Last updated on October 5th, 2012
I THINK HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE is one of life’s little pleasures. It’s thick and creamy. It’s rich and dreamy. And it’s a cinch to make. In fact, if you have a food processor, you can turn out this egg-yolk-yellow sumptuousness in under 3 minutes.
Note: If the thought of eating raw eggs (in mayonnaise or anything else) frightens you, you might want to skip this recipe. As for me, I trust the eggs I buy. These come from local chickens who live contented lives at a local farm.
Homemade Mayonnaise
Ingredients for about 2 cups
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice OR white wine vinegar
1 1/2 – 2 cups vegetable oil (if using olive oil, choose a light-tasting variety)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1. Place the whole egg, the yolks, and the teaspoon of mustard in the bowl of your food processor. Process for 15 seconds. Then add the lemon juice (or vinegar), the salt and pepper, and process for another 10 seconds.
2. With the machine on, add the oil by droplets, until the sauce starts to thicken. Then add the remaining oil in a slow, steady stream. The finished sauce should hold its shape when turned sideways in a spoon, as pictured above.
3. Taste carefully for seasonings and texture. Process in more salt and pepper if necessary. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, thin it out with milk or water.
4. Scrape the sauce into a screw-top jar and immediately refrigerate. Well chilled, homemade mayonnaise will keep safely for up to 4 days.
Need a cut-and-paste version of this recipe? Here goes:
Three-Minute Mayonnaise
Ingredients for about 2 cups
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice OR white wine vinegar
1 1/2 – 2 cups vegetable oil (if using olive oil, choose a light-tasting variety)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper
Place the whole egg, the yolks, and the teaspoon of mustard in the bowl of your food processor. Process for 15 seconds. Then add the lemon juice (or vinegar)and the salt and pepper, and process for 10 seconds. With the machine on, add the oil by droplets, until the sauce starts to thicken. Then add the remaining oil in a slow, steady stream. The finished sauce should hold its shape when turned sideways in a spoon. Taste carefully for seasonings and texture. Process in more salt and pepper if necessary. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with milk or plain water. To store, scrape the sauce into a screw-top jar and immediately refrigerate. Well chilled, homemade mayonnaise will keep safely for up to 4 days.
Does the idea of making every-day items — like mayonnaise — appeal to you? You can let me know by leaving a comment. You know I love to hear from you.
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Related Posts:
Greek-Style Yogurt
Homemade Mozzarella in 30 Minutes
English Muffins
BethieofVA says
You know, being a chicken owner, I really need to do this. LOL!!
Bobbie Floyd says
Great recipe, and yes these really appeal. More please!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
BethieofVA – Sounds like you already have the primary ingredient for mayo in your own backyard!
Bobbie – More to come, I promise!
Mary says
I remember making homemade mayo a million years ago–I need to try it again–it was SO much tastier than store-bought! Thanks for the recipe!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Mary – I prefer homemade too. It’s so fresh and eggy. And it doesn’t contain “modified corn and potato starches” like Hellman’s and Best Foods do. I laughed when I read the label of Hellman’s “reduced fat with Olive Oil” — it contains more soybean oil than olive oil!
Kelly says
Love the thought of making my own mayonnaise but 2 cups is an awful lot to use in just 4 days.
Any way to cut the recipe in half and make just one cup??
LaTrice says
Love the concept of making it as needed rather than have a big ole jar taking up space in the frigde.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Kelly – I haven’t tried cutting this recipe in half. But I think it can be done. Just make it with one egg, and use from three quarters- to one cup of oil. Use the regular amount lemon juice (2 tsp). Lemon juice retards spoilage.
LaTrice – I could not agree with you more.
Susan says
I decided to return to making mayonnaise just this week. I am really tired of paying $5.00 for a small jar; if it were excellent mayo maybe I wouldn’t care. It’s pedestrian, at best, & the best of the commercial mayos (imo).
Years ago I gave a graduation party for a friend’s husband. (They had a small apt at the time.) Loads of their relatives, music, food, a real party. The one thing everyone commented on? What in the holy hell did I do to the potato salad & the deviled eggs (it was a real American menu:) I made the mayonnaise. People could not believe it, including many of the older relatives. A young person making mayonnaise. But I’d lived in France & it was normal to me. Go for it!
Noelle Imparato says
Thank you Kevin for all your garden tips and recipes. I found your wood garden lovely and inspiring. Being originally French, I am used to do my own mayonnaise. I do it pretty much the way you have it here, except that I use only one egg yolk (no white at all) and a lot more Dijon mustard, like 3 or 4 tsp (that’s what gives it a nice taste) and less lemon. You might want to try it that way.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Susan – You are absolutely right about commercial mayo — it IS pedestrian at best. And it is strangely-white. I can fully understand why your guests went nuts over the potato salad and deviled eggs! Stay in touch, okay?
Noelle Imparato – Nice to meet you. I will try adding more mustard next time (I love to experiment). Please tell me…How much sauce does your one-egg version make?
Carolyn Adams says
I have my grandmother’s mayo maker on display in my kitchen! I might have to try this…
Prairiecactus says
That looks yummy..though being un-trustful of raw egg I am not sure I would try this.
Curious…do you read much and if so do you have a reading list?
Gail B. says
I’ve never made homemade Meyo. It looks like its creamier and actually tasty instead of dead white creamed oil that the store bought stuff looks and tastes. Would love to see more posts like this 🙂
Tina Marie Comroe says
Egg White Mayo
1. Whites of 3 eggs
2. 1 ½ tsp salt
3. 3 tsp white granulated sugar
4. 2 tbsp lemon juice
5. 1 tsp mustard powder
6. 3 cups vegetable oil
In a blender or food processor, blend 1-5. Add 6 ¼ cup at a time until it is all fluffy and well mixed.
Put in jars and refrigerate until use. Enjoy!
Louise Baker says
I’ve been making homemade mayo for awhile now, sooo good!!! Here are a couple of tips I’ve learned along the way: To add oil a few drops at a time using your food processor, check the “pusher” thing that you use to push food down the neck of it. Some of them already have a drip hole! If yours doesn’t (like mine didn’t), use a small drill bit and make a little hole. You want it to be about 2mm across. That way you can just dump the whole amount of oil into the pusher and it will happily drip away while it’s getting whizzed up. Easy!
The other great tip is to add 1 or 2 tablespoons of whey. Whey is the fermented liquid that floats to the top of your yogurt. If you have plain yoghurt in your fridge, you probably have enough whey on top. You can make whey yourself; it’s super easy and it will last in a jar in your fridge for months and months. The reason you should add it to your mayo (unless you have a milk allergy) is that it will act as a preservative and instead of having to use your entire bottle of mayo in a week, it will now be good for about 3 weeks! It doesn’t change the flavour at all. You can thank me later.
sclindah says
Do you think you could use dehydrated or freeze dried eggs to make mayonnaise!? I appreciate this recipe. We are trying hard to know how to make all of the things we buy in the store from scratch.
TL says
I recently read that you should indulge in high calorie treats (ice cream, cookies, mayo) just as often as you feel like making them from scratch. It sounds like this recipe may make it too easy to indulge. Love to make everyday foods from scratch!
Jss says
Could coddled eggs be used? I’m not afraid of raw eggs, but I’m wondering if that would eliminate the risk of salmonella and lengthen the shelf-life?
Janice Seigler says
I love recipes and appreciate all you post! Thank you!!
Mark Drost says
I just found your website and I think it is great! I am saving the mayonnaise recipe to try soon, I love the idea of finding these little gems in my email…I’m a fan!
Donna B. says
Mmmmm… one of the other garden/foodie blogs I read also mentioned homemade mayo… and how extremely intense and amazing it tastes. I have been really wanting to try it myself, but I do lack a food processor. [Might have to search for one in some sales, mwahahaha]
I do not use mayo in this extreme, I get the Omega Balance jar and it takes like… a year to go through it [but I do not think it contains actual egg, which is both strange and unnerving…] it’s supposed to be healthier, but I think I’d rather eat the real deal.
Not scared whatsoever about raw eggs either – what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger!!! 😀
Lex Malla Books says
I never would have thought to try and make mayonnaise on my own. I MIGHT try it someday!
Deb Haack says
I am a chef and when I first started cooking in 1972, we always made our own mayonnaise
It was soo good. I always wanted to go back to making it at home now that I am retired. I have made small batches using a piano whisk and a bowl.
Shirley says
This made me chuckle. My mother used to make her own mayonnaise sometimes, but we kids didn’t think much of it. It tasted nothing like our grease of choice — Miracle Whip. I’m still kind of partial to it. 😉
Chiot's Run says
LOVE homemade mayo – love love love it and I’m so happy to see other people making it too! I often make aioli with fresh garlic in it and a stronger flavored olive oil. I also love the reader’s tip above about adding whey for preservation, this would also add some great probiotics to make it even healthier!
Tina C says
If you add a tablespoon of whey to this recipe (just drain some of that greenish liquid off of your yogurt!) and leave it on the counter for 6-7 hours after you make it and before you refrigerate it (check out Alton Brown’s explanation of why this is a good thing to do in his mayo recipe) then your mayo will remain good and healthy for weeks in your refrigerator.
You can also half the recipe and put all the ingredients in a small ball jar and use a stick blender to whip it up. Just add all ingredients and start the stick blender at the bottom of the jar and work your way up. Easy and delicious!
Robin Chapman Tucker says
Would you believe my Grandmother used to make mayo with a whisk..dropping in that oil, ever so painstakingly, a drop at a time? I live in the south and here we have a company that makes mayo called “Dukes”, and it is THE mayo of most of the folks in the southeast, including my husband. Lord have MERCY on me, if I were to purchase another brand, because it were on sale, or because the grocer were out of Dukes–I had better always have a back up jar in the pantry is just all there is to it! I honestly do not LIKE mayo..it totally revolts me, but I love to cook and would gladly make it for my husband, IF he likes it..then again, I could just reserve the homemade for discerning guests and recipes, and let him stick to his revolting “Dukes” for his vile sandwich making and saltine cracker preparations, which…I will spare you.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Carolyn Adams – I had no idea a “mayonnaise maker” even existed!
Prairiecactus – A reading list sounds like a fun idea. I am always reading something…just finished “Always, Julia” — the letters exchanged between Avis DeVoto and Julia Child…now reading Michael Moore’s “Here Comes Trouble.” (Probably the books I read would turn others off!)
Gail B. – This IS better than any mayo you can buy in the store. So much flavor…I can easily go through 2 cups in 4 days. Olive oil is the good kind of fat, right?
Tina Marie Comroe – Welcome, and thanks for the Egg White Mayo recipe.
Louise Baker – I looked, and lo and behold…my FP’s pusher DOES have a tiny hole in the bottom! Thanks for the great on this, and also the whey-idea.
Schlinda – Not sure if you can use dehydrated or freeze-dried eggs to make mayo. Probably someone, somewhere has tried it!
TL – Yes, that was Michael Pollan who said we can eat all the junk food we want … as long as we make it ourselves. I agree with him 🙂
Jss – Unsure about coddled eggs. Seems I have seen recipes for cooked-egg mayo, though.
Janice Seigler – So glad you like the recipes, and thought to tell me so!
Mark Drost – Nice to meet you!
Donna B. – You can use a wire whip, just as Robin Chapman Tucker’s grandmother did in comment #28!
Lex Malla Books – Nice to meet you!
Deb Hack – Glad I rekindled a fond memory for you. Do you recall the ingredients you used?
Shirley – I grew up like you did: my mother always bought Miracle Whip. Probably she thought it was healthier than the real thing (if one can call Best Foods and Hellman’s the “real” thing).
Chiot’s Run – Nice to “see” you! Yum to aioli. I, too, have enjoyed readers tips concerning whey as a pro-biotic preservative.
Tina C. – Stick blender is great idea, and thanks for re-affirming the whey-idea.
Robin Chapman Tucker – Well, I wouldn’t want to duke it out with your husband over Duke’s. BUT…believe me, he’ll love homemade mayo — once he realizes it is the real deal!
Deb Haack says
Kevin,
We moved not too long ago and of course, I haven’t found the box with the older recipes in it yet. I will keep looking and let you know the ingredients when I find them. I am pretty sure that we used all egg yolks, Dijon mustard, a little lemon juice with some white vinegar, vegetable oil, salt and white pepper. Our recipe made 4 gallons and like you said, it does keep very well. I tried your recipe, used a little less Dijon mustard and it was very close to what I remember.
Brenda from Cape Cod says
I caught onto the idea of making mayonnaise a few years back watching “Good Eats” with Alton Brown on Food Network. (Miss that show.) Here is Alton’s recipe:
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp. fine salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 pinches sugar
2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbls white wine vinegar
1 cup oil, safflower or corn
In a glass bowl, whisk together egg yolk and dry ingredients. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in a separate bowl then thoroughly whisk half into the yolk mixture. Start whisking briskly, then start adding the oil a few drops at a time until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit (which means you’ve got an emulsion on your hands). Once you reach that point you can relax your arm a little (but just a little) and increase the oil flow to a constant (albeit thin) stream. Once half of the oil is in add the rest of the lemon juice mixture.
Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated. Leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours then refrigerate for up to 1 week.
I like your idea of using the food processor better. All of this whisking made my arm hurt! LOL! And yes, I agree, the taste is much better than store bought.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Brenda from Cape Cod – Thanks for the sending Alton’s mayo recipe. Wonder why he felt sugar was necessary?
And I agree with you — the food processor makes mayo-making a breeze!
Mary Kate says
I’m planning an early-season picnic tomorrow, for us and a houseguest.. This week’s bean-burger recipe and this home made mayo are definitely on the menu!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Mary Kate – Bean Burgers with homemade mayo? Perfect!
meeri says
Put me in the camp M.P. who said, “eat all the junk food we want … as long as we make it ourselves.” I’m interested in replacing all those nasty things containing any combination of toxic disaters like high-fructose corn syrup, processed oils, MSG, food colorings and preservatives that are in most condiments and salad dressings.
LOVE the suggestion on adding whey protein as we alllllll need more probiotics in our diet, and the protein is a nice perk, too! I had no idea that it also extends the life of the product….i will put this tip to good use.
Louise, please PLEASE share the recipe for making whey protein….I won’t need to wait to thank you for this later–as this is going to become a mainstay in our home I’m thanking you now!! ;-D
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
meeri – if you make your own mozzarella cheese, or Greek-style yogurt (both recipes here), you will end up with lots of whey to play with. I sometimes drink the stuff!
Ratridevi Lilith says
I just LoVe making my own mayonnaise and I am always on the look out for variations.. Thank you Kevin, easy, simple delicious and a winning base for my homemade potato salad.. 🙂
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Ratridevi Lilith – Enjoy!