Did you know you can make mayo at home in under 10 minutes? Mayo, mayonnaise, whatever you want to call it is a pantry staple condiment we all know and love. It’s used as a spread on sandwiches and in many recipes like my Zesty Egg Salad. Mayo is an emulsion of oil, egg yolk, and an acid. In this recipe, we use lemon as our acid.
I’ve never been a big fan of mayonnaise, but once I learned how to make it at home I couldn’t be stopped. There’s something rewarding about making something from scratch that you only thought you could find at the grocery store. Plus, it tastes better.
When you make your own mayo you can punch up the flavor and add your own twist. Add more garlic for a aioli vibe or squeeze in extra lemon for a zesty taste. Making mayo at home beats the store-bought jarred version any day because it doesn’t have any preservatives or nonessential ingredients. This homemade mayo is made with only five ingredients and it’ll last in your fridge for at least a week.
I can’t claim that I’ve given up on store-bought mayonnaise because store-bought offers a convenience when I need to make a quick tuna salad for a weekday lunch. But, making mayo for a dinner party or special lunch for friends is worth the extra effort.
This homemade mayo recipe makes the emulsion the old fashioned way: with a whisk and some muscle power. You can make mayo with an immersion blender by following this recipe by Downshiftology.
Many mayo recipes yields much more than I can consume in a week. This recipe makes about 1/2 a cup of mayo or 4 oz. If you want to double the recipe, add just add more oil. You can add up to a cup of oil to an egg yolk. If you want to make more than a cup, add an extra egg yolk (and more oil).
Homemade Mayo
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 garlic clove minced or grated
- 1/4 lemon 1 tbsp of juice
- 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Crack an egg and separate the egg whites from the yolk. Save the whites for later and add the 1 egg yolk to a large bowl.
- Mince 1 garlic clove or grate it directly into the bowl.
- Squeeze the juice of 1/4 lemon (about 1 tbsp of lemon juice) in the bowl.
- Add 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard to the bowl.
- Whisk together the ingredients until combined.
- Start by slowly adding canola oil into the bowl one drop at a time as you whisk. Once the mixture starts to emulsify, you can add a slow yet steady stream of canola oil until all the 1/2 cup canola oil has been combined.
- Add a pinch of salt to taste Taste your mayo to see if you want to add anything else like extra garlic or even hot sauce to make it a spicy mayo.
- Serve immediately or transfer to a jar for later.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Add egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard to a large bowl.
2. Whisk ingredients together
3. Slowly add canola oil while whisking
4. Whisk until all the oil is combined
Tips for Emulsification
The hardest part about making mayo is emulsifying the ingredients properly. Mastering mayo can take time. Here are some tips I’ve learned along the way:
- Whisk your ingredients in a large bowl. The larger surface area will help with the emulsification, giving your whisk plenty of space to work with.
- If your bowl is slipping a sliding everywhere as you whisk, add a wet kitchen towel under your bowl to keep it steady in place.
- You can add a few drops of room temperature water to your egg yolk to help with the emulsification process. A room temperature egg yolk will also make it easier.
- Don’t rush by pouring your oil in all at once. It will not emulsify. Make sure to start whisking in your oil one drop a time. Once the mayo starts to form and thicken, then you can start adding oil more quickly.
- If your mayo emulsification breaks or separates don’t panic and throw it out. Transfer your broken mixture to a smaller bowl and add a fresh egg yolk to your larger bowl. Slowly (remember drop by drop) add the broken mixture to your fresh egg yolk to salvage your ingredients.
Choosing Your Oil
People have strong opinions on the type of oil they consume. The conversation around seed oils has exploded in recent years. I have no shame in using canola oil in my recipe because the mayo I buy from the store probably uses way worse ingredients. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, you can use avocado oil to achieve the same flavor and traditional white mayo color.
While olive oil might seem like good option, I don’t recommend it for making mayo, especially if you plan to use it in recipes like an egg or tuna salad. The olive oil taste will overpower other ingredients. Olive oil will work great if you’re trying to make an aioli by adding additional garlic (about 3 cloves more). Mayo made with olive oil will be a yellow-ish color instead of white.
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