This creamy homemade mayo recipe is even better than store-bought, and with just 4 ingredients, you’ll be able to whip up a batch of mayonnaise in less than 5 minutes following this fail-proof recipe! Perfect on a sandwich with my Homemade Lunch Meat and Homemade Sandwich Bread!
Over the years I have learned how to make several condiments from scratch, but something about homemade mayo has always daunted me.
Maybe it was the raw egg. Or maybe it was my worry about the mayo not mixing properly. I mean, it had to be difficult to make this creamy, tangy sandwich spread turn out correctly, right?
As it turns out, all those myths about how hard it is to make homemade mayonnaise were wrong! With one amazingly simple recipe (and a couple of tricks), you’ll have delicious homemade mayo ready in less than 2 minutes!
HOMEMADE MAYO RECIPE
Not only does homemade mayo taste way better than store-bought, but it’s also:
- Quick. Make it in a total time of 5 minutes!!!
- Easy. It’s so easy that after you make it, you will wonder why you haven’t been all along.
- Frugal. With only a handful of pantry ingredients, homemade mayo is much cheaper than store bought.
I’m going to show you how to make mayonnaise at home!
HOMEMADE MAYO INGREDIENTS
- Lemon
- Kosher salt
- Egg
- Extra light olive oil
- Flavors/seasonings (optional)
- Whey (optional)
You need an Immersion blender for this homemade mayo recipe.
You need EXTRA LIGHT olive oil. Extra light virgin olive oil is absolutely delicious in dressings, or with freshly baked artisan bread, but it does NOT taste good in homemade mayo (been there, done that).
- If you’re REALLY feeling fancy, you can also use neutral-flavored oil like walnut oil, macadamia oil, bacon grease, or ghee (but not individually, nor all together). I haven’t tried many of these specifically, but they are options if you don’t have extra light olive oil on hand.
- I don’t use canola oil or vegetable oil because canola is chemically extracted using hexane. Cold-pressed canola oil exists, but it is usually very expensive and hard to find. It’s better to avoid, and just use different oils instead.
- I tried 50/50 extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil, which didn’t taste very good at all. Both have too strong of a flavor for homemade mayo.
- Extra light olive oil produced an amazing mayo that tasted better than any store-bought I’ve ever had, I stopped there. Feel free to branch out and experiment, and if you do, please leave a comment sharing with us what worked and what didn’t!
HOW TO MAKE MAYONNAISE
Step 1. In a wide-mouth jar, layer your ingredients as follows.
Step 2. Wait about one minute, or until the egg is at the bottom of the jar and the oil is sitting at the top of the jar.
Step 3. Place the immersion blender in the jar, all the way to the bottom.
Step 4. With the immersion blender at the bottom of the jar, press the button to “go” and let it blend for 20 seconds, keeping the blender sitting at the bottom of the jar.
Step 5. After 5 seconds, you’ll have mayo at the bottom.
Step 6. At the 10-15 second mark, you’ll notice the mayo creeping to the top.
Step 7. In about 20 seconds, you’ll have mayo near the top of the ingredients with a very thin layer of oil right on top.
Step 8. Very slowly (and carefully), bring the immersion blender up the side of the jar while still blending. As you do this, the thin layer of oil on the top will slowly drizzle down the side of the jar and blend with the mayo underneath.
Step 9. Keep bringing your immersion blender almost to the top, stopping just short so you don’t splatter mayo everywhere. Your homemade mayo is done when all the ingredients are incorporated together!
Step 10. Taste your mayo and adjust your salt and/or lemon juice if desired.
HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE RECIPE TIPS
This homemade mayonnaise recipe is good in the fridge for about one week. However, by lacto-fermenting the mayo you can make it last for several months.
To do this, add 1 tablespoon of whey to the finished mayo and stir well. Allow the mayo to sit on the counter overnight, or for up to 24 hours. Afterward, put the mayo in the fridge and you’ve got mayo that will be good for 2 months or more!
For best results, use a jar that is just a bit wider than your immersion blender. That allows the blades of the immersion blender to be all the way immersed in the egg and lemon juice at the start of blending, helping the mixture come together.
I’ve never had this homemade mayo recipe break, but if yours isn’t coming together, try adding an additional egg yolk or a teaspoon of mustard (both act as emulsifiers and help keep everything mixed together) and whisking it back together.
HOW TO MAKE MAYO WITH A FOOD PROCESSOR
Using an immersion blender is the fastest way to make mayonnaise. But you can make it in a food processor too.
Follow these instructions to make mayo in a food processor:
- Place egg, salt, and lemon juice in the bowl of the food processor. Place the lid on top.
- Turn the food processor on high and slowly drizzle the oil in. This takes some time so hum a tune or march in place to keep busy!
- Once all the oil is added, turn off the food processor. Now you have a fresh batch of mayo ready to eat!
TO SERVE HOMEMADE MAYO
This is a basic homemade mayo recipe. It’s absolutely stunning and delicious and has the perfect balance of tangy and creamy. But some people prefer their mayo to be a bit fancier. If that’s you, consider the following additions to your homemade mayo (add these just after the egg):
- Pinch of white or black pepper
- Dry mustard OR prepared Dijon mustard (in any flavor you’d like)
- Using vinegar (apple cider vinegar, white wine, white balsamic, etc.) instead of lemon juice, or using lime juice too
- Sweetener (honey, sugar, maple syrup, etc.)
- Garlic
- Horseradish
- Sriracha
- Fresh herbs
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Crushed red pepper
Start with just a bit of your added ingredient of choice, and taste after blending. You can always add more, but you can’t take the ingredient out!
WAYS TO USE YOUR HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE
Now that you’ve made a batch of mayo, what are you going to do with it?
- My favorite is to just use it as a sandwich spread. There’s nothing like a classic sandwich with Homemade Lunch Meat and mayo on a couple of slices of Homemade Sandwich Bread.
- Use the mayo to make dressing or dip, like this Ranch Dressing or Caesar dressing.
- Make Broccoli Salad or Creamy Coleslaw for a delicious side dish.
- Enjoy these yummy Spicy Salmon Tacos with Slaw for this week’s taco night!
- Make a batch of perfect hard-boiled eggs and mix with mayo and mustard for a quick and easy egg salad or add to chicken salad.
MAYO RECIPE FAQS
What is mayonnaise made of?
This homemade mayo recipe has just 4 basic ingredients: lemon juice, salt, egg, and extra light olive oil.
What oil is best for mayonnaise?
Extra light olive oil is best for this mayonnaise recipe.
Do you need room temperature eggs for making mayo?
In my experience, no. An egg fresh from the fridge works just as well as a room temperature egg.
How long does homemade mayo last?
This recipe for mayonnaise is good in the fridge for about one week. However, by lacto-fermenting the mayo, you can make it last for several months! (See the recipe tips above for how to lacto-ferment the mayo.)
Is it cheaper to make your own mayonnaise?
Yes, it’s more budget-friendly to make your own mayo. Plus, you’ll have ingredients on hand to make other delicious foods, like The Best Scrambled Eggs, Mediterranean Grilled Cheese, or Caesar Salad Dressing!
MORE HOMEMADE CONDIMENTS
- Caesar Salad Dressing
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe
- Easy Homemade Salsa
- 15 Minute Homemade Hot Sauce
- How to Make Nut Butter
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Homemade Mayo
This creamy homemade mayo recipe is even better than store-bought, and with just 4 ingredients, you’ll be able to whip up a batch of mayonnaise in less than 5 minutes following this fail-proof recipe! Perfect on a sandwich with my Homemade Lunch Meat and Homemade Sandwich Bread!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 Jar 1x
- Category: Sauces/Condiments
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon, juiced (or 2 tbsp lemon juice)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (or ½ tsp table salt)
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup extra light olive oil
- flavors/seasonings (optional, see below)
- 1 Tbsp whey (optional, see below)
- immersion blender
Instructions
- In a wide-mouth jar, layer your ingredients as follows. First, lemon juice. Second, salt. Third, egg. Finally, extra light olive oil.
- Wait about one minute, or until the egg is at the bottom of the jar and the oils are sitting at the top of the jar.
- Place the immersion blender in the jar, all the way to the bottom.
- With the immersion blender at the bottom of the jar, press the button to “go” and let it blend for 20 seconds while sitting at the bottom of the jar.
- After 5 seconds, you’ll have mayo at the bottom.
- At the 10-15 second mark, you’ll notice the mayo creeping to the top.
- At about 20 seconds, you’ll have mayo near the top of the ingredients with a very thin layer of oil right on top.
- Very slowly (and carefully), bring the immersion blend up the side of the jar while still blending. As you do this, the thin layer of oil on the top will slowly drizzle down the side of the jar and blend with the mayo underneath.
- Keep bringing your immersion blender almost to the top, stopping just short so you don’t splatter mayo everywhere. Your mayo is done when all the ingredients are incorporated together!
- Taste your mayo and adjust your salt and/or lemon juice if desired.
Notes
- If you are using whey, finish the recipe as directed, then add whey and stir in well. Let sit on the counter at room temperature for 24 hours. Then refrigerate.
Nutrition
- Calories: 603
been thinking about eating a better quality mayo for ever and found this. I will spread this great site on to others
This homemade mayo recipe sounds absolutely amazing! I love how simple and quick it is to make, and the addition of different seasonings or ingredients makes it so customizable. I can’t wait to try it myself – perfect for sandwiches, salads, and all kinds of recipes. Thanks for sharing!
This homemade mayorecipe is quick, easy, and way tastier than store-bought!
I have been using this recipe for a long time, and have NEVER had a fail! It is awesome. Your original reipe called for either lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, and I prefer the vinegar. I also add a teaspoon of stone ground mustard and just a little sweetner. Delicious. My mayo keeps in the fridge for a long time. I save old glass peanut butter jars, use that for making the mayo, my immersion blender fits perfectly, and when done, on goes the cap and into the fridge. Absolutely failproof recipe. Thank you!
OMG I finally made mayonnaise! I’ve tried easily 10x and failed. This works and is fabulous. I happened to find this looking for a way to fix broken mayonnaise and it worked! It’s a keeper for sure! Most recipes call for adding drip by drip but to be able to put all into the jar was exactly what I needed. Thank you!
You’re very welcome!!
How long does the mayo last?
Hi Jackie,
This homemade mayonnaise recipe is good in the fridge for about one week. However, by lacto-fermenting the mayo you can make it last for several months.
What is lacto fermenting and how do you do this?
Hello Judy,
Lacto-fermentation is the process by which bacteria break down the sugar in foods and then form lactic acid.
To do this for homemade mayo, add 1 tablespoon of whey to the finished mayo and stir well. Allow the mayo to sit on the counter overnight, or for up to 24 hours. Afterward, put the mayo in the fridge and you’ve got mayo that will be good for 2 months or more! Hope this helps. 🙂
Next time you update this recipe I would add what size the egg should be at a minimum. It would help people who raise their own chickens or internationally where eggs are size 6, 7, 8 (as in New Zealand).
I was so chuffed the first time I made this recipe and it worked! I was using a Jumbo (size 8) egg. This time I used a size 6 egg, I knew it might not fully emulsify, so I also weighed the egg (for science!). It was 60 grams with the shell and the shell was 7 grams. Anyway, I was right, there is a bit of oil that didn’t emulsify, but it is still yummy!
I use this recipe all the time. After making this recipe for years without any problems, I had a fail. I was in a hurry and didn’t keep immersion blender on bottom of jar long enough. Please remember to keep blender on bottom of jar until mayo has formed so this doesn’t happen to you. Like my dad always says “Haste makes waste”.
I meant to give this recipe 5 stars. Not sure why it has only one when I posted my comment. How can I fix the rating?
Been making mayo since last year. But why does my mayo solidify in the fridge? and when I thaw it out, it becomes oily. Thank you for your response.
Hello Sharon,
Mayo separates typically if there is too much liquid added in the beginning. Another cause can be that the oil was poured too quickly. Hope this helps!
Thank you for this. I will try it.
I was in a bind thinking I had store bought mayo in the fridge and was wrong. Needed some quick but due to the circumstances I couldn’t get away from the house. I tried (and failed miserably) another recipe claiming to have the easiest and simplest to follow. WRONG! How frustrating that was as well as wasteful! Then I remembered hearing about a mason jar mayo a few years ago and looked online to find yours pop up! Thank goodness I remember those oddities! The recipe actually worked, just as described and repeatable without fail!!! The only problem…I’m going to need to find some miniature mason jars to fill will mayo to put in my gift baskets of homemade bread at Christmas!! Thanks for the recipe, it really saved the day and will save a ton of money!!! Much Love!!
Hello Grace M.,
We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for posting. 🙂
Hi
I was wondering what seasoning should I put in the Mayo
Thanks Alice
Hello Alice,
Here are some seasoning suggestions to add to your homemade mayo: Pinch white or black pepper, dry mustard OR prepared Dijon mustard (in any flavor you’d like), garlic, horseradish, fresh herbs, paprika, garlic powder, or crushed red pepper. Hope this helps! 🙂
Maybe a dumb question. Is the raw egg a problem?
I have a question, not a comment. Do you have to use an immersion blender?
Hello Diane,
This recipe hasn’t been tested without an immersion blender. If you try it out, let us know how it goes! 🙂
Hello Diane,
This recipe hasn’t been tested without an immersion blender. If you try it with a different appliance, let us know how it goes! 🙂
Very low sodium eating for health reasons. Is it important to use the salt this yummy sounding recipe calls for? Thank you
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
This recipe hasn’t been tested without salt. Tiffany says she’d be confident in reducing the salt to 1/4 tsp. Not sure if she would eliminate it entirely. Hope this helps!
Is whey a powder or a liquid and where can I buy it in Australia?
I get whey by straining plain yogurt–the whey ends up at the bottom of the container and the yogurt thickens above the strainer. It can be used as sour cream in recipes–so healthy! I use the Cuisipro yogurt cheese maker that’s a good size, not huge. You might also be able to get whey from a local dairy–I buy it by the half-gallon for making bread (whey makes bread softer than just using water), and it keeps a long time in the fridge. Good luck from the US!
I’m in Australia. Whey can be made from making Farmers Cheese. Heat Farmers Gold or Farmers Cream on Top milk until lots of bubbles. Then add 1/2 cup of vinegar and then strain with cheese cloth or towel. The whey is what remains from the curd (cheese).
Farmers Gold is the best as it has a higher fat content than whole milk. The whey is sweet and awesome for smoothies and mayo.
Would love to know if its possible to make it in a blender (the magic bullet), thanks 🙂
Hi Natalia,
Yes, you can use a Magic Bullet for this recipe. Hope this helps!
I don’t have an immersion blender could this work using a food processor??
Excellent recipe, very simple ingredients, and so fast to make. I’ll never go back to store bought mayo!
Thanks! It is a favorite!!
This mayo is so delicious! and I cannot believe how EASY EASY EASY it is!!! My mom likes it best using lime juice instead of lemon (although she likes both). : )
Thank you for this great recipe, Tiffany!
Tried to convince my mom to make homemade mayonnaise but she only had EVOO and it worked but it wasn’t good. Found this recipe and made it with avocado oil, in a jar, in 25 seconds! It’s delicious and so much easier than the blender method! She’s converted and so am I! Thanks!
You are right about the EVOO. Try it with the extra-light olive oil, or in my area it is called Light-tasting Olive Oil. That is the KEY to using olive oil, just like Tiffany says.