or vinegar) before adding the oil.
How long does homemade mayonnaise last?
We usually keep our homemade mayonnaise for no longer than 2 weeks in the fridge. If you've added fresh garlic to your mayo, keep it for NO LONGER than 10 days.
Note: The USDA recommends making mayonnaise with pasteurized egg yolks and consuming it within 4 days.
How can I make homemade mayo vegan?
While it is possible to make vegan mayo, the flavor is not the same. If you cannot eat eggs, you can try this recipe.
Use your homemade mayo in these recipes:
- Chipotle Popcorn Chicken with Honey Mayo
- Sweet Potato Harissa Fries with Harissa Mayo
- Lemongrass Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Mayo
- Hawaiian Hot Dogs with Teriyaki Mayo
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
How to Make Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup neutral-flavored oil (I like avocado oil)
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Place the egg yolk in a medium-sized bowl. Add the lemon juice and whisk until frothy.1 large egg yolk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Very slowly, begin adding the oil in a thin stream while whisking continuously. If the oil starts to build up at all, stop pouring and whisk vigorously until it is incorporated. Continue adding the oil while whisking until all the oil has been used.1 cup neutral-flavored oil
- Whisk ¼ teaspoon of salt into the mayo. Taste and add more if needed.¼ – ½ teaspoon sea salt
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
The lemon flavor was more then I expected but after a few taste I really loved it in there! Great recipe!
Can I use this mayonnaise in a spinach and artichoke dip that I’m going to bake?
That should work!
Mine came out a little foamy like texture. Must be the fresh egg my hen laid this morning. I only added the yoke. I had picked fresh young tender sweet peas from the garden this morning and thought of raw fresh pea salad. I know peas probably isn’t on whole 30 diet but I’m eating them because I grew them myself. How could that not be good for you?
I’ve made this a few times successfully. It has come in handy to have a homemade recipe instead of store-bought. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m doing something wrong. I have whisked the egg lemon juice and oil together and it is extremely runny. I put the egg on the stove until it reached 140° cracked it in a bowl whisked it with the lemon juice and then slowly poured the avocado in whisking it and I have a bowl of very liquid substance. What did I do wrong how do I thicken this up
Did you use the whole egg or the egg yolk?
Just be aware only 2 avocado oils tested to be pure avocado oil, the rest were cut with other oils or had no avocado at all. One brand that was pure was Chosen brand but I can’t for the life if me remember the other one. That maybe why people are having different colors using avocado oil. The same goes for olive oils especially from italy believe it or not!
California Ranch Olive is supposedly real olive oil. There is also a Georgia company that makes olive oil. I have bought theirs and it’s expensive. Thanks for the info regarding avocado oil I hadn’t actually thought about that oil having the same “problems” as the olive oils.
I can’t eat store bought Mayo and this worked great. I don’t eat that much Mayo so used a whole, smallish yolk that I pasteurized( thanks for that) 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 cup grape seed oil and 1/4 t. Salt. Delicious!
Just a little research for the avocado oils out there: unrefined avocado oil is green and goes rancid very quickly. Refined avocado oil is clear to yellow. Therefore, it is possible that some people may have never seen green avocado oil and some may never have seen clear avocado oil. Neither oil nor someone’s failure to follow the directions properly are the fault of the author. Shocking how abusive people can get over something so trivial.
American, here, thankfully living in Britain where eggs are never refrigerated. This was my first time making mayonnaise and I was not precious about any step and it was perfect! I used an old-fashioned hand beater, added half avocado oil and half unfiltered olive oil. The greenish-yellow colour doesn’t bother me any more than pink chipotle mayo does. The shrieking in the comments about avocado oil is hilarious. If that’s the worst thing to happen to you in a day, lucky you. Thank you for this uncomplicated and versatile recipe. My tomato sandwich was delicious. 😁
Proper, classic, elegant, original recipe ……. so much rubbish on the internet, I mean, with sugar?
Respect.
I made mayo this morning …. Really loved the taste. Linen color, nice consistency.
Put in frig when finished …… Now ( approximately 3 1/2 hours ) Mayo has turned yellow/orange in color and thin. The consistency it much thinner now. Oil hasn’t separated …. just very very thin.
Thinking I do something wrong but no idea what it was.
Has this happened to you ?????
The color of mayonnaise can turn yellow if it’s exposed to air and oxidizes. Did you cover the mayo or put it in a closed jar? As far as it getting thin, I’ve never experienced this before. I would suggest whisking it hard for a few minutes to see if you can thicken it back up that way.
i use a whole egg in 3/4 cups of oil, salt, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp organic ACV.
I didn’t have lemons, so I used white vinegar. Def need half the amount or I need to switch to lemon. Was a bit tart/sharp.
I broke the rules and added a dot of liquid xylotol because it needed some sweetness.
Also, the full cup of oil didn’t seem necessary because it emulsified great using a stick blender. I used a smidge over 3/4 Cup.
I think the more I practice, the better this will become.
THanks for sharing this recipe!!!
Thank you! The consistency turned out great, thanks to your tips! I substituted lemon juice for lime juice, and the taste is a bit sour. Would you recommend lemon juice over vinegar?
I prefer the flavor of lemon juice as I find that vinegar is too strong for mayonnaise.
May try to make own mayo after trading your post. Am trying to eat the way I was raised on the farm. Fresh Everything. Nothing out of a metal can. And I mean NOTHING!!!
I LOVED this! Worked beautifully! I cannot do vinegar or lemon due to migraines, but I successfully used lactic acid from green olives; first mayonnaise I could eat since 1987!
Very easy to make. I used olive oil with lemon. Yummy!! I realize olive oil mayo is not for everyone, but I think its delicious.