The Perfect Homemade Mayonnaise: A Step-by-Step Guide

Sharing is caring!

Homemade mayonnaise is not only easy to make but it takes less than 10 minutes and can be made right in the jar you will store it in!

I started making my own mayonnaise when I was in a pinch, mid-recipe without enough of the store bought stuff to make the dish as creamy as I would like, but after making it myself a few times, I was hooked! There is nothing like from scratch mayonnaise to perk up a tomato and bacon sandwich on a hot summer day.

This step by step guide will help you make the perfect Mayonnaise every time from the very beginning with an easy recipe, the required tools and ingredients as well as how to troubleshoot common problems and mistakes.

What is Mayonnaise?

Mayonnaise is an emulsification of fat, protein and acids to create a beautifully creamy and smooth spread for sandwiches and and base for salad dressings. It is made with the most basic of kitchen staples that one can make it in a pinch or on a regular basis, and it is so simple you will find yourself asking why you didn’t start making it earlier.

Ingredients and Equipment

In order to make your mayonnaise you will need 4 basic ingredients

  • Light flavoured oil: I like to use avocado oil because it is mild and doesn’t impact the flavour of the mayonnaise the way olive oil does. If you do choose to use olive oil choose one with a lighter flavour, unless you prefer a more olive oil forward mayo.
  • Fresh egg: Because the egg is raw you want to be sure it is fresh.
  • Acid: vinegar (white or wine) and lemon juice are the most common
  • Seasoning: salt to taste and mustard (dijon or yellow)

One of the best parts of making your mayonnaise from scratch is that you can adjust the flavours to make it your own. If you enjoy the complex flavours of extra virgin olive oil, go for it! If the tang is your thing go heavier on the melon. Like it a little sweeter use apple cider vinegar instead of white. The possibilities are endless when you are embracing the power of cooking from scratch.

Another great thing is this is a one jar, one appliance recipe. Clean up is next to nothing because if you wanted to you can make the mayo in the jar you plan to store it in. And who doesn’t love a recipe that has very little clean up? For the recipe you will need

  • Jar or tall vessel
  • Immersion Blender (stick blender), food processor or Bullet Blender
  • Measuring cups and spoons (if you vessel isn’t graduated)

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Homemade Mayonnaise

Choose the Right Oil:

A big part of the success of the mayonnaise if choosing the right oil, if it is too flavourful then you will not get the flavour you are looking for. I prefer using neutral oils such as avocado or grape seed oil, or an olive oil that is labelled as “light”. I have gone down the road of being in a pinch and using my extra virgin olive oil and as much as I love that flavour on it’s own, in a tuna salad or tomato sandwich it is not quite what I was looking for. But that is the beauty of making your own you can customize the flavour to meet your pallet preferences.

Prepare Your Ingredients:

Although I have a detailed recipe below I want you to know that this recipe can be made with very little preparation and measuring. This recipe also uses a whole egg instead of just the yolk making it even easier to prepare in a hurry. The only ingredient that really need to be exact is the oil. The rest can be adjusted up or down to meet your flavour pallet.

Emulsify the Ingredients:

In a tall vessel or blender add the egg and blend. Add mustard, salt, vinegar and lemon juice.

Once everything is blended SLOWLY drizzle the oil while blending to create a stable emulsion. You will know it’s working because the solution will go from a yellow runny liquid to a white creamy spread. This part takes patience, if the oil is added too quickly it will overwhelm the solution leaving you with a runny yellow oily mess.

If this happens don’t worry! You can fix it 9 See Troubleshooting Tips)

Store and Serve:

Your mayonnaise is now ready to be used or stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to date the jar so you know when it was made.

Troubleshooting Tips

The most common issue with making homemade mayonnaise is ending up with a thin or broken emulsion. This can be frustrating in the beginning because once it separates it seems like you can blend forever and it will never go back together.

That’s because blending alone will not fix the problem. But there is an easy fix!

Here are 2 easy steps to troubleshooting a thin/ broken mayonnaise:

  1. Start by cracking a new egg into a clean container and whisking it
  2. Slowly drizzle the broken mayonnaise into the container with the egg, treating the boken mayo as if it were the oil. It should come together nicely.

The key is to be very slow and patient, and it will come together. I have broken a perfect emulsion because I decided to rush the last 1/4 cup of oil. It’s not worth it to have to start over again.

Variations and Flavor Enhancements

Once you get the hang of making your mayonnaise, you can then use it as a base for other delicious condiments! Here are some my family has loved:

  • Coleslaw Dressing
  • Garlic Aioli
  • Chipotle Mayo
  • Honey Mustard Mayo
  • Lemon Dill Aioli

The best part is ALL of the flavour adjustments for these flavours can be made during the mayonnaise making process by swapping out or adding some basic ingredients!

Yield: 1 cup

Easy Homemade Mayonnaise

Easy Homemade Mayonnaise
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Fresh Raw Egg
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp yellow or dijon mustard
  • 1 cup neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed oil)

Instructions

    In a tall vessel or blender add the egg and blend. Add mustard, salt, vinegar and lemon juice.

    Once everything is blended SLOWLY drizzle the oil while blending to create a stable emulsion. You will know it's working because the solution will go from a yellow runny liquid to a white creamy spread. This part takes patience, if the oil is added too quickly it will overwhelm the solution leaving you with a runny yellow oily mess.

    When the mayonnaise has all come together you can now add other flavours if you with or pour into a clean air tight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment or share a photo on instagram. Don't forget to tag us, we love to see your finished work!

I hope you found this step by step guide useful and that it took away some of the mystery around this oh so popular condiment!

If you try out the recipe please come back and tell me how you liked it!

1 Comment

  1. Homemade mayonnaise is quick, easy, and customizable—perfect for any dish!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Skip to Recipe