Mayonnaise is really easy to make at home and only takes one minute with an immersion blender! Trust me, you’ll never go back to store-bought versions again.
Mayonnaise is one of those condiments we often grab at the store, but it’s so darn easy to make at home! And once you do, you’ll never go back to store-bought versions because fresh just tastes better.
The beauty of homemade mayonnaise is that it doesn’t have any questionable ingredients lurking inside. Many store-bought mayonnaise options 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 that there may be preservatives and “natural flavors” – whatever those may be.
So the next time you need mayonnaise for a chicken salad, tuna salad, coleslaw recipe, or simply to have on hand, make your own batch!
Homemade Mayonnaise Ingredients
Homemade mayonnaise is an emulsion of 6 simple and fresh ingredients. I typically buy organic products, though the choice is yours. Here’s what’s in it:
- Avocado oil: The key here is to use high-quality, neutral-flavored oil. I like to use avocado oil, but be aware that some brands are stronger flavored than others. You could also use light-flavored olive oil. Just don’t use extra-virgin olive oil as it has too strong a flavor.
- Egg: Some recipes use just the egg yolk (similar to hollandaise sauce). But for this recipe, I’m using the whole egg for a slightly lighter consistency.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon is the optimal choice. But if you have bottled lemon juice, that works too.
- White wine vinegar: You could substitute white wine vinegar with any light-colored, high-quality vinegar. Yes, apple cider vinegar works as well!
- Dijon mustard: I prefer Dijon mustard for the best results in terms of flavor.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How To Make Mayonnaise
The key to this foolproof 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, and let the ingredients settle for a minute or two.
Place the stick blender inside the container (firmly on the bottom) while covering the egg yolk. Then turn the stick blender on and don’t move it for 10 to 15 seconds – this is key!
As the mayonnaise starts to emulsify you can move the stick blender up and down to combine the ingredients.
Continue blending and moving the stick blender up and down until all of the oil is fully combined. That’s it – you’ve just made mayonnaise!
Homemade Mayonnaise Tips
I make this recipe nearly every week or two and I’ve never had the emulsification break (not once!). But after hundreds of comments from readers, I do want to share a few tips.
- Don’t use a larger/wider jar. This recipe works so well because the jar that comes with your stick blender fits the width of the 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 oil, so choose a high-quality one. This is my favorite avocado oil and the one I personally use. It has a very neutral flavor, compared to other avocado oils. Just steer clear of extra-virgin olive oil which has a very strong flavor or low-quality, industrial seed oil like canola, grapeseed, safflower, and peanut oil.
- 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.
How To Fix Broken Mayonnaise
If your mayonnaise doesn’t emulsify for some reason, you can easily fix it with either of these methods.
- Boiling Water: Just add 1 tablespoon of boiling hot water to your container and quickly blend again (this also works if you’re making hollandaise sauce). It might be a little bit thinner, but it should be properly emulsified.
- Egg Yolk: Add one more egg yolk to your container and blend it up. The extra yolk should recombine all of the ingredients, and it makes for a thicker mayonnaise.
Helpful tip: Don’t try to freeze the mayonnaise as the emulsion will break!
Storage Tips
Once you’ve made the mayonnaise, transfer it to an airtight storage container and store it in the fridge for up to one week. It’s great to have on hand to make some of the delicious recipes I’ve listed in the section below.
Tasty Recipes That Use Mayonnaise
This fresh and creamy mayonnaise is perfect for sauces, dips, sandwiches, salads, and so much more! Here are a few ideas to make the most of it.
I hope you enjoy this homemade mayonnaise recipe! Once you make it, let me know your thoughts and how you used it in the comment box below.
Description
Video
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 the egg, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt to the jar that came with your immersion blender. Slowly pour the oil on top and let it settle for a minute.
- Place your stick blender in the jar and press it firmly to the bottom, making sure it's covering the egg yolk. Turn it on and keep it pressed against the bottom of the jar for at least 10 to 15 seconds, without moving it.
- Once the mayonnaise starts to emulsify and thicken, slowly move the stick blender up and down to fully combine the ingredients.
- Stir the mayonnaise and place in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator.
Lisa’s Tips
- Make sure to watch the video and read all my notes and tips above, including this avocado oil brand I personally use and recommend.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally posted August 2016, but updated to include new photos and information.
This is the best mayo I’ve ever had. I’ll never go back to store bought. I let my sister taste it and now she has me making batches for her until she buys an immersion blender.
Wonderful! Now you can have homemade mayonnaise instantly with this recipe :)
Worked perfect!!! I’m so excited. I had made Mayo several times in a food processor no problem but the last time I made Mayo in a food processor it was a disaster. Thank you for this easy recipe
Hi Patti – I’m glad you had success with this recipe!
Wonderful! Glad this worked out for you Patti!
I just tried three recipes during my lunch time. Hard boiled eggs, how to make mayonnaise and avocado egg salad and they were ALL on point! I switched mustard powder for Dijon mustard as that was what I had in my pantry but the salad was still yummy! I initially thought the hard boiled eggs was much ado about nothing but all my eggs came out perfect. Thanks, Lisa!
Wonderful! Glad all three recipes turned out perfectly for you Isoken :)
I love it. Thanks for the incredibly easy recipe. I will change the mustard and vinegar now and then , but I will never by store bought mayonnaise again. I was a hard core best foods believer.
Thanks again.🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
Glad this was a winner for you! Homemade mayo is the best :)
Unfortunately this recipe didn’t work for me. I followed the directions to a T. I used an immersion blender, the narrow it came with so there was a tight fit, let all the ingredients settle and started the blender on high but it never emulsified. Thankfully I found another video on how to fix a broken mayonnaise which worked so I didn’t have to waste a cup of avocado oil.
Hi Karen – sorry it didn’t work for you. I just added a few tips on how to fix broken mayonnaise as well. The good news is that it’s easily salvageable! :)
Awesome!!! Finally able to do Whole 30 mayo, I’ve tried so many times and it never worked till I found this recipe 🙃 literally 3minutes🙃 I used light flavored olive oil, cuz it’s what I had and added extra lemon to balance out the oliviness of it💛
Glad you found a winning mayonnaise recipe Karelia!
Lisa, my granddaughter cannot have lemon juice. How necessary is it to this recipe?
Hi Jane – it definitely adds to the fresh flavor, but you could certainly try without it.
Love your blog and YouTube Channel! Thank you so much for putting this incredible content out! Question for you – is there a way to make this Mayo vegan? I’d love to have a substitution for a Veganise! Thanks so much!
Hi Sam – I hope to add a vegan mayo recipe in the future!
Thank you for this recipe, so quick and easy and true to the foolproof name. Don’t think I will ever go back to shop bought mayo. My toddler gets so excited when I make ‘mayonnaise sauce’ I have to hide the jar otherwise she will literally eat it by the spoonful. At least when she does I know the ingredients are clean!
Happy to hear you found a winning mayonnaise recipe Nicole :)
I will definitely give this a try. I don’t like mayo but its needed to make egg salad, tuna salad, or on a BLT. It will be nice to make some fresh mayo when I need some.
Hi Lisa, first of all thank you for all your wonderful recipes and ideas, I’m a big fan.
I made your mayo recipe, with olive oil, that’s all I had on hand & didn’t want to go to the supermarket that’s 3 mins away in my car😚 and it was fabulous, thank you
So glad you enjoyed this homemade mayonnaise!
This is the best thing that has happened in my mayo making life – and I have made a lot of it over the years! Aside from the ease and quickness of the recipe, there is minimal clean up. No more having a lot of mayonnaise remaining in the blender and going down the drain. It truly is fool proof. Brilliant!
So glad this recipe worked out for you Elizabeth! Now you can make a classic homemade mayonnaise right at home :)
No stars did not work. Just wasted a cup of very good olive oil. Did not hardened at all. Just liquid.
Hi Carmen – It sounds like your mayonnaise didn’t emulsify. Did you watch the video? And you used a stick blender, correct?
Wonderful Mayo along with easy make entrees. Delicious eats! So glad to have found this Site. Thank=You ! Dave
Happy to hear you’re enjoying everything here at Downshiftology!
This recipe was my very first attempt at making mayo. I chose to make this recipe, because it was the only one that calls for only ONE egg, so I thought, If it fails, it’s not TOO much of a waste. Anyway, I paired 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil with Grapeseed oil, which is what another site recommended, and the taste was good, but as mentioned by the author of this recipe, the lighter tasting olive oils are recommended if using. I could taste the Olive oil a bit, but the Grapeseed oil seemed to balance it out quite well, and it turned out FANTASTIC!!! I didn’t have a container that came with my stick blender to use, so I used a narrow Mason jar, and it worked perfectly!!! The ingredients are perfect! I highly recommend this recipe, however, do not use Canola or any type of Corn oil, as these contain GMOs. That is why I’m making my own Mayo now, because I recently found out that basically every oil they use in Mayo, is full of GMOs!! Soy oil and anything Soy is GMOs as well. Best to AVOID!!
Where can I purchase the storage jars you use to store the Mayonnaise? Thanks.
Hi Celese- you can find all my storage containers in the Shop page on my website!
So glad my daughter shared your channel!
Welcome to the Downshiftology community :)
Hi Lisa, Can I use the normal blender (for fruit juice, veggie juice) for this recipe?
Thank you
Hi Aida- It’s best to use a stick blender as you need the ingredients to emulsify to create that creamy texture.
Thanks Lisa :)
Oh my gosh! I tried making a homemade mayo a few weeks ago and it was MUCH more exhallenging and time consuming (and horrendously messy) with my immersion blender.
THIS was exactly as swift and simple as the video. My immersion blender didn’t come with a cup – thank you for indicating how crucial the right size container is – I found a plastic cup that hugged my immersion blender tight and VOILA! Homemade mayo in 1 minute! THANK YOU!
Yay! Glad this recipe was a success!
Every single time this turns out perfectly!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
I made this with an older immersion blender in a 750 ml or 1L Mason jar. Started blending and realized I hadn’t put the oil in. After doing so, the mixture was too runny, so I put in another egg, a bit more lemon juice and vinegar, blended it again as you did and it turned out perfect! And I can store it in the jar I made it in. A game changer for sure as I love mayonnaise and often run out! But I always have the ingredients.
Happy to hear this recipe came together well Natalie!
Thank you for posting this fix. It saved me from my 3rd fail in a row!!!!
I’ve made this recipe with success many times.
Now the past three times I’ve failed miserably. First time I used peanut oil, which didn’t work (fair enough, I think I was lucky the first few times when peanut oil had worked). The second time I went out and got some expensive almond oil…and it is STILL runny! The third time I was out of lemons and used a lime.
I wonder if it is it perhaps that my eggs aren’t fresh enough? Could that be it?
When this recipe has worked it has been amazing.
Thanks!
Hi Ben – Unfortunately, I haven’t tried this recipe with any of those oils, so I’m not sure how they might affect the emulsification. But I would think that as long as you’re still using the stick blender properly, they should work. You could always try adding a second egg to see how that impacts it.
Fabulous! Took longer to get ingredients ready than making it – thank you!!
Glad this recipe came together well Gabriele 😊
Great recipe it works perfectly every time been making it for years. Just wish it lasted longer any possibilities expanding its fridge life.
I was wondering the same thing.. I tried making a half recipe beating the egg and using only half of it but it didn’t work. It would’t emulsify.. :\
Fabulous recipe! Great success in such a short time!
Any idea of how long will this keep? I assume you store it in the fridge?
Hi Susan- This will last for about a week in the fridge :)
How much oil?
Hi Iba- The instructions note for one cup of oil!
This was so easy and delicious. I’ve tried to make mayo with an immersion blender in the past and ended up with an unemulsified mess. The couple of tips you gave like holding it at the bottom for 15 seconds and letting it settle for a minute before blending solved my problems. Thank you! Is there a way to make a half batch considering that this recipe calls for one whole egg? (I won’t be able to eat it all in 4-5 days.)
Side note: I didn’t have any pure avocado oil, so I used a blend of avocado and coconut and it still worked perfectly.
Hi Carolyn- Happy to hear this method was a success for you! And good to know that it still came out great with the avocado and coconut oil blend.
You can substitute freeze dried whole eggs and make any amount you want. Also eliminates the risk of salmonella. I use whey left over from making Greek yogurt to reconstitute the egg powder and the mayo lasts practically forever in the fridge since bad bacteria have a harder time getting a foothold with the yogurt bacteria already present.
I have never made homemade mayo before but have been wanting to try it. I just made my second batch of this and at the risk of sounding obnoxious, it is life-changing. lol Oh my gosh, not only delicious and the smoothest, creamiest consistency, but it is also healthy. I eat super clean keto and this recipe is perfection. Thank you so much for sharing, Lisa! Tossing my Best Foods mayo jar now, and never purchasing mayo again.
Hi Kim- It’s the best feeling when you can make homemade condiments! So glad this recipe worked out well for you and was delicious overall :)
I do not have lemons. How much vinegar should I use instead to compensate? Thank you!!
I did it. Yeaaaaaah! My husband just ran into the kitchen since I was jumping up and down and cheering, lol. I have tried and failed so many times making mayonaise myself that I gave up years ago. But this recipe is a winner and so easy. So so happy!
Hi Babette- I’m so thrilled you were finally able to make homemade mayonnaise :)
Looks wonderful, but where can I get a good stick blender.
I have enjoyed many of your recipes
Hi Sherry – I’ve linked to one on the Shop page on my website. :)
This recipe seems foolproof. Made it with regular vinegar & vegetable oil and it works every time. Thought making mayonnaise was a challenge until now. Will likely never buy it again.
Hi Susan- Happy to hear you found a homemade mayonnaise recipe that works!
Wow, I love that I can do this whenever I need or want to. Living in a city and growing up when convenience foods were all i knew it is nice to see that you are not relying on the prepackaged food industry to give you some of the most basic foods in life. I appreciate the work you put in to make this information available. it will definitely help make eating clean easier.
Hi Thelma- Homemade is always the best in my opinion! So many basics can be made with simple ingredients. Can’t wait to introduce more healthy basics to my website so stay tuned!
Made this for the first time yesterday. First of all, it was just fun…to see the pillowy cloud of emulsion grow. Second, it was delicious. I did a side by side (blind) testing with a store bought mayo, and my partner and I agreed that the homemade was richer and much more tasty!
Hi Tara- Happy to hear you enjoyed this homemade version! Now you know how to make this right at home :)
I really want to make this but I don’t have a stick blender. Have you ever tried making it in the Vitamix 8 oz blender bowls?
Hi Laura – I think there are recipes where you can make mayonnaise in a blender, however the quantities will be different from this one. This recipe is more geared towards using a stick blender.
I’ve seen several recipes that call for the egg to be room temperature. Do you reccomend the egg be room temperature for this recipe?
Hi Ronnie – I’ve made it both with the egg at room temperature and fresh from the fridge. I’ve never had a problem with it emulsifying, as long as you hold the stick blender firmly on the bottom until the mayonnaise turns cloudy white and thick.
I have celiac disease and a soy allergy (both diagnosed within the last year) and have been highly upset with having to cut out a lot of my favorites, and being a millennial does not help! Your recipes, Youtube and website have been my saving grace! I tried this recipe last night, and while it didn’t turn out bad, I think I made a mistake in using extra virgin avocado oil as the oil has a strong flavor presence in my mayo. – could also be a bad brand choice. Going to retry once I get some of the oil recommended above. But in the meantime, I will not let this chicken salad and salmon patties go to waste!
Hi Jazmine- I’m so happy to hear that my recipes and content have helped you with your celiac! I know it can always be tough at first when it comes to food, but once you learn how to cook with simple, wholesome ingredients, you’ll see how they do wonders in meals :) Hopefully the second try of this recipe turns out even better!
Worked first time for me! I used half light olive oil and half sunflower. Great looks and taste, similar to Hellman’s.
Hi Stephen- Wonderful! Glad this recipe turned out great for the first time.
How do you make your mayo a white color? Mine turns out yellow/orange. Are your chickens on grass or feed?
Hi Julie – my mayo is slightly yellow/off-white. The color may be more dependent on the type/color of oil you use as well.
I just made this and it could not have been easier, came out perfect! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hi Lauren- Happy to hear this recipe was easy to follow along!
I’ve done this recipe 3 times already and it never fails!
Today I was preparing mayonnaise for a BBQ and started off with another recipe, the emulsion didn’t take and I just ended right back here where I know it always works. I incorporated the failed emulsion into this recipe and some aspect of the other herbed-lemon mayonnaise and the result was perfect.
Thank you!
I made this today, and it’s wonderful! So easy, and it came together almost immediately. And the taste is SO much better than store-bought mayonnaise. Follow the directions as written, and you’ll end up with the best tasting mayonnaise you’ve ever had!
How many net carbs?
Hi Nancy – You can find all the nutritional facts at the bottom of the recipe card :)
Mine turned out thin and runny. The only thing I changed was the vinegar, I didn’t have white whine so I used apple cider vinegar. Do you think that is why?
Hi Liz – no, changing the vinegar shouldn’t have impacted this recipe. Did you make sure to read all my tips above?
I followed the recipe exactly and the consistency was like water. Wasn’t sure what to do so I added a second egg and it turned into mayo. Why was that? The eggs I use are large/extra large..
Great technique though and I’m making it again today for a tuna salad but am wondering if the same thing will happen again.
Hi Helly – I’m not sure why either. But happy it turned out for you after that second egg!
I figured it out! The blender was on the lowest setting so it just mixed everything together! The second time I made it it came out perfect and the blender was on a higher setting :)
Oh yes, it definitely needs to be on the high setting. Glad you figured it out! :)
Mine turned out runny also but I read that others added a second alert and that did the trick for me as well YAY! 😁
Mine was also runny and I was disappointed until I scrolled down and saw your post! Added one egg and mayo it becomes!
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Thanks so much Camilla!
I was short of oil and ended up substituting coconut oil for half of the avocado oil — the coconut oil needed to be melted (yet another quarantine substitution!!). It worked out beautifully! Very happy with how easy this was!
Hi Jill- Glad you found this recipe easy to follow along and make!
What immersion blender do you recommend?
Hi Andrea – I have one linked on the Shop page on my website.
I don’t have lemon juice. Is it possible to use lime juice instead?
You could try it, but it may flavor your mayonnaise a little.
Amazing! Only thing I changed was the wine vinegar, just used regular white vinegar & a wide mouth mason jar. So perfect!
Thank you!
Hi Donna – Great! Now you can always have delicious homemade mayonnaise right at home :)
Thanks sooo much for explaining about the importance of the jar. Tried so many methods but now I know my container wasnt right. Finally made it right ! Yay!!
Hi Fatema- Glad that quick little tip about the jar helped :)
I’m gong to make this mayo again. It is possible to use liquid eggs such as egg beaters. 1/4 cup = 1 whole egg. (The main ingredient is egg whites but has beta carotene as well). Didn’t know if you or anyone you knew tried this. Thanks!!!! So glad I have my glass PB jar – it is a perfect fit just as this recipe is perfect!!! I am hooked!!!
Hi Terry- I haven’t tried that method yet, but I’m very curious to see if it will work! But, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe overall :)