Homemade Mayonnaise

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.

Homemade Mayonnaise being blended

With an Immersion Blender (easiest method):

For best results, use a tall cylindrical container (a large mason jar works great!)

  1. Add all the ingredients and let settle about 1 minute.
  2. Place the immersion blender in the bottom and turn it on to high speed. Do not move the blender, allow the mixture to thicken.
  3. Once thickened, stop blending immediately.

Keep the lid on the jar and store it in the refrigerator.

For Food Processors:

  1. Place all the ingredients except the oil in the bowl of the processor.
  2. Pulse until smooth and creamy.
  3. 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.

  1. Whisk the ingredients except for the oil until creamy.
  2. For the first, few tablespoons or so, add oil a few drops at a time while whisking.
  3. Continue adding oil as slowly as possible while whisking, this should take about 7-10 minutes.
Homemade Mayonnaise blended

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.

Ingredients

  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 cup oil vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
  • salt & white pepper to taste

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients in a slender tall container.
  • 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.
  • Turn the immersion blender on and hold it still until the mixture at the bottom begins to thicken (emulsify).
  • Once it starts to thicken, very slowly pull the immersion blender up to the top to thicken the rest of the mixture.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate immediately.

Recipe Notes

Ingredients MUST be at room temperature or this recipe will not work.

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.

Different types of oil will completely change the flavor of this recipe so try different oils to find one you like best.

Homemade mayonnaise will last 1 week in the fridge.

To Make in a Food Processor:

  1. Place all the ingredients except the oil in the (small) bowl of the processor.
  2. Process until smooth and creamy.
  3. 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.

Place mayo in a container with a tightly covered lid and store in the refrigerator.

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