Nothing beats the creamy flavor of homemade mayonnaise on a sandwich, a burger, or a salad!
Homemade mayo is so easy to make too! Just a few simple ingredients and an immersion blender, and fresh mayo is ready in seconds!
The Perfect Condiment
Mayonnaise was invented by a French chef (of course!) in 1756 when he needed a substitution for cream before a dinner party. He substituted olive oil for the cream and a new sauce was born! The chef named his sauce “Mahonnaise” after a French duke.
Mayonnaise is an emulsion which simply means the ingredients are whipped together so the oil and the other ingredients do not separate.
This makes it a thick condiment that can be added to all kinds of salads and sandwiches. It’s also used as a base for other sauces like tartar sauce, aioli, and Ranch dressing.
What’s in Mayonnaise?
Homemade mayonnaise is made with the freshest ingredients!
Important note about the oil. Oil is the base of this recipe and you’ll want to ensure you have a very light tasting oil. While this recipe works with olive oil, some stronger oils can produce a strong or bitter flavor. I would suggest a lighter flavored oil. Canola, avocado, safflower or grapeseed are all good choices.
- Fresh eggs (you need the whole egg and it must be room temperature)
- Lemon juice or vinegar
- Dijon mustard (or mustard powder)
- Vegetable oil or another very light tasting oil
- Salt and white pepper really help to brighten up the flavors
How to Make Mayonnaise
Homemade mayo should keep for about a week. It can be made with an immersion blender, a food processor or a good ol’ bowl and whisk!
IMPORTANT: Ingredients MUST be room temperature or this recipe will not work.
With an Immersion Blender (easiest method):
For best results, use a tall cylindrical container (a large mason jar works great!)
- Add all the ingredients and let settle about 1 minute.
- Place the immersion blender in the bottom and turn it on to high speed. Do not move the blender, allow the mixture to thicken.
- Once thickened, stop blending immediately.
Keep the lid on the jar and store it in the refrigerator.
For Food Processors:
- Place all the ingredients except the oil in the bowl of the processor.
- Pulse until smooth and creamy.
- With the processor running, drizzle in the oil as slowly as possible, almost a few drops at a time at first, until thick and creamy. This should take at least a couple of minutes.
Place mayo in a container with a tightly covered lid and store in the refrigerator.
By Hand with a Whisk
One of the first times I made mayonnaise, it was with a large bowl and a whisk at our local culinary school. While it is possible to make mayonnaise by hand, it’s a lot of work and takes a long time and a LOT of whisking.
Mixing mayonnaise with a whisk doesn’t seem to come out as thick as the immersion blender or food processor versions.
If making by hand, skip the whole egg and use just an egg yolk in its place.
- Whisk the ingredients except for the oil until creamy.
- For the first, few tablespoons or so, add oil a few drops at a time while whisking.
- Continue adding oil as slowly as possible while whisking, this should take about 7-10 minutes.
Tips for Success!
It’s no secret that making mayonnaise takes a little bit of know-how. Here are a few tips to get perfect results every time!
- Ingredients MUST be at room temperature.
- A smaller thinner container is best, you want to ensure the blade of the blender/processor reaches the yolk.
- If using a food processor, use a smaller blade/bowl as the blade must reach the egg/vinegar mixture before adding the oil.
- Homemade mayonnaise has a raw egg in it as do other dressings I make like caesar salad. You can use pasteurized eggs if you’d prefer (I just use regular eggs).
- Whether it’s used in a salad, a sandwich, or on a burger, keep homemade mayo in the fridge, and use it up within the week.
Staple Dressing & Condiments
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Honey Mustard Sauce
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Dill Pickle Tartar Sauce
- Honey Mustard Dressing
Did you make this Homemade Mayonnaise? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Homemade Mayonnaise (Immersion Blender)
Ingredients
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
- salt & white pepper to taste
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a tall slender container.
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Place the immersion blender at the bottom of the container and ensure the blade reaches the egg. If the container is too wide and the blade doesn't reach the egg, this method will not work.
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Turn the immersion blender on and hold it still until the mixture at the bottom begins to thicken (emulsify).
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Once it starts to thicken, very slowly pull the immersion blender up to the top to thicken the rest of the mixture.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate immediately.
Notes
- Place all the ingredients except the oil in the (small) bowl of the processor.
- Process until smooth and creamy.
- With the processor running, drizzle in the oil as slowly as possible until thick and creamy. The slower you add it, the better it will thicken. This should take at least a full minute or two.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dressing, Sauce
Cuisine American
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Why, oh why, have I been wasting money on store-bought mayonnaise?! This is a perfect and EASY recipe to make homemade mayo at a fraction of the cost. I typically use avocado oil instead of seed oils.
Hi Holly,
So the wife makes a big batch of pasta salad for Xmas which also includes shop-bought mayonnaise. The salad may last in the fridge for 2 or 3 weeks before we get to the end of it and finish it. Would this homemade mayonnaise last that long in the salad in the fridge or not?
Cheers,
John
Homemade mayonnaise will last 1 week in the fridge so it may not be the best choice for that salad.
Delicious and so easy . It was perfect on my first attempt. I read the comments and will prob add a little garlic powder next time. I used lemon and I’m curious if vinegar is preferred ?
Both work well. You will have to try a batch with each and let us know what you think!
Ouse this recipe all the time
Thanks for trying our recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made it dozens of times now and it’s so easy. Flawless!
You’re welcome Kathy, glad we can help!
Only a small insignificant point but mayonnaise was first invented in Spain.
What we call French fry’s originated in Belgian delicacies.
Thank you for posting this recipe. Looks pretty easy. Have not made it yet. I would like to know if it is possible to freeze a portion of the mayonnaise? 1 cup is more than I need. (I am a party of one). Thank you in advance. -Rose
Hi Rose, you can freeze it but the texture won’t be the same once thawed.
Thick, rich, healthy mayo in seconds. I used white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and 1/4 tsp paprika. I will never buy mayo again. Puts Dukes’s and Primal Kitchen tto shame.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Patricia!
i use butter instead of oil
Great recipe! And it makes a good garlic aioli if you use garlic-infused avocado oil!
Used regular yellow prepared mustard because I don’t have any dijon. The result tastes fine to me. Used the mayo in a recipe for cream cheese stuffed celery. Worked perfectly.
I am so glad this worked out for you Amy!
Great instructions .
Turned out perfect
I use mayonnaise so infrequently and I needed it for my ranch dressing. So easy to make!! Thank you so much! Definitely a keeper. My next dressing to try is your Caesar one.
So glad you loved it Mack, the Caesar is one of my all time favorites!
Easy to make and flavor can be changed up: vinegar vs lemon juice—adding paprika— dry vs Dijon mustard— adding herbs or garlic. I blended a bit too long and it separated — added about a tablespoon of water to bring it back together. You may have to make a few batches to get the hang of it. You can use not so pretty Mayo as salad dressing. No fear!
Thank you for sharing Jeanette! It’s definitely easier than it seems!
what kind of mayo do you use? I have Hellmans
Hi Taunya, this recipe is to make homemade mayonnaise. Hope you enjoy it!