In just a few minutes, Mayonnaise can easily be made at home! Use an immersion blender, food processor, or whisk it by hand. Video. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks! Video. Vegan? Try our Vegan Mayo!
When the sweet ache of being alive, lodged between who you are and who you will be, is awakened, befriend this moment. It will guide you. Its sweetness is what holds you. Its ache is what moves you on.
Mark Nepo
Why you’ll love this Mayonnaise Recipe!
As a chef and caterer, I’ve made mayonnaise from scratch a thousand times! Here’s my easy method, and once you try it, you’ll never buy it again!
This easy mayonnaise recipe uses olive oil and an immersion blender right in the jar you’ll store it in. There’s zero clean-up! It’s creamy and light, great for burgers, sandwiches, dressings, and sauces. We use vinegar instead of lemon juice to increase its shelf life, which is a little catering hack.
You can also whisk it by hand (a great workout!) or use a food processor, but I prefer the ease of using an immersion blender right in the same jar it will be stored in; it saves the extra cleaning step! Make sure to read my chef’s tips.
Why I use Olive Oil
One of the things we have been avoiding in our everyday cooking is highly processed seed oils or polyunsaturated oils, also known as PUFAS. These seed oils are in everything, and too much of them can be inflammatory; they are almost always found in mayo. Even those that say “olive oil” on the label, when you look at the ingredient list, you often find canola oil. Primal Kitchen makes a version of mayo with avocado oil, which is a step up, but I find the flavor slightly “eggy” and lately prefer to make my own. So, I thought I’d share this easy recipe. It takes 5 minutes!
Yes, olive oil can be bitter in mayo, but that bitter quality is actually the polyphenols showing their magic. Somehow, I don’t mind it because I know it’s good for me. You can always cut the olive oil with avocado oil for a milder flavor or seek out a mild olive oil.
Here is more information on seed oils if you are interested. It is not my intent to demonize them – when consumed in a balanced ratio to Omega 3 oils, they are not believed to be overly harmful.
Ingredients in Mayonnaise
- Large Egg
- Dijon mustard
- Vinegar – apple cider or red wine vinegar ( or lemon juice)
- Salt
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil or use the oil of your choice. Expeller-pressed grapeseed & Avocado oil work too.
- Optional additions: garlic, herbs, lemon juice
How to Make Homemade Mayonnaise
Step One: Place the egg, dijon mustard, vinegar, and salt in a 2-cup jar and, using an immersion blender on the lowest speed, blend for 20 seconds.
Alternatively, you can whisk these together in a bowl, or use a food processor, blending until fully blended and frothy.
Step Two: VERY SLOWLY, and this first step is the MOST important– dribble in just 1 teaspoon of oil while blending or whisking vigorously for 20 seconds. When using an immersion blender, use the low speed.
Step 3: After it has emulsified and is creamy, then you can add a little more at a time, blending 10-20 seconds, and continue until all the oil is incorporated. It should get thicker as you add the oil and blend! If it gets too warm stick it in the freezer for a few minutes. Blend on low speed so it doesn’t over heat.
Step 4: Scrape down sides if need be, taste and adjust salt and acid. Remember olive oil can taste bitter from all the healthy polyphenols. I love this bitterness, but more mustard or vinegar can help mitigate it.
Chef’s Tips
Use an immersion blender right in the jar you will store it in. Low speed is best!
Add the oil slowly in the beginning- crucial to creamy mayo! Take care to go slow, especially in the beginning when adding the first few teaspoons of olive oil.
Use the lowest speed on your immersion blender, otherwise it will heat up and never thicken.
If you can’t get it to thicken, stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes and blend on low speed again.
Storage
Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. The vinegar in the recipe extends its shelf life.
FAQS
- If you substitute lemon juice for vinegar, the refrigerated shelf life will go down to one week.
- If you add any fresh garlic or fresh herbs, the refrigerated shelf life will go down to one week.
- You can add dried herbs or granulated garlic and this will keep for three weeks.
Ways to Use Homemade Mayo
- Chipotle Mayo (Mexican Secret Sauce)
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Dilly Ranch Dressing
- Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing
- Caprese Sandwich
How to make Mayonnaise | 60-Sec Video
Mayonnaise Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 ¼ cup
- Category: sauces
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This simple, easy mayonnaise recipe is made with an immersion blender. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks!
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4–1 cup mild-flavored oil- olive oil, or use half avocado oil (make sure your olive oil is not bitter, taste it first!)
- Optional additions- 1/2 garlic clove, 1-2 tablespoons fresh herbs (basil, tarragon, etc) , lemon zest, or splash of lemon juice- see notes. My favorite is garlic-tarragon- lemon.
Instructions
- Place egg, mustard, vinegar, and salt in a 2-cup jar and use an immersion blender (right in the jar). Blend on low speed or whisk for 20-30 seconds until frothy. Alternatively, use a food processor, or use a bowl and whisk by hand.
- Add 1 teaspoon oil. Blend well on the lowest speed for 20-30 seconds. Then add another teaspoon of oil, blending for 20 seconds. Keep adding a teaspoon at a time, blending on the lowest speed between each addition, until it is creamy. Be patient here in the beginning with the first 1/4 cup of olive oil – this initial stage is the key to getting the mayo to emulsify and get creamy and thick. Once it’s creamy, then gradually add a tablespoon at a time, blending or vigorously whisking in between each addition. If done right, the mixture will thicken as you keep adding and blending.
- Scrape down sides if need be, and blend until thick and creamy.
- Taste and adjust salt and acid. A little splash of lemon juice is nice here.
- Place in a 2-cup jar with a lid and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
Store the basic recipe in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. (The vinegar keeps this fresh longer.)
TIP: When using an immersion blender, use low speed to prevent mayo from getting overly warm- which may inhibit it from thickening. If it does get warm, place it in the freezer for 10 minutes and blend again.
You can use a blender on low speed, but I would double the recipe.
If adding fresh garlic or fresh herbs (add in step one)- and understand that the mayo will only keep 1 week. (Dried herbs or granulated garlic will not affect it.)
If you substitute lemon juice for the vinegar, again, the mayo will only keep for one week.
Personally, I do not like the “eggy” taste of some mayos out there, so I have “upped” the vinegar and dijon here to mask this. Feel free to reduce if you prefer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 97
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 54.5 mg
- Fat: 11.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 10.2 mg
I loved this recipe (and I don’t usually like mayo), and I had no problems with the recipe as written. I added the optional garlic and fresh tarragon that I needed to use up. For a while it didn’t seem like it was thickening until all of the sudden around 1/3 of a cup in it did. Stay patient and add the oil slowly. I added a pinch of sugar and salt at the end with a squeeze of lemon to adjust for my taste preferences.
Thanks Lynn, appreciate your review!
I use chickpea water instead of egg
But want to stop using seed oils
Will try light olive oil instead
I find that avocado oil tastes too heavy
I love the olive oil here. Have you tried our vegan mayo? Made with tofu? you might like that too.
Followed this recipe to a T – that is to say precisely, adding only 1 tsp of oil to the concoction and even blending it a little longer at high speed when it didn’t appear to be emulsifying, yet it never fully emulsified. Did not proceed past the 1/4 cup of oil, given it refused to thicken. Found elsewhere on the web that all ingredients (incl. the egg) should first be brought to room temp to avoid this problem, which was not mentioned here. Additionally, acidic ingredients can prevent proper emulsification, which would of course include apple cider vinegar (vs. standard vinegar).
I did, indeed. In fact, I ordered one (All-Clad 600W immersion blender) specifically to make this mayo, which just compounded my frustration. Not only did I waste the ingredients, I wasted $120 on this blender. Serious bummer.
Well I am truly sorry it didn’t work for you. I make this recipe as written pretty often, so not sure what could be going wrong. Did you start your blender on lowest speed? If it gets too warm it will stay liquidy.
Do me a solid:
If you try another Mayo recipe, could you come back here and tell me if something else works for you? Don’t give up. I’m all ears. 😊
Can a tiny bit of (not raw) honey be added without compromising the storage life?
Honey is a natural preservative so should be just fine!
What immersion blender speed should be used for the olive oil mayo?
Hi Neil I usually use my low speed to start and mostly through out the process. High speed at the end if needed?
Thanks so much. My blender is on the way and I will be making your recipe later this week.
Great, let us know how it goes. 🙂
Hello, again. I found total success: perfect texture and taste. I followed your recipe to a tee using my blender on low speed. Thank you for your originality!
Excellent to hear Neil! Such a great accomplishment.
Mayonnaise was originally made with olive oil. Cheaper oils were substituted later to save money.
Thanks Joe- I agree. 🙂
Hi there
Just wandering from your years of making this mayo with raw eggs has any one ever fallen ill? is it safe to use raw egg? They don’t need pasturing first?
Thank you
Hi Tracee. 🙂 I think it depends on your level of comfort and the source of your eggs. I think they are generally safe and raw eggs are used in a lot of traditional recipes. But if uncomfortable, you can buy pasturized eggs if you prefer.
Easy and delicious. Never buying mayo from the store again!
Awesome Elaine!
So yummy!!!! Nice and simple too.
Glad you gave it a try Katie!
Delicious!! I added some horseradish (I eat a lot of seafood) and it’s been given the seal of approval by my stolid male friend who is quite conservative – food-wise ( but organic).
Oh sounds delicious!
Read a review about warmth from blender affecting emulsification. Had the same problem. Wrapped a gel icepack around the jar and it worked like a charm! Thickened right up!!
Brilliant Tammy!