How to Make Mayonnaise
1,244 Comments
Updated Apr 01, 2024
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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.
Easy Homemade Mayonnaise
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.
I’ve made this recipe a few times with no problem. I just tried it and it came out very liquid. Not sure what could be wrong other than maybe my egg wasn’t very fresh. I didn’t bring the egg or lemon juice to room temp before. I’ve made it with the Chosen Avocado oil and didn’t have that on hand this time and used the brand I had. I’ll have to give it another try tomorrow. I was very surprised how it turned out today. Bummer!
Hi Dina – ah, that’s a bummer! Especially as you’ve made it with success before. I’m not sure what might have happened, sorry!
I made it a few times without problems and then it failed and the fixes didn’t work. Then I made it a couple weeks later and it turned out fine and then I tried it a couple days later and it failed. None of the fixes worked. I just don’t understand it.
Oh shoot, I have no idea why that might happen. I’ve never had it fail on me yet.
Same here! I use all the same brands every time and everything. Usually comes out great 7/10 times and is my fave recipe! When it doesnt though its never fixable. Just made it today and the yolk broke when cracking wonder if that’s a reason….
I’ve tried this recipe a few times now and it’s usually perfect and amazing! I do make the triple serving recipe. I use all the same ingredients except I use ACV instead of wine vinegar and I add a tbsp of mined raw garlic for flavour. However, the last two batches I’ve made look great at first, but after storing in the fridge, when we use it and it gets to room temp, it immediately breaks and I don’t know why. It’s super thick in the fridge, maybe too thick, and when used it separates on the bread or wherever it’s used at room temp.
Please help!! 😰
Uggggg, it was all runny!! after reading reviews, I may not have left the egg out long enough to get ‘warm’- and I did not slowly pour the oil – I will give it another shot- I love ‘test’ kitchens!!! I will not give up….
Hi Christina – did you make sure to leave the stick blender on the bottom of the jar until it’s nearly fully emulsified?
I don’t want to leave a star rating. This did not work its just all liquid. I wanna know why
Hi Lisa – I’m not sure why either. But if you give me more information I can try to troubleshoot it with you. :)
I’ve tried a few different recipes for homemade mayo, but for some reason they all tasted heavily of oil, even when I used avocado oil. This recipe turned out perfect!
The secret, for me, was to add everything but the oil to the blender cup. Then I placed the stick blender in, poured in the oil, and held it steady to the bottom as I pressed the ON button. I held it in place for a good 15 seconds before gingerly moving and tilting and raising it up a bit at a time. Only changes I made (based on my personal preference) was to add an extra egg yolk (I pasteurize the eggs with a sous vide) and using 3/4 avocado oil with 1/4 olive oil.
just tried this . came out great, good flavor, texture . missed part about egg at room temp but it came out fine. no more store mayonnaise with mystery ingredients. raising our own eggs so its a plus.
Awesome thank you
Hi Lisa
The acid from the lemon or lime is essential for emulsifying the egg and oil in mayonnaise. If your mayonnaise turned out watery, you probably didn’t use an egg at room temperature. So if you thought the results were nice the first time around, give it another go with the lime or lemon and an egg at room temperature, combining by hand if possible since the emulsion may break down too much in a blender. I really pray this information was useful to you. Enjoy your meal!
This is the only mayonnaise recipe I have ever made that did not work.
Oh no! Did you read all of the tips in the recipe above?
I never leave comments, but this is amazing. I will never buy mayonnaise again!!
Awesome! Always love to hear that. :)
Love this homemade mayo recipe!! It’s so incredibly easy to make with my immersion blender and tastes great! I definitely prefer avocado oil over olive oil and it’s so easy to add other flavors like citrus zest/juice or smoked paprika, etc. to make it suit whatever you want to use it for. Lime juice and chipolte chili powder is a great addition for a slightly spicy mayo.
I’m happy you love it, Sonya!
My mayo did not emulsify the last 2 times I made the recipe? It had emulsified previously. Can you help me to understand what I did incorrectly?
I have used avocado oil to make mayo and it was ok, not as good as Hellmans. Especially when I used it for tuna or macaroni salad, it tasted so bland in the salads. But i really want to have a healthy mayo, and the store healthier options are not tasty. So here I am again …looking at this recipe and wondering..will the brand of avocado oil be the critical factor? Also, is it the wine vinegar, as I cannot have wine vinegar…that is critical? But if I use apple cider vinegar and her recommended mayo, will this be as good as Hellmans, especially when using in tuna salad?
Thank you.
Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Lisa, I used the exact measurements and also watched the video, but mine is a licquidy disaster. :( What is wrong in your opinion? Thank you.
It’s so hard to know without knowing all the specifics of what you did. But maybe read through my tips above again!
Mine turned into complete liquid. Would there be some reason for that? I followed instructions in a mason jar. I saw similar comments below
I have tried making mayonnaise by hand, I have tried making it with a food processor, and I’ve never been totally satisfied with either. I finally bit the bullet and bought an immersion blender to try this recipe, and I have to say it’s da bomb! I sous vide my eggs to pasteurize them and that did not create any problems with this recipe. Then I shredded chicken breast with Lisa’s hack for using a KitchenAid mixer and made perfect chicken salad with this mayonnaise! Her tips never fail!
So glad your mayonnaise finally turned out perfectly Carol!
Thank you so much for this recipe. We always think that mayonnaise is unhealthy, but the reality is that it is really the shop-bought mayonnaise that is unhealthy. Making it at home is a game-changer!
It’s so true! And so easy to make at home. :)
“Stick blender on high”! That was the missing step to why this never worked for me. You were the first place to ever mention that! Thank you!
Glad this recipe was a success Kristin!
When the directions were followed, yes I neglected to do that on the first try, it works wonderfully. If I know mayo was this easy to make, I would have started making it long ago. The taste is quite good, and I look forward to experimenting with the recipe in the future.
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jim!
Has anyone tried using the Vitamix Aer Disc to make this? Just curious if it worked for them. Thanks!
I use my Vitamix all the time for mayo
The local cost for a family sized jar of mayo runs $3.99-8.99 brand dependent. Even at the current price of eggs (yesterday $2.39 down from $6.00+) homemade is not only tasty, flexible and fresh-it’s a fantastic bargain! Kohl’s is currently selling the hand blender in your video for $34.99-nabbed it!
Touche!
Amazing, that’s awesome you grabbed the immersion blender! And love that you did the math on the mayo – it’s a win all around!
So Easy and Delicious! Not sure why it has taken me so long to make my own clean ingredient Mayo but I am never going back to store bought after making your easy recipe! Thanks Lisa :)
Happy you loved the mayo, Lilly!
Did not have the wine vinegar so I substituted with Nonna Pia’s apple cider vinegar. Very yummie
I want to cry. I have tried to make this 3 times, following the directions to the letter. My stick blender did not come with a container, so using a quart wide mouth jar. I am not a quitter, but after wasting 3 cups of avocado oil, I might need to concede on this. It is so hard to see you and others do it effortlessly, and I cannot figure out what I must be doing wrong.
Not for this specific recipe, but others, I’ve used the wide mouth Pint sized jars with almost total success.
That said, I’m about to make this recipe myself, with just a couple tweaks due to ingredients on hand.
I just made this for my husband using a widemouth pint size (16 oz) jar and it worked perfectly. I’m guessing that the quart size is too wide at the bottom for everything to quickly incorporate.
Glad this recipe worked out perfectly Jan!
I used a wide-mouth mason jar and it worked as long as I followed the instructions. The first try I didn’t and it didn’t work. The first time my egg was cold. The second time it was room temperature as I saw other recipes that called for a room temperature egg. The first time I may have rushed things, but the second time I followed the directions precisely letting everything settle for a minute or two then putting the immersion blender all the way at the bottom and then starting it on high. I didn’t move it until the mixture started to emulsify.
I tried a few times and failed too…then finally got it. Put one egg or 2 yolks in a pint sized jar. Start with ONE DROP of oil. Put your blender stick on the highest speed and mix. You might have to tip the jar since not much is in there. After it starts to lighten, add maybe 5 drops. Blend. Then a teaspoon. Blend. Then you should be able to add a small stream of oil. Blend. Don’t overwhem the mix with too much oil at any time or it won’t emulsify. You got this.
Me too. It is a soupy mess down the drain. I’ve made much harder recipes. Just doesn’t work.
That happened to me with another recipe, so I fixed it by using the big blender. You can find all sorts of instructions for mayo rescue online (No way was I going to toss out a cup of avocado oil). I think the main thing is to let ingredients settle and DO NOT TIP the immersion blender at the start. This time I’m even going to put everything but the oil in (including the stick blender) and THEN pour in the oil.
So simple yet so rewarding! So proud of my delicious, clean mayo! Thank you!!
I’m happy you loved it, Kimberly!
I bought an immersion blender just to make this recipe. Worth it! No more store bought mayo! Made with simple ingredients that I keep stocked in my kitchen.
Glad this recipe worked out great for you Eboni!
My now, all-time-favorite way to make mayonnaise.
I have used a different recipe for years but thought I might try this because I couldn’t find my other recipe quickly. I was so tempted to double the eggs double the Dijon, double of the lemon juice, the SALT! etc. because that’s what my old recipe used, but it was sometimes iffy on the consistency.
This was perfectly flavorful and nice and thick without any waiting for it to thicken up in the refrigerator.
For reference, I used 2/3 cup of plain olive oil – (NOT extra-virgin olive oil) – and 1/3 cup of avocado oil
Thank you thank you! Super Duper.
No fail huh? I just wasted a cup of Avocado Oil! I followed the directions exactly and it came out like soup. Thanks!!
Sorry to hear that, Lauren! I’m happy to try and help troubleshoot if you can provide a few more details – did the mayo start to emulsify (similar to the photos) when you started blending?
I am such a skeptic! There was ABSOLUTELY I could make mayo that tasted better than my normal store bought brand! (Sorry Duke’s)!) THIS WAS AMAZING!
Will Grape seed oil work ?
Yes, no problem.
I had another recipe for homemade mayo which I couldn’t find. I tried to remember it and then add the extras I was trying. It was tasty, but not mayo. Thanks to Lisa and the “how to fix broken mayo” article I saved my miso truffle aioli. Thank you, Lisa.
PS I have booked marked both the recipe and the website.
So fast and delicious. No more store-bought mayo for me.
I made the mayonnaise today. It is awesome! Thank you so much for sharing.
I love this base! Goes together super fast! I used grapeseed oil, rice, vinegar, lemon juice, white pepper, smoked paprika, and pink Himalayan salt. I reused an empty Talenti gelato container that worked great and then had a ready lid.
Hello! I’ve made several of your recipes – your website is my definitive go-to for pretty much anything I want to make. I made this homemade mayo and the first time it came out PERFECT. The subsequent 3 following times, it didn’t emulsify. I used a room temp egg. I used extra light olive oil (I cannot stand the taste of avocado oil) I even tried a different recipe and same thing, so 1 out of 5 is my success rate :-) . I also tried the various fixes and nothing (everything from adding warm water, another yolk, more vinegar or mustard, whipping it in a bowl first, then back to the immersion blender etc. It’s getting a little too expensive to try again! I’m so disappointed because it was sooo good the first time. I have no idea what I’m doing wrong but obviously it’s something.
My egg was a fresh one and probably too small so I added another egg and it thickened up nicely. Thanks for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed the mayo, Diana!
First time I made this it came out thick and creamy. The second time it did not… why and what to do???? Yes I put in all the ingredients and the egg this time was fresh from the chicken….
Hi – Can I use blender or food processor ???
It’s best to use an immersion blender for this recipe so it properly emulsifies.
Where is the amount of each of the ingredients. I said ingredients but there’s no measurements.
Hi Sarah – you can always find the full recipe if you scroll down to the bottom where the recipe card is :)
I tried it and it did not turn creamy like yours. It was liquidy I followed the directions with all the same ingredients you listed. Please help. What did I do wrong?
Man this was so simple. I didn’t have the le. Or lime juice so I used apple cider vinegar as an alternate option and it was reasonable. Husband helped me make it and said it taste good. So yeah!!
Wow…couldn’t believe how easy and quick it was to make. Tasted great even though I had to substitute with apple cider vinegar.
Superb! Seldom give props for recipes..you earned this one. Keto-friendly, easy to make, great tasting, 👍🏻👍🏻! I sub’d all organic fresh squeezed lemon juice, and it still turned out delicious. The Avacado oil is key. Love finding another use for my emersion blender, too. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for leaving a review and glad you enjoyed this mayonnaise recipe!
Best mayo recipe ever! Quick, easy and foolproof- plus it taste amazing… way better than store bought!
Glad you’re loving this mayo recipe Veni!
You need to get the vitamix food processor (If you don’t already have it)! They have a Mayo recipe and the feeding thing has a little hole that slowly adds the oil to the container. I haven’t tried it yet because I once tried to make Mayo with avocado oil and it was terrible :/ it was light green and the taste was so strong and since the oil was so spendy it was a lot of money in the garbage 😬 some day I will try again! I have also seen Mayo recipes with melted butter and MCT oil so might have to try that next time. I don’t wanna use mild olive oil because it’s just way more processed then..
I’ve made your chocolate layer cake for years (and even my sugar crazy brother in law (10yo) took seconds after initially being super skeptical because he knows I use clean ingredients and that’s scary 😜) but haven’t really commented before but I like reading other readers comments 😊
Yes, I love my Vitamix as well. When it comes to avocado oil, each brand is really different in terms of flavor. I find that the Chosen Foods brand has a fairly neutral flavor, so that’s my “go to.” I’m happy you love my chocolate cake recipe, and thanks for taking the time to comment! :)
Could you use peanut oil instead of olive oil?
You can use any oil, just be aware that it will impart flavor into the mayonnaise.
Can’t wait to make this mayonnaise. But, my emulsifier did not come with it’s own jar. Should I use my hand blender or my Nutribullet?
Thanks,
Betsy
Mine did not either. I measured the width of my blender shield. The metal bell around the blade and went shopping online for a plastic ‘pitcher’. (around $14) You would be looking for something about the width of your ‘bell’ to ensure maximum blending with minimal movement. That way you avoid incorporating any unwanted air.
I wouldn’t choose to use the nutribullet as you don’t have as much control over the incorporation process. Basically the mixture is too thick to settle down around the blades.