Name: Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 egg yolks; 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 4 teaspoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed from about half a lemon); 1 teaspoon vinegar (use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar); 1 teaspoon sugar (see Note 3); 1 teaspoon mustard (Dijon mustard or yellow mustard would work) (see Note 2); 2 cups oil (500ml or half liter) (I used peanut oil (see Note 1))

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This Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe is fail-proof and produces the best tasting mayonnaise ever! It is perfect for sandwiches, salads, dips and more. Use this homemade mayonnaise anyway you would use store-bought mayonnaise.

I first learned how to make mayonnaise (or mayo) in my Food and Nutrition class in secondary school. Secondary school in Cameroon where I grew up is similar to Middle School in the United States.

After I learned in Food and Nutrition class that a girl could make her own mayo at home, I went back home and made all the mayo I could!

This Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe is one of those recipes that has stuck with me throughout my life.

I have made mayonnaise at home more times than I can count, tweaking the original recipe I learned, trying different techniques and now I have a homemade mayonnaise recipe I can proudly share with you.

And I have lots of tips for you (see below) to help you make your own mayonnaise.

This is the best homemade mayonnaise recipe you will ever make. The mayo is creamy, with a lovely custardy texture, and just the right amount of tartness. It is finger-licking delicious and you'll want to put it on everything!

Homemade Mayonnaise is way better than storebought. It is so much healthier with no sneaky ingredients, it is easy to make and you can customize it by adding other ingredients you like (more on this below).

Ingredients for Homemade Mayonnaise

You need 4 main ingredients for homemade mayonnaise: egg yolks, oil, vinegar and salt. This combination of ingredients emulsify to produce mayonnaise. But the mayo won't be so flavorful. So for the best tasting mayonnaise, here are all the ingredients you need:

1. Egg Yolks. Egg yolks are the base ingredient for mayonnaise.

You only need egg yolks to make homemade mayonnaise. Keep the egg whites in another recipe like coconut macaroons or just scramble them and enjoy!

Egg yolks make the mayonnaise rich as homemade mayonnaise should be. Some people use whole eggs and that's okay too. I find that whole eggs produce a whiter looking mayonnaise than mayo with just egg yolks. I prefer egg yolks in my mayonnaise for their richness and that authentic off-white mayonnaise color they give the mayonnaise.

2. Oil. Oil added to egg yolks is what makes mayonnaise thicken.

Use a neutral tasting oil for homemade mayonnaise. Oils like canola oil, corn oil or peanut oil work well. Avocado oil will work too and has great health benefits. However, do not use Extra Virgin Olive Oil in homemade mayonnaise. The flavor of EVOO will overwhelm the taste of the mayo. If you would like to use olive oil, use the light kind that looks like vegetable oil. It has a much better flavor.

3. Vinegar. The acidity in vinegar is needed for emulsion to properly form.

Vinegar also adds tartness to mayo. White vinegar, red vinegar or apple cider vinegar all work in homemade mayonnaise. If you use red vinegar though, note that it might add a hint of a pink color to the mayonnaise.

4. Lemon Juice. Lemon juice adds much needed acidity and brightness to mayonnaise.

Using a combination of vinegar and freshly squeezed lemon juice produces the best tasting mayonnaise. The lemon adds a brighter and fresher flavor that vinegar alone can not add.

5. Ground White pepper. White pepper adds flavor to the mayonnaise.

White pepper is ideal for seasoning mayonnaise because it blends in with the color of the mayo. If you don't mind seeing black flecks in your mayo, use ground black pepper instead.

6. Salt. Salt brings out the flavors in mayonnaise.

You could use regular salt or sea salt.

7. Mustard. Mustard helps stabilize mayonnaise and also adds flavor.

Mustard contains lecithin that further helps the emulsion of mayonnaise. You could use dijon mustard or yellow mustard.

Mayonnaise could also be made without mustard. Not all storebought brands contain mustard. I have made mayonnaise many times without mustard and it turned out just fine.

8. Sugar. Sugar balances the flavor of mayonnaise beautifully.

With only one teaspoon of sugar for two cups of mayonnaise, it is a very low amount of sugar per serving. Also, the mayonnaise doesn't taste anything close to sweet.

But that hit of sugar adds a little extra something in taste that completes this homemade mayonnaise recipe.

How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise

1. Place egg yolks, vinegar, salt, mustard, sugar, white pepper and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix everything to combine.

2. Slowly drizzle in oil into the egg yolk mixture while mixing continuosly with a hand mixer. As you add the oil the mixture will thicken to form mayonnaise.

Hand holding hand mixer, another hand drizzling in oil to make mayonnaise

freshly made mayonnaise with a hand mixer

That't it, two simple steps and homemade mayonnaise is all done!

A bowl of freshly made mayonnaise, a butter knife lifting up some mayonnaise.

What are the different ways to make homemade mayonnaise?

From whisking by hand to using different tools, here are the different ways to make homemade mayonnaise:

1. Homemade Mayonnaise in a blender. Add all the ingredients except the oil to the blender and pulse to combine. Slowly drizzle in the oil while blending so it thickens up. Continue until all the oil is added.

2. Homemade Mayonnaise in a food processor. Add all the ingredients except the oil to the food processor and pulse to combine. Slowly drizzle in the oil with the food processor running so it thickens up. Continue until all the oil is added.

3. Homemade Mayonnaise in a stand-up mixer. Add all the ingredients except the oil to the mixer and mix to combine. Slowly drizzle in the oil while mixing so it thickens up. Continue until all the oil is added.

4. Homemade Mayonnaise with a hand-mixer. Add all the ingredients except the oil to a bowl and beat with a hand mixer to combine. Slowly drizzle in the oil while mixing so it thickens up. Continue until all the oil is added.

5. Homemade Mayonnaise with an immersion blender. Place all the ingredients in a 4-cup measuring cup. Place in the immersion blender and blend until it thickens to form mayonnaise.

6. Homemade Mayonnaise with a whisk. Add all the ingredients except the oil to the bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking continuously so it thickens up. Continue until all the oil is added.

7. Homemade Mayonnaise with forks. Add all the ingredients except the oil to the bowl. Join two forks together and use the forks to beat the mixture to combine. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuously beating so it thickens up. Continue until all the oil is added.

homemade mayoyonnaise in a bowl, bread buns in a basket, half a bun with mayo spread on top, surrounded by lettuce and avocado.

Note: When I started making mayo I always whisked it all by hand. I would beat my mayo with two forks joined together to create some sort of whisk. That's because at that time I didn't even own a whisk.

I am telling you this story to let you know that you really do not need any special gadgets to make homemade mayonnaise.

Kitchen tools like a mixer, blender or food processor will make the job easier for you but they are not required.

For this recipe, I used a hand mixer but if a whisk is all you've got, you could use it. It requires a bit of arm strength but it still works.

Homemade mayonnaise in jars with tight-fitting lids — Store homemade mayonnaise in jars with tight-fitting lids.

The Mayonnaise Making Principle

According to my Food and Nutrition teacher, use one egg yolk for 250 milliliters (1 cup) of oil to make mayonnaise. Then for 2 egg yolks, you simply double the oil to 500 milliliters (2 cups). This measurement has stuck with me for years and years.

So this is the mayonnaise making principle: 1 egg yolk per 1 cup of oil. Say this with me: 1 egg yolk per 1 cup of oil. Easy right?

What is Mayonnaise Used For?

Mayonnaise is used in the following recipes:

Vegetable Salad
Pasta Salad
Breakfast Salad
Mayo-Ketch Dipping Sauce
Deviled Eggs
Cucumber Avocado Salad
Coleslaw
And more! Just use it for anything you will use mayo with!

Also, you can cook with mayonnaise. Try my mayonnaise chicken and thou shalt testify!

This homemade mayonnaise recipe results in mayonnaise that is perfectly mayonnaise-y and so good! Confession: I spooned some into my mouth more times than I can count! Hope you enjoy this recipe, friends. #NeverBuyMayonnaiseAgain

Homemade Mayonnaise Success Tips

1. Use room temperature eggs to make mayonnaise. Using room temperature egg yolks ensures that the mayonnaise thickens more easily.

If your eggs aren't are straight from the fridge, immerse them in a bowl filled with lukewarm water for 5 minutes then take them out and use in making the mayonnaise.

2. Slowly drizzle in the oil when beating the mayonnaise. If you add the oil too quickly, the mayonnaise will not emulsify as it should.

Watch How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise

Watch me making Homemade Mayonnaise in the video below. If you haven’t subscribed to my Youtube channel yet, SUBSCRIBE so you do not miss any of my videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long can I store homemade mayonnaise? Store homemade mayonnaise in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

2. Can I make mayonnaise without raw eggs? You need raw eggs for mayonnaise. If this is a concern to you, try using pasteurized eggs. Only use cage free or organic eggs as they have better quality. Raw eggs are safe to eat as you can see in this article.

3. What can I do if my mayonnaise breaks? If your mayonnaise breaks (fails to emulsify and seperates), place 1 egg yolk and a little pich of mustard in a bowl, beat them together then slowly drizzle in the broken mayonnaise. It will get thick again.

4. What can I do if my mayonnaise is too thick? Yes, mayonnaise that is too thick is a thing. If the mayo is too thick, it will look like clumps of jelly. To fix this, add 1 tablespoon of hot water to the mayo and beat or whisk together and it will be the right consistency.

Variations to Homemade Mayonnaise

Here are various ways you can switch up your homemade mayonnaise and make it even more exciting:

Add some minced garlic for garlicky mayonnaise.
Add fresh herbs like basil, parsley and thyme for a delicious herby mayonnaise. The herbs can be blended together with the mayonnaise.
Add hot pepper (like habanero) to make spicy mayonnaise.

This recipe was first published on January 23rd 2018. I have updated the recipe with fresh photos, lots on information and a video.

*This post contains affiliate links.

Recipe

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

How to make mayonnaise at home! This homemade mayonnaise recipe is so easy, tastes insanely good and much healthier than storebought. Use it on sandwiches, salads, for dips and more!

4 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: International

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: cups of mayonnaise

Calories: 123kcal

Author: Precious

Ingredients

▢ 2 egg yolks
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ 4 teaspoons lemon juice freshly squeezed from about half a lemon
▢ 1 teaspoon vinegar (use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
▢ 1 teaspoon sugar see Note 3
▢ 1 teaspoon mustard (Dijon mustard or yellow mustard would work) see Note 2
▢ 2 cups oil (500ml or half liter) I used peanut oil (see Note 1)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a bowl except the oil. Use a hand mixer or a whisk to whisk them together. Slowly drizzle in the oil while you continuously whisk. As you add the oil, the mayonnaise will thicken. Be sure to rest your hand for a few seconds in between if you are using your hand and you get tired (which is normal). Then continue whisking until all the oil is poured in. Your mayonnaise should be thick, luscious and so tasty!
Use on salads, in sandwiches and in anything you will use mayonnaise. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Notes

1. I used peanut oil in this recipe but you could use any light oil you have at home. Canola soy and avocado oil are great options. However, avoid using any oil that has a strong flavor. Extra virgin olive oil won't be great in this recipe because its flavor is overwhelming. If you really want to use olive oil, you could use light olive oil or use half extra virgin olive oil and half another light oil.

2. Yellow mustard in addition to egg yolks gives the mayonnaise a slightly yellow hue and it also gives it a boost in taste. Dijon mustard is good too - it won't really add color but it will add flavor to the mayonnaise. Note that I have made homemade mayonnaise several times without mustard so this is not a compulsory ingredient.

3. The sugar is totally optional here and you can't even taste it. But I noticed this made a HUGE difference in flavor compared to when I used just salt. So definitely add the teaspoon of sugar for some epic homemade mayonnaise!

4. If you use your hand to whisk and your mayonnaise doesn't thicken, place the mixture in a blender and blend to help it thicken. P.S you can also make homemade mayonnaise in a blender following this same recipe.

5. The nutritional information here is per tablespoon.

Nutrition