How to make homemade mayonnaise with an egg, oil, lemon juice, salt, & dijon. This is really good mayo and if you have an immersion blender you can make it in about 2 minutes.
Yes you really can make homemade mayo in about 2 minutes. That is not a blogger 2 minutes, or an I'll be there in 2 minutes. It's a real, honest, set the timer for 2 minutes, 2 minutes.
Remember, we're making mayonnaise, NOT Miracle Whip, so there are only 4 ingredients (plus salt). This is the difference between Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip.
For instance on my homemade chicken burgers (above) Miracle Whip would be gross. I also think it would be gross to use Miracle Whip in or on hamburgers, chicken salad, coleslaw, or anything else that is edible. It might be O.K. as a face moisturizer, I'm not sure.
So I might be biased.
This homemade mayonnaise recipe is a 1-1-1-1 ratio. Kind of. Everything is a different measurement but they're all 1's.
Table of Contents
Why Not Just Buy Mayo?
Let's get this out of the way. Homemade mayonnaise manages to be tangy and rich with a creamy texture in a way store bought could never be. It's all about the mouth feel. Once you taste it you'll understand what mayo is supposed to taste like.
The How to Video
Here we go! The world's easiest and most fool proof mayonnaise but it DOES REQUIRE one special tool. And without it, you're sunk.
You're not sunk, this tool just makes making mayonnaise easy, plus clean up is easy.
Enter the immersion blender. It's easy to clean, you can add all your ingredients at once (instead of having to drizzle the oil in with a thin stream), plus it makes perfectly emulsified mayo in record time.
You can also use a food processor or hand whisking to make mayo. Just don't hand whisk if you have carpel tunnel syndrome. Or rotator cuff issues. And if you can't do the flexed arm hang for upwards of 4 hours you probably want to pass on hand whisking as well.
It's the immersion aka stick blender that will turn making mayonnaise from a chore into something as fun as ... I don't know, as fun as a good sneeze?
Ingredients
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup of light tasting oil vegetable oil
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
Crack one room temperature egg into the blender's cup. Any tall and slender container will do. Make sure you don't break the yolk.
Add 1 healthy teaspoon of dijon mustard.
Add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Bottled is fine. Seriously. Don't worry about it. Who are these lunatics who demand fresh lemon juice for everything?? Screw it.
Add 1 cup of neutral tasting oil like canola or vegetable oil. Let the canola oil hating begin ...
Yes you can use olive oil if you want to but it will taste weird. Trust me on this.
Place your immersion blender's blade DIRECTLY over the yolk, so it gets encased in the bell of the blender.
See? The yolk is right inside.
Turn the blender on while holding it firmly down on the bottom of the container. DO. NOT. MOVE. IT. Don't whirl it around, don't lift it up and down, don't MOVE it. Just keep the blender over the yolk on the bottom of the container.
Once no more oil is being mixed in, slowly raise the blender straight up. This will suck the oil on top down below. You want to try to maintain suction. You'll get to a certain point where the suction breaks and then, and ONLY then can you move the blender up and down a few times to make sure all the oil on top is mixed in.
Add a pinch of salt. Whirr with blender quickly. Taste. Add more salt if you want.
That's it. It'll be thick and rich right from the get go, but once you refrigerate it it gets even thicker. THIS is the only mayonnaise I use now because it's so easy to make.
(total lie - I sometimes buy mayonnaise)
Mayonnaise from the store is insanely shelf stable and keeps in the fridge for about as long as a mummy will keep in a crypt. Which seems strange for something made out of raw egg. Suspicious even.
But that's the reason I also use store bought mayonnaise.
Every time I make the mayonnaise I just add a piece of masking tape to the top of the jar with the date I made it and the date it'll be expired by. You think you'll remember when you made it and how long it'll last but you won't.
I guarantee you won't. You can't even remember what you had for dinner 2 nights ago.
Ingredients
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup of light tasting oil vegetable oil
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to container of immersion blender (or wide mouth mason jar).
- Place blender directly over the egg and hold in place touching the bottom of the container.
- Keeping the blender touching the bottom of the container, turn it on and mix until the oil stops incorporating.
- Slowly raise the blender from the bottom of the container, maintaining the vacuum, to incorporate the rest of the oil.
- Once the vacuum seal is broken, mix up and down a couple of more times and you're done.
Nutrition
You can thank Betty for this post. My mother asked me 14 times how to make homemade mayonnaise from scratch. She was here one day as I was doing it and she was stunned, amused and amazed at how easy it is to do when you know a couple of tricks.
The only troublesome trick is you have to remember those couple of tricks.
Betty - What was it again? A Tablespoon of dijon?
Karen - No. No, a teaspoon.
Betty - O.K., but a cup of sugar, right.
Karen - OMG NO. There's no sugar in it.
Betty - O.K. so dijon, vinegar, and oil. I feel like I'm missing something.
Karen - The egg. The main ingredient is the egg. And there's no vinegar, it's lemon juice.
Betty - Oh that's right. I can't ever seem to remember this. Now why is there no sugar in the cake?
Karen - Because it isn't cake. It's mayonnaise.
Betty tends to think about 17 things at once and therefore has trouble focusing on simple tasks like remembering recipes or listening to entire sentences.
Like the glass Weck Jar? Me too. Get 'em here.
Like the round cutting board? Make one yourself for about $5!
I know people hate vegetable and canola oil but they really are the best tasting oils to use. If you're going to be persnickety and insist on the inclusion of olive oil, make sure it is a very light olive oil.
O.K. I'm going to be honest here. I won't eat it after 1 week. But most recommendations agree that homemade mayonnaise will last 2 weeks in a refrigerator.
Try substituting the egg with ¼ cup of milk or ¼ cup of aquafaba aka the liquid on top of a can of chickpeas!
If you already own an immersion blender and you haven't been making mayonnaise this way I'm kindda stunned you're still here reading these final sentences. Grab that blender. It's time to make cake. ;)
Hi Karen! What's the verdict on using avocado oil for mayo?
Ever tried it?
Hi Karen, what capacity is your Weck Jar? Found various sizes on Amazon & want to make sure I get the right height to accommodate the blender & contents.
Thanks!
Hi Ellie, the jar in the final photo that's filled with mayo is a 1 cup capacity but the jar I mix the mayo in is actually a jar that came with the blender. You may be able to use a 4 cup wide mouth mason jar. Stick blenders often fit in those. ~ karen!
Perfect, thank you!
Your mayonnaise recipe provides a simple but impressive product. I just made it again this winter. This time for the thousand island dressing to go on Ruebens. I know it's only supposed to be kept for a week in the fridge, so I guess I'll just have to make the Ruebens now again on St. Patrick's day!
Thanks for the review Dawn! It really is amazing how easy it is to make and what a great mayo it produces. Although I'm a mustard only kind of gal for Reubens. :) ~ karen!
I waited almost 8 minutes for the mayo film to download/start. 5 times I got a notice from my computer "page unresponsive." When it finally started it would not pause and froze intermittently. It was jumping all over with advertisements at the side and bottom. Even as I sit here and type this the letters are not typing as I hit the keyboard. I thought you should know. This will certainly hurt your business. You are a joy.
Hey Cara! Thanks I'll pass this on to my developer in case it has something to do with my new site design. It could have just been a glitch with your Internet connection. Let me know if it continues! ~ karen
I love your blog Karen, but I cannot with the mayonnaise. Any mayonnaise. I find raw eggs disgusting, and I don't trust them. I can't even eat cooked eggs with a runny egg yolk. You're right to be suspicious of shelf-stable raw egg items. There are shenanigans afoot!
GAK. I can't eat a runny yolk either, lol. In fact I'm kind of alarmed that anyone does but at the same time I wish I could. Yolk toast dipping does look good. But nope. ~ karen!
I am one of the nuts that uses real lemons. I grew up with the bottled stuff, but my husband didn't. I didn't think he could tell the difference. I made him a cup of tea with the bottled juice and put a couple of pits from a lemon. He knew. I couldn't fool him. Never bought a bottle again. I do make a mayo for taramasalata using the drip from the food processor, I am going to try your way instead. Thanks for the idea.
NUTTER! Actually I'll use real lemon if I have one that I'm also going to use for something else. But I won't cut it open for just that little bit of lemon juice if I think the lemon will then go to waste. Lemons cost crazy amounts around here. And don't get me started on limes. ~ karen!
Actually, I buy a bag of organic lemons when they go on sale, and then proceed to juice them. Freeze the juice in ice cube trays, and pop them out when you need a little juice. I also wash the rinds and cut them into strips and dry them, or shred and dry for when I need lemon peel. (the grandkids love the lemon strips, boil for a minute in a sugar syrup before drying) Works with any citrus....
Ahhhhh. That's a great idea. ~ karen!
Ok- so if you don't have an immersion blender but you do have a food processor, put everything but the oil in, start it, and then pour the oil into the tamper (mine has two small holes in it) and then you can walk away and do other stuff (like get out a jar) while it's whirling away.
I've been making this mayo for going on 21 years:
1 egg yolk
1 egg
2 dashes each cayenne and white pepper
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp dijon
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice (or to taste)
1/4 cup truffle oil
1 1/2 cups avocado oil
Just add a small crushed clove of garlic for a fabulous aioli! I make mayo and aioli often, but there is a jar of store-bought mayonnaise in the fridge for when I’m in a super hurry.
You can experiment with other ingredients, like capers or chopped cornichon, for other mayonnaise based sauces; but no olive oil, save that for vinaigrette.
Thanks for the technique since it’s that more than a recipe.
Hi Bill! My favourite combinations are mayo with grainy dijon or mayo with lime. A lime mayo with a cold sliced steak is delicious! I'm going to add combining mayo with capers now though because I really love capers! Thx. ~ karne!
I've always resisted making mayo myself but this just convinced me to try. Hubby doesn't like mayo so I always have to find ways to finish a jar of store-bought one, if and when I buy one at all. This is probably the right amount for one person. Thanks, Karen!
Good luck! Lemme know how it goes. ~ karen!
I've been making mayonnaise in this manner for years now. I use canola oil, don't add the Dijon mustard and I use a teaspoon of salt. Otherwise the method is identical. I now use a wide-mouthed Mason jar that has a good seal. I've kept and used the mayonnaise for upwards of a month and it still tastes fresh and I've had no I'll effects. Tastes great!!
EEK! Lol. I'm sure it's fine I'm just weirdly cautious with it. More salt = better preservation though. ~ karen!
I made your Caesar salad on the weekend and the dressing is the same method as this. It was fabulous! So, I'll try this.
Excellent! I do love that caesar salad dressing. It makes you wonder how store bought caesar in a jar can even be called caesar salad dressing. ~ karen!
Karen,
Can i use avacado oil to make this recipe?
Hi Valerie! I've never done it but I don't see any reason why not. It's a neutralish tasting oil so it should be fine. Making it with regular olive oil is gross. I know people encourage you to use olive oil but it really does taste pretty bad, lol. ~ karen!
What size is the Weck jar you show in the photo? Amazon gives the dimension of the package the jars will come in; I'm sure that the jar in the photo is NOT 14 inches.
Love the idea , just wish it had longer shelf life 🤔
I do know it tastes amazing though.
Dear God! You need an olive oil disclaimer in the post. Eff my life the recipe is perfect but the EVOO as the oil tastes like something from the devil! I just ate cole slaw with my disgusting mayo thinking I’d survive but good lord this is going into the bin! I saw the comment about this issue after the fact...
But I don't tell you to use olive oil, lol. I say vegetable oil. Oh Noëlle ... Nope. You cannot ever, EVER use olive oil to make mayo. I don't care what anyone says. It's revolting! As you can now confirm. ~ karen!
I just made this because I ran out of mayo. I'll never buy mayo again. Thank you Karen!
I know, eh?! It's SO good and EASY. ~ karen!
Aw this is sooo good! Thank you!
I have made this several times last night it just wouldn't thicken sonstead of tossing it I refrigerated for about an hour and used the whisk attachment and voila it thickened beautifully
That's very odd! Did you use the stick blender? It does thicken up after refrigerating but hmm .. I wonder why it didn't thicken. ~ karen!
I used the whisk attachment on my stick blender no idea why it didn't work first time
Sorry, Hellmann's, I have to break up with you. I've found a new love.
Every single person that's made this has said the same thing, my mother included, lol. ~ karen!
thank you, thank you, thank you! Thats the best and easiest mayonnaise I have ever made!
It's pretty great, isn't it?! ~ karen