Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
This homemade mayonnaise recipe has been a long time in the making. I think I have tried about 30 different variations trying to get it just right. But all that work was not for nothing. I finally got a mayo I’m happy with!
You will notice, in the ingredient list, that the oil called for is unspecified. This is not an accident. Choosing your oil is a personal decision, and your choice will greatly affect the flavor of the mayo.
BEST OILS FOR MAYONNAISE:
I have tried it with olive oil, coconut oil, and even sesame oil. But in the end, I wanted more of a traditional flavor, so I went with safflower oil. I found that it gave a slightly less dense texture than some of the other oils I tried which turned out quite thick. So I ended up sticking with safflower oil which turned out to be the best choice for me and what I was trying to achieve with this recipe. This is a delicious and traditional mayo, mainly because the oil is so light in flavor.
That being said, most safflower oils bottled for cooking are refined. If you can locate the unrefined food-grade version, it’s better (cleaner) than refined, but it also has a stronger flavor. So you kind of have to pick your battles on this one. Any way you look at it, this is far healthier than anything you can buy at the store.
HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE LAST?
Note the storage notes at the end of the recipe. Never leave this clean eating mayonnaise sitting out! It must be refrigerated at all times. Typically, homemade mayonnaise will last 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge.
APPLIANCE NOTES:
I tried making this recipe in a blender and failed miserably. So I used my immersion blender instead and it gave me perfect mayo in under 20 seconds. It was actually pretty impressive to watch. So I do recommend an immersion blender for this recipe. Otherwise, you’ll have to make it by hand which is a workout in itself with all that whisking!
NOTES ON THE EGGS:
I highly recommend purchasing pasteurized eggs for this recipe to avoid a foodborne illness. I have found one brand that specializes in this, but they are not sold everywhere. So you may have to hunt one down in your own area. If they are pasteurized, it will say so on the box. Some people say that you should not eat raw eggs at all. It’s a personal decision you need to make for yourself and those you feed. But please be aware that the very young, the very old, and those with immune issues are far more susceptible to foodborne illness from things like raw eggs. So if you try this, use it wisely, and please use pasteurized eggs.
PRODUCT NOTES:
If you’d rather buy your mayo, the only clean eating mayonnaise I have come across is the Chosen Foods brand (affiliate link).
HAVING TROUBLE MAKING MAYO?
Here are some tips in case your mayo separates or has other issues. While I use a stick blender, it’s an older blender. Newer stick blenders may be more powerful, which in turn would over-mix the mayo and cause separation. While the following tips are for hand whisking mayonnaise, some of the tips may help you if you do get separation. You can find those tips here.
MORE HOMEMADE CONDIMENT RECIPES:
PRODUCTS USED:
- Real Salt – affiliate link
HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE RECIPE:
Homemade Mayonnaise
Equipment
- Stick blender
- Canning jar or cup that's about the same size as the base of your blender.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oil
- ½ tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp. salt (I use Real Salt – see link above)
- 1 large pasteurized egg
Instructions
Container Notes:
- This recipe uses an immersion blender. You need to use a cup or glass that is only slightly bigger than the immersion blender. If your blender came with a blending cup, that's a great one to use. Otherwise, consider a canning jar that is just slightly bigger. Using a large bowl or larger cup will not work.
Mayo:
- Place all ingredients in a tall jar or cup that fits your immersion blender.
- Place the blender at the bottom of the jar and blend on high without moving the blender. Once you see mayo start to form, you can move the blender slowly upwards until all the mayo is blended. Do not over blend. This will take less than 20 seconds.
- Store in refrigerator immediately and up to 1 week.
- Storage Notes: There are varying opinions on the shelf-life of homemade mayonnaise. Some people won’t keep their mayo longer than three days no matter what, while others say it expires when the date on the egg carton says so. I have found that a week is just about right. You’ll notice a slight change in flavor, consistency and sometimes even color when it starts to turn. But above all, please keep it in the fridge at all times! There are also plenty of folks out there that do not use pasteurized eggs. That is your prerogative. With a little one at home, I tend to err on the side of caution and use the pasteurized eggs for this.
Can I use a hand mixer instead?
Karen – This really needs the speed of a blender. Although, you could potentially also do it by hand, which a lot of folks do when they make mayo. But you really have to beat the heck out of it. You can certainly try it, but I don’t recommend a regular hand mixer.
Help please! IDK what I’m doing wrong. One time I’ll make this and it’s fabulous, but then the next time it never comes together right. I use an immersion blender stick. I put the yolk in first then vinegar, water, salt, and lastly avocado oil. Does the egg need to be room temp? I just can’t figure out for the life of me what is happening. It looks a little creamyish but pours off the spoon and separates when I let it sit. I absolutely love this recipe when it works, but it’s getting expensive throwing out every other batch ?
Jennifer – My first guess would be that you are over blending. This may not be any fault of your own, however. It’s possible that if your stick blender is newer than mine, it may be more powerful. Here is an article I found that may give you some helpful information. I’ll add it to my blog post here as well. Let me know if any of these tips works for you! https://foodal.com/knowledge/how-to/quick-fixes-broken-homemade-mayo/
I have tried this recipe twice…one with the water and one without. Both failed miserably 🙁 However, when I went over to Whole Foods’ website their recipe section said to use egg whites instead of yolk? Could that be an issue?
Jennifer
Jennifer – That’s really odd because mayo is always made with egg yolks. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it made with whites. Can you tell me more about what’s happening when you make it?