This homemade mayonnaise recipe is made with just a few kitchen staples and minimal equipment. Once you have tried it for the first time, you may never go back to the store-bought version.
How Do You Make Mayonnaise from Scratch?
Homemade mayonnaise is a quick and easy blend of egg, Dijon, vinegar, sea salt, and a neutral-tasting oil. The egg, in particular the egg yolk, is integral to emulsifying the mixture into a thick dressing that is perfect for making salads or spreading onto bread. Some people will even use just egg yolk in their mayonnaise, but using the whole egg makes the mixture a little lighter and there is no leftover egg white to deal with.
Dijon is both great for flavour, as well as emulsifying the mayo mixture. In fact, mustard blends contrasting ingredients like vinegar and oil so well, that many home cooks include it in their homemade vinaigrettes. You could use another type of mustard successfully in this mayonnaise. Dijon is great, though, because it is salty and tangy.
To start, combine the egg, Dijon, vinegar, and sea salt in a container. Next, blend them together with a stick blender. Afterward, slowly drizzle in the oil, such as avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil, in a thin stream, with the blender running, until the mixture thickens and becomes a creamy mayonnaise. Since it is sometimes difficult to coordinate running your blender and drizzling oil at the same time, I recommend placing the oil in a condiment bottle to slowly drizzle into the egg mixture while blending.
What is the Best Oil for Homemade Mayo?
Any oil can be used to successfully create a creamy mayonnaise mixture. However, I strongly suggest using a flavourless oil, so that it doesn't overtake the creaminess of the egg and tanginess of the vinegar and salt.
Some light flavoured oil choices include canola oil, grapeseed, safflower, or peanut oil. But if you are looking for low PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) options, avocado oil or olive oil are your best bet. With olive oil, it is best to use the more refined light olive oil for its neutral flavor. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has a very strong taste that would overpower your other flavours in the mayo. Using a combination of oils with a small portion of EVOO should be fine though.
Try to avoid the use of really unique and strong-tasting oils, like coconut, walnut oil, or sesame oil. These are wonderful and definitely have their place in the kitchen, but are not the best for creamy mayonnaise that you want to spread over bread or mix into salads.
What Kind of Vinegar to Use in Homemade Mayonnaise
This mayonnaise recipe uses white wine vinegar, or lemon juice, to get that acidic flavour and brighten up this rich sauce. These tend to be a little more neutral-tasting than other vinegars, which is what you want in a mayonnaise. This will allow you to use your mayonnaise in anything without having another overpowering flavour like balsamic getting in the way.
If you don't have white vinegar or lemon juice on hand, apple cider vinegar or distilled vinegar are your next best options. Whenever making a simple sauce like this, though, it is always ideal to choose the best quality ingredients you can find.
Can I Make Homemade Mayonnaise in a Blender?
This mayonnaise recipe involves using an immersion blender, which is wonderful for making smaller batches of sauces that the blades of a blender or food processor aren't likely to pick up.
I am using an immersion blender from a set similar to this one!
Since this mayonnaise uses so few ingredients, a handheld stick blender like this is ideal, but if you don't have one, you can still make it.
The next best option for a mayonnaise batch of this size would be to use a mini food processor because it will be small enough to pick up all the ingredients and blend it into a smooth sauce. Otherwise, you could easily double the batch so that it will fit a full-sized blender or food processor.
How Long Does Homemade Mayonnaise Last?
You might think that this mayonnaise wouldn't have a long lifetime in the fridge, but you will be happy to know that it actually does. You will have plenty of time to use up your batch of homemade mayo. The high oil content, as well as the vinegar and salt serve as preservatives, and your mayo could technically stay good for about as long as the egg you used, would have lasted by itself.
The way you can tell if mayonnaise has gone off is if it doesn't smell right, is forming mold, or has an unappealing taste. For the best flavour, I would use it within a week, though.
Concerns Over Using Raw Eggs in Dressing
Using a raw egg is crucial to creating a velvety dressing. However, it is understandable that some people are concerned about becoming sick with salmonella if they consume raw eggs. The good news is that you can easily pasteurize eggs at home to make them safe for consumption. Simply place the eggs in a pot, cover them with water, and bring them to about 60° C (140° F). You should leave the eggs in the water at this temperature for about 3 minutes, but no longer as you don’t want them to cook through. Then, you can cool them under cold water and refrigerate them until ready to use.
An even easier option would be to purchase store-bought liquid eggs that have already been pasteurized. Generally, a ¼ cup of liquid eggs equals 1 large egg.
Uses for Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is French and Spanish in origin and has a multitude of uses. The most basic way to use mayo is spread on a sandwich or hamburger. Many people also serve it as a dip for French fries. Of course, you could also stir it into shredded tuna, salmon, and chicken for a quick salad. It is also wonderful mixed with egg yolks for deviled eggs.
You can also use it as a base for a salad dressing and add other components like fresh herbs or spices to it. Moreover, you can turn it into a lemony tasting dip for fried calamari or shrimp with some lemon zest, garlic, and freshly cracked pepper. It also makes a delicious drizzle for tacos by blending it with some avocado and cilantro.
Mayonnaise is the base for flavourful aioli's so you could flavour it with other ingredients to add to sandwiches or have as a dip. As mentioned above, you can make a lemon aioli, but if you like things spicy, you could add some sriracha for a light orange-hued dip. Also, homemade mayonnaise is wonderful in homemade potato salad, coleslaw, broccoli salad, and more.
Recipes Using Mayonnaise You'll Love:
Recipe
Homemade Mayo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup light, flavorless oil like sunflower or avocado oil
Instructions
- To a tall container that fits your immersion blender add the egg, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and salt. Blend these together with the immersion blender for a few seconds.
- With the blender running start adding the oil in a slow continuous stream. I find it helpful to fill the oil into a condiment bottle and squeeze it out from there.
- You may not need all the oil. You will be able to tell that the mayo is ready when it is thick and the blender starts having a harder time blending.
- Store the mayo in the fridge. It will last as long as the egg would have lasted by itself in the fridge.
Nutrition
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Random Questions
Homemade mayo is often not recommended due to the risk of consuming raw eggs, which may contain salmonella. However, you can pasteurize eggs at home or use store-bought pasteurized liquid eggs to make it safer.
The best oils for homemade mayo are those with a neutral taste, such as canola oil, grapeseed oil, or light olive oil. Avocado oil is also a good option for a low polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content.
The key ingredient in mayonnaise is the egg, particularly the egg yolk, which helps in emulsifying the mixture into a thick and creamy dressing.
Homemade mayonnaise is made from a blend of egg, Dijon mustard, vinegar, sea salt, and a neutral-tasting oil, which are emulsified to create a creamy and rich sauce.
Dijon mustard is used as a binding agent in mayonnaise. Its emulsifying properties help blend contrasting ingredients like vinegar and oil, resulting in a smooth and creamy texture.
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