How to Make Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is really easy to make and only takes one minute with a stick blender or immersion blender.
This mayonnaise recipe is also paleo-friendly and uses a high-quality avocado oil. Once you make mayo at home, you’ll never buy it from the store again. Fresh is best!
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is one of those condiment items we typically grab at the store and don’t really think about making at home. But you’ll have to trust me on this one. Once you make it at home you’ll never buy it from the store again. Here’s why:
- It’s fresh
- It’s easy
- There’s no nasty ingredients lurking inside
Many store-bought mayonnaise bottles are made from less than stellar ingredients like canola oil or soybean oil and contain added sugar (yes, there’s added sugar in your mayo). Not to mention preservatives and “natural flavors”.
Ingredients in Homemade Mayonnaise
Homemade mayonnaise on the other hand is an emulsion of just 6 fresh ingredients. And most of my ingredients are organic, though the choice is yours. So what’s in my mayonnaise recipe?
- Avocado oil
- Egg
- Lemon juice
- White wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Sea salt
You could substitute the avocado oil with a light-flavored olive oil and the white wine vinegar with any light colored, high-quality vinegar. Pro tip: don’t use extra virgin olive oil as it has too strong a flavor.
How to Make Mayonnaise
The key to this no-fail mayonnaise recipe is the equipment used – a stick blender (otherwise known as an immersion blender). And if you use the container that came with the stick blender, you’re good to go. Here’s how you make it in 3 easy steps:
- Add all of the ingredients to the jar that came with your stick blender
- Let the ingredients settle for a minute or two
- Place the stick blender inside the container (firmly on the bottom) and covering the egg yolk
- Turn the stick blender on and don’t move it for 10-15 seconds
- As the mayonnaise starts to emulsify, you can move the stick blender up and down to combine the ingredients
- Remove the stick blender, give it a stir and that’s it!
You’ve now just made creamy, fresh mayonnaise that’s perfect for sauces, dips, sandwiches, salads and a variety of other recipes.
I still remember when I showed my mom how to make mayonnaise two years ago and the delighted surprise on her face when she replied, “but I can’t believe how easy that was to make.” Since then, I’m happy to report that she’s never bought mayonnaise from the store again.
Mayonnaise Tips and Tricks
I make this recipe nearly every week or every two weeks and I’ve never had the emulsification break (not once!). But after hundreds of comments from readers on this website and my YouTube channel, I do want to share a few tips.
- Don’t use a larger/wider jar. What makes this recipe work so well is that the jar that comes with your stick blender fits the width of the blender head tightly. That allows the egg and oil to emulsify slowly. If you use a larger or wider jar, you could run into problems.
- Don’t try this recipe in a food processor or blender. This recipe was written specifically for a stick or immersion blender. If you add all of the ingredients to a blender and turn it on, it will fail.
- Make sure your immersion blender is on high. Right from the start, begin blending on the highest setting to emulsify the egg into the oil. If you start on low, it may not emulsify.
- Choose a high quality oil. The main ingredient in mayonnaise is the oil, so choose a high-quality oil. This is my favorite avocado oil and the one I personally use. It has a very neutral flavor (compared to other avocado oils). You could also use regular olive oil or light-flavored olive oil. Just steer clear of extra virgin olive oil or low-quality, industrial seed oil (canola, grapeseed, safflower, peanut, etc).
- Is the raw egg a concern? I’m personally not concerned about the raw egg in this mayonnaise (just as this author isn’t concerned), but it’s a personal choice. If you’re concerned about salmonella you can certainly use a pasteurized egg.
- Refrigerate the mayonnaise. Once you made the mayo, transfer it to a sealed storage container and store in the fridge. It will last up to a week in the fridge. Don’t try to freeze the mayonnaise as the emulsion will break.
Watch Me Make This Mayonnaise Recipe
While it’s really easy to make this mayonnaise recipe at home, it always helps to watch a quick tutorial video. Give it a watch!
Tasty Recipes that Use This Mayonnaise
Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe (in 1 Minute!)
Ingredients
- 1 whole egg
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup avocado oil, or light-flavored olive oil
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients (with the oil last) into the jar that came with your stick blender.
- Give the ingredients a minute to settle, with the oil separating on top.
- Place your stick blender in the jar and press it firmly to the bottom. Turn it on and keep it pressed against the bottom of the jar for at least 10-15 seconds. Once the mayonnaise starts to emulsify and thicken, slowly move the stick blender up and down to fully combine the ingredients.
- Once it's all blended, remove the stick blender. Give it a few stirs with a spoon and place in a storage container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to one week.
Lisa's Tips
- See all my notes and tips above, including this avocado oil brand I recommend.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted August 2016, but updated to include new information.
Would you say this recipe is Whole30 compliant?
Yes! This can be a part of Whole 30.
Wow! That really worked! I tried a version the other day using my food processor, and it did not thicken at all, so I was not expecting much. This was easy and quick though, and I’ll definitely be doing it again. :-)
Hi Liz – I’m so glad this recipe worked out for you! The consistency most likely won’t come out correctly in a food processor.
Hi, Lisa! I am a romanian(Europe) follower of yours. Can you tell me where can I find the metric measurements for this recipe? Thank you very much and keep up the good work!
Hi Ramona – Thank you for letting me know! I have just made the metric conversion table visible for this recipe :) Please note that this was created by an automatic calculator, so just use this as a guide.
Love, love how easy this is with the immersion blender. Tried to make other mayos a few times with my Vitamin as well as another blender, but it was a lot of trouble. This one was a bit thick, but then again I substituted more lemon juice for the wine vinegar because I didn’t have the vinegar on hand. Do you think that makes a difference? I think I’ll add a touch more dijon mustard next time for more flavor. Perhaps a bit more salt, too! Question: There are only 2 of us. Any way to half this recipe successfully? Thanks for all your recipes and videos!
Hi Donna – so happy you loved this mayo recipe! It shouldn’t really make a difference if you substituted lemon juice for the vinegar. And unfortunately, it’s not really possible to halve this recipe as you need a minimum amount of ingredients in the jar to blend. Such a bummer I know!
I love this recipe! I have made it many times now and the only 2 times it didn’t come out fantastic, it was my doing. I could have avoided those 2 times if I had re-read the instructions! One time I used organic extra virgin olive oil instead of neutral tasting olive oil or avocado oil…the taste was awful. The other time, just a few moments ago, i used a pint Mason jar instead of the container that came with my immersion blender…it didn’t gel, was a liquid mess. Thanks for your thorough instructions and I will try to stick to them!
Yes, there’s a bit of nuance when making mayo at home because it can easily break if the steps aren’t followed properly. But I’m glad you’ve made the recipe with success! And thanks so much for pointing out the importance of the instructions as well. :)
Love this recipe! Successful every time. I made 1-2 batches a week for my family! Thank you for posting it :D
You’re more than welcome Dianne! I’m happy you love the recipe. I tend to make it weekly in my house as well. :)
Hi, how much oil are you using there?? Can’t find any indication for that? Thanks!
Hi Jerome – I use one cup of oil in this recipe.
What immersion blender do you recommend and do the watts matter?
Hi Kimberly – I have an older Cuisinart immersion blender. And they should all work fine for this recipe.
Two questions:
1. Does the wattage of the immersion blender matter – mine is 800 watts?
2. Why doesn’t EVOO work in this recipe?
Hi Lynn – this recipe should work with all immersion blenders. And you can use EVOO in the recipe, I just don’t recommend it due to it’s strong flavor. A more neutral oil is typically preferred.
Hi Lisa I would like your recipe for hummus
Hi Karen – you can search for my hummus recipe in the top search bar.
I used to make my own mayonaise. I believe I used regular vegetable oil bu it may also have been olive oil, too long ago to be sure.
It work beautifully, no problem. But the avocado oil flavor is not my favorite. Overall it is too bland [sp?] so I need some suggestions to get more flavor. More mustard? Pepper? Really dunno but I will report back when I find out what is better flavor for me.
Hi Milli – you can certainly switch up the oil in the mayonnaise recipe to find the flavor you love best. And even certain brands of oil are going to taste different. Please do report back when you find one you love! :)
Hi Lisa,
For some reason, Amazon isn’t sending me the page that shows your favorite avocado oil. Could you please tell me what it is? Thank you!
Hi Debbie – it’s Chosen Foods brand. :)
Thanks Lisa. Fabulous recipe for mayo. The best!
Thanks so much Debbie! I’m happy you loved it. :)
This was astonishingly easy and came out the perfect consistency. It truly only took a minute! It is also the most delicious mayonnaise I’ve ever tasted. I used avocado oil. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!
Yay, I’m happy you loved the mayo recipe Sue! It really is easy to make and I’m thrilled you loved it!
Omg! I can’t believe how easy that was! And delicious and much better since i’m doing a keto diet and need to be careful about what I eat right down to the condiments. I was as mesmerized with the finished product as much as I was when I first discovered spaghetti squash! ???
Thank you so much for the recipe.
Isn’t it amazing?! I always say that if more people knew how easy it was to make mayo at home, they’d all do it! Lol. Glad you enjoyed the recipe Terri!
Hi Lisa, I make this mayo all the time! My question is do you let the egg get to room temperature before using or do you use directly from refrigerator?
Hi Mary – For me it has worked both from the fridge and at room temperature.
Made this mayo recipe yesterday and we loved it!!! I used olive oil only this time but will try it with another oil soon. Super easy, really worth it!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Elsie. :)
I made this mayo today and it is delicious and very easy and fast to make. I decided to make it because I’ve tried every brand of avocado mayo but I don’t like the taste of any of them. So glad that I made this!!!!
Yay! Congrats on making your own mayo Mary! I think this homemade mayonnaise tastes so much better than the store bought versions as well. And once you know how to make it, you can tweak it to your liking. Enjoy!
I actually have a question. I followed this recipe but i dont have a blender u have so i used first the magic bullet but i couldn’t make it thicker so i used the Hamilton hand mixer and it still didn’t work. Do u think i have to purchse the blender u have to make a mayo? I just want to make sure this before i buy one. I appreciate ur time ane effort reading my text.
Yes, unfortunately this recipe won’t work with a regular blender. You need the stick blender to make mayonnaise this way.
thank u so much Lisa. I just ordered it!!
Sun
Hi Sun,
It will work in the Magic blender. I have made mine with my magic bullet and it came out very creamy. Mine was very liquidy at first but I added a tablespoon of vinegar and 1 tbsp of mustard and blended it again and I had mayo!
wow! thank u so much for ur tip but i already got the stick blender ! I wish i knew ur tip before i got that! LOL
So easy BUT I sure wish I had read the good tip BEFORE I used a good quality EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil ! Bitter but I won’t let it go to waste and won’t make that mistake again. Thanks, Lisa.
Yes, EVOO can definitely change the flavor. But that’s an easy thing to tweak for future versions. :) I’m glad you loved the recipe though!
This recipe for mayonnaise is so good and I’ve made it at least 10 times before. Today, it turned out really liquid-y. Wondering if the egg was too small or what I did wrong. Any ideas? I made it exactly the same as I usually do. Also, although it’s too late now, I’m wondering if I could have tried to fix it somehow. As it is, it’s hopefully going to be ok for salad dressing. Thanks!
Hi Donna – that’s a bummer! But given that you’ve made it so many times with success before, it sounds like this was a fluke and may have been due to the egg. Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything else you may have done wrong if all the ingredients were the same. And there are a few tips for fixing thin mayo on other websites, just Google “fix broken mayonnaise.” Hope that helps!
Hi there
im unable to use eggs which is such a party pooper for me! Do you maybe have an idea of what i could substitute egg for in this mayo recipe?
Im from South Africa and just love your blogs, style of cooking, recipes and layout !!!!
Blessings
Nicole
Hi Nicole – I’ve heard aquafaba (liquid from chickpea/garbanzo bean cans) may be a good substitute for eggs. But you may want to google vegan mayo as I haven’t tried making it myself.
Thank you so much for your support of my blog, I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes! :)
We have used your mayo recipe several times. Exactly as written is great! We have also made it with sunflower oil and that is equally as good. Thanks Lisa!
Wonderful! I’m so happy you love the recipe Emily. It’s one of those staples that once you make it at home, you never buy it again. :)
Hi Lisa,
How can I make mayonnaise with a long shelf life for sell that can be kept on the shelf without refrigeration ?
Regards,
Evelyn.
I’m not a commercial manufacturer so I don’t know. :)
Hello, thank you for the recipe. Would substituting white wine vinegar change the flavour of your mayonaise too much. Thank you
Hi Jane – No, I wouldn’t think so as its only 1 tsp.
Here’s what I found works for thickening up the mayo:
1. Use fresh eggs
2. Good quality oil (thicker viscosity = thicker emulsion)
3. ADD LESS OF THE EGG WHITE
4. Pop into fridge
Hope this helps!
Thanks for the tips, Kat!
Use only the yolk of the egg for real mayonnaise. The rule is one large egg yolk to seven ounces of oil. Use less oil if you want. If it comes out runny start again with another yolk on the bottom of the jar and pour the thin mixture over the blender start blending on high, and slowly raise the blender a half inch then back to the bottom. Repeat raising the blender a little more each time. If it cavitates stop the blender, push it back to the bottom without it running and start over.
Home made mayonnaise should be left at room temperature for two days to allow the acid to do it’s thing. Then refrigerate to maintain the flavor. Mayo made with just the yolk of the egg does not need to be refrigerated for safety but the flavor will change if left out for a long time.
Commercial mayo all seem to have whole eggs in them so they may become unsafe with out refrigeration.
I blend all ingredients except oil with the stick on the bottom for a few seconds then add the oil and proceed according to the recipe above.
Using a small Smucker’s peanut butter jar works perfectly both for making and storing.
Thanks for all the mayonnaise tips and feedback Sherman!
I just had to come back and tell you that my mayonnaise turned out PERFECT! The taste was so yummy and so delicious in my egg salad today. It’s nice not having sugar in my mayonnaise, why does it need to be there anyway!
Yay, that’s awesome Sarah! I’m so glad you enjoyed the homemade mayonnaise recipe! :)
I will NEVER buy store bought mayo again. This is a perfect recipe and so easy to prepare.
Thank you Lisa!!
You’re welcome Seema! I’m happy you love the mayonnaise recipe. :) Make sure to check out the recipes I list above for delicious ways to use it!
The consistency is perfect! Homemade mayo is so much better like you said.
Thanks Matt! Yes, it’s nice and creamy mayo. :)
After having homemade mayonnaise, I will never go back to store bought again! So good!
It’s amazing how fresh it tastes, doesn’t it? So glad you loved the recipe Jessica.
I love the idea of making homemade mayo using avocado oil, we always use olive oil but I think that I’ll try avocado oil next time.
Definitely give the avocado oil a try! I’ve linked the brand I personally use and love above. :)
That was quick and easy. Love that you use avocado oil.
You really can’t beat one minute mayonnaise, right? ;) So glad you loved the recipe.
My mum and nan used to always make their own mayo. I really need to try it.
I hope you enjoy the recipe Dannii. It really is easy to make!
I made this recipe exactly as written and it came out perfect! It tastes so much like Best Foods mayo. This will be a regular staple recipe for my family. Thanks!
Wonderful! I’m happy you loved the mayonnaise recipe Karen. It’s a staple recipe in my house as well. :)
Thanks for the recipe. It was fast and easy. I had to add more salt for hubbie but other than that it was perfecto!
Great! I’m glad you enjoyed the mayonnaise recipe Ann!
ive tried twice, and both times were catastrophic failures. First i followed the recipe exactly with avocado oil and it turned out runny and green. Next i used half the oil with EVOO and two eggs and it still came out runny.
What size jar did you use? You need to use a jar that fits the head of the immersion blender with no extra space on the sides. If you used a larger mason jar, that’s usually the problem.
I used the container that came with the immersion blender.
That’s strange then. Maybe watch the video again and see if you can spot the difference or where something might have gone wrong.
If it’s coming out runny add more oil to the mix and continue to blend. If you have an extra set of hands add the oil as you blend. Jar size matters less than the amount of oil you have. Try a wide mouth pint and half mason jar.
Awesome, thanks for the tip Brian!
Hi Lisa,
Help! I have done this twice and as I don’t have a stick blender, it comes out liquid. First, I tried it in the nutri bullet, and then in my blender, but it still comes out liquid. I’ve added 2 tsp of hot water, adding a yolk, and it still liquid. Is it that I over mixing? Do you have any suggestions on how to make your recipe successfully with a regular blender?
The rest of your recipes have worked like a charm. I am a fan! And my family loves yr banana bread. Never fails. This week we will try your alfredo sauce! Looking foward to it.
Thank you for helping me eat better and cook easy yummy recipes.
Gracias from Miami!
Hi Mariana – a stick blender is required for this recipe as covers the egg yolk and emulsifies it before blending completely with the oil. You can make mayo with a regular blender, but it’s a completely different approach. Unfortunately, adding all of these ingredients from my recipe to a blender won’t work and the emulsification breaks. I’d recommend searching for mayo recipes using a regular blender instead. :)
Hi! Great recipe! The shelf life is actually the same as the shelf life on the eggs :)
Thanks Jenny! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. :)
Which stick blender do you use?
I have a couple (lol!), but right now I’m using a KitchenAid stick blender. It’s linked on my Shop page. :)
The acid actually extends the shelf life much beyond the use by date on the eggs, which is much shorter than the actual time the eggs are safe to use.
Hi Lisa , Can I use Choses Foods avocado oil? Thank you, I love your videos.
Hi Evelyn – yes, absolutely. And thanks so much! :) x
I made this today and it’s delicious! I had bought a paleo mayo from the store that I won’t mention by name and it tasted awfullll. So I decided to make my own. I might have added a little too much lemon juice and salt but that’s okay, I’ll just leave out some salt when I use it in things! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Yes, the homemade version is always best. ;) Glad you enjoyed it!
For some reason after successfully making this once it no longer emulsifies for me. what am I doing wrong…like I’ve done everything just like the recipe said?
That’s strange. Are you keeping the stick blender firmly on the bottom, covering the egg, and holding it down?
yes I am but still, it doesn’t seem to do it…I’ll try it once again and will hold it firmly down “covering the egg” thanks so much for the quick reply
You’re welcome! :)
Hello I’m from Chile love your videos!! ? I have a question about this recipe… can I do it without the White wine vinegar? is Just I don’t like vinegar at all.. ?
It will change the flavor slightly, but you could use more lemon juice to replace it. :) Happy you’re enjoying all my videos Tamara!
Have you calculated the Nutrition facts per 1 tablespoon serving?
I haven’t yet for this recipe, but you could plug the ingredients into an online nutrition calculator.
Is it safe to eat raw egg?
Some people are fine with it, some are more cautious. It’s all personal preference, though you can buy pasturized eggs as well to reduce any risk of bacteria.
Lisa, Love your videos and blog. if you have access to sous vide equipment/tank, you can easily pasteurize the eggs yourself at home.
Thanks Lyle! And I don’t, but I’ll keep that in mind for the future. :)
This is the second time I’ve tried to make mayonnaise, as everyone raves about how lovely it tastes. Even this recipe failed on me….it was bitter. What am I doing wrong..it is such an easy recipe?
Any suggestions would be really great. Thanks
Sonja
Hi Sonja – can you give me a bit more info. Were you able to make the mayo to the right consistency? If you buy mayo in the store what type are you buying. For instance, there’s a big difference between Best Foods/Hellmans and Miracle Whip. My recipe would be similar to Best Foods/Hellmans.
Let me start by saying thank you for sharing all your knolage. I can seem to tolerate the taste of raw egg. If I get the slightest taste of it well … it not good. Is there any spice or flavoring that I can use to mask the taste? If I used a smaller egg ( in South Africa we get small, medium, large and extra large) could I use less oil and have a smaller batch? Look forward to your response. Sunny regards from Cape Town, South Africa
You could definitely make a spicy mayo with a little sriracha and lime juice. And yes, if your egg is smaller, you’d likely want to reduce the other ingredients a bit. Hope you enjoy it! And hugs to Cape Town (I loved visiting Cape Town!).
I ran a across a recipe for mayonnaise once that said if you don’t want raw egg, use the yolk of a hardboiled egg. Can you tolerate cooked yolks?
Any good substitution for the egg? I am not a fan of raw eggs & don’t want to go to the expense of getting pasteurized eggs. Thanks!
You could make a vegan mayo with aquafaba…but I haven’t played around with that yet so unfortunately can’t provide any guidance.
Hello there! Just purchased a Vitamix with the small containers. Any chance you could remake/modify your mayo recipe for that size cup?
Hi Dianne – I’ll likely be doing that on an upcoming video on my YouTube channel!
made this for my turkey/chicken burger very tasty! I am also going to use in in my salmon noodle casserole and possibly my salmon pie……but would have been easier to find if you had a “condiment” section or “healthy basics” (as you call them) section in your recipe file. Please can you add? Also you seem to have taken away the “contact us” tab (?).
How is the new consulting gig going?
Hi Donna – so glad you liked the mayo! I seem to make it every week or so myself. And thanks for feedback on the website design! I’m actually in the queue with a web designer and should start a complete redesign in 5 months…so I’m just trying to keep it together with bubblegum and sticky tape until then. ;) x PS – the contact us tab is back up. I have no idea why it disappeared.
You forgot a checkpoint….ensure stick blender fits in mason jar BEFORE adding ingredients!! Douh!! Yes end o a long day!
Oh no! Lol. Hopefully you could save it by gently pouring it into another container. :)
Another fun video and great recipe!
Thanks Liz! I’m having so much fun with these now! :) x