How to Make Mayonnaise
1,313 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’m getting ready to make this. I don’t have dijon mustard, I only have regular table mustard. Should I come to a screeching halt, or will the outcome be mostly the same?
Hi Billie – you can use regular mustard in this recipe as well, the flavor will just be slightly different. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing your recipe. My previous attempts with other recipes had failed. It turned out perfect this time!
Wonderful! I’m happy to hear this mayo turned out perfectly for you, Debra. Enjoy!
This recipe didn’t work for me at all. Emulsification never happened. I tried the boiling water trick and the extra egg yolk trick. Nothing. Just ended up with a very expensive, inedible soup
I was never able to make mayo until now! I have a mustard intolerance so I used creamed horseradish instead – turned out great! thank you!
Thank you for mentioning below that it is good for a week in the fridge.
Ooh, love the idea of adding horseradish for a spicy twist, yum!
First time mayo maker, this mayo is amazing. Thanks
Hi Salima, congrats on your first ever homemade mayonnaise! Now you can always reference this recipe when you need a batch. Enjoy!
Thanks for your useful blog on How to Make Mayonnaise. You mentioned the ingredients and instructions that will help prepare it at home easily. It is a healthy food item. I like your blog and also like organic products.
Thanks for your feedback, Shrea! Glad the posts are extremely helpful.
Thanks for this recipe. It makes a very good mild mayonnaise. I have made this a dozen or so times without issue. Result is a thick, stable mayo. It is crucial to use a strong immersion blender with a slotted bell dome like the Cuisinart in the pictures. I follow the directions to a tee. Letting the ingredients settle once you have slowly added the oil is important as is slowly lowering the immersion blender down and over the egg yolk. After fifteen seconds or so of blending right on the bottom, I lift the blender just a bit for another fifteen seconds before starting to gently raise the wand up to blend it all together. For me, I use 1 1/3 cup oil, 2 eggs at room temperature, 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and the rest as posted in the provided recipe. If having a German fare, a sweet Bavarian mustard is very good in place of the Dijon.
Hi Steve – So glad to hear your mayonnaise turns out perfectly every single time! And yes, letting the ingredient settle and gently raising the blender is important for the best texture.
I’ve been using this for months that I am trying to get away from seed oils… Hands-down love this recipe however, I do the 2x Amount and fill it works better doing 1.5 cups instead of two to keep the consistency less liquidy. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Jen – Glad to hear you’ve found a winning mayonnaise recipe! It’s a great way to get away from seed oils used in store-bought versions, enjoy!
Perfection! I didn’t have enough avocado oil so also added about 1/3 cup peanut oil and it came out wonderful. Really good!
Wonderful! Glad your mayonnaise worked out great, Melinda.
I’ve made this and so far it tastes amazing and the consistency is great. I would like to know though, how long is this good for in the fridge after making?
Hi Kimberly – I’m happy to hear you loved this homemade mayo! It will stay good for about a week in the fridge. Enjoy!
I don’t have an immersion blender. Can I use a blender instead?
Hi Jayde – Unfortunately, this recipe was written for an immersion blender. The process for using a regular blender is a bit different.
Mine did not get thick. It’s like liquid. I watched the video and made it exactly like the video said.
I used the exact same ingredients as well.
What could’ve I have done wrong?
Hi Ramona – Did you check out the extra tips in the blog post above?
Love fresh homemade mayonnaise. Thanks for your recipe.
Hi Barb – Can’t beat fresh homemade mayonnaise! Glad you love this recipe.
I feel quite smart that I can make my own mayonnaise that is delicious and free of bad stuff! Perfect two times. This last time it too thick. Quite stiff to spread. What should I do to thin it a bit? More oil? Water?
So happy you love it, Cathy! It really is super easy to make it at home on the fly. Yes, you can add a bit more oil to thin it down if you’d like, or just not blend it for quite as long next time. Enjoy!
I made it with what I had on hand. I use org grape seed oil and a 1/8 c light olive oil. It’s missing something that my normal mayo has a slight kick to it. Not a heat kick but something. That said, Thank you for a great recipe. It took less than 5 min to make a mayo without all the additives. Adding this to the Turkey burgers recipe. 🥰
Hi Karen – Happy to hear your mayo turned out great with what you had on hand!
This is always my go to mayo recipe. I’ve even only used 3/4 c avocado oil when I’m low and it’s still great.
Happy to hear you’ve found a go-to homemade mayonnaise recipe, Amy!
Ok here to say that all the comments that tell you to “follow the recipe exactly as it says” are correct!! I’ve used this mayo recipe 3x now to ensure it’s legit and I follow the recipe TO A T! Counting the seconds that the immersion blender is on the egg yolk and it turns out wonderful! Never buying mayo again!
Hi Ciera – Happy to hear your mayo turned out perfectly! For this specific recipe, following the directions to a T is very important.
My 5th time making it. Love it!
Hi Azure – Seems like you’re loving this homemade mayonnaise, enjoy!
thanks for the recipe
I’ve made this about 10 times. Twice it was runny, in the video Lisa says to wait before you move the immersion blender up and down. That’s the key for me it comes out perfect now. I use it in tuna and as a dressing for dipping vegetables, or on salad. Thank you Lisa for this healthy recipe I sure don’t want to consume soy oil in store bought mayonnaise.
I’m glad you found out what went wrong! Now you can have perfect homemade mayonnaise every time.
Mine came out runny as well. I made it exactly like it said in the video. Maybe I’ll try to use 3\4 cup avocado oil instead of a full cup?
Thanks for your useful blog on How to Make Mayonnaise You covered every aspect i.e. ingredients, recipes, nutrition, health benefits, etc. I learned a lot from this article and like it. I also like organic products.
I’ve made this twice, and the texture turned out perfectly both times! I used olive oil the first time, and algae oil the second time. I’m going to use a touch of calabrian olive oil in my next batch to make a spicy variant. Thank you for such an easy-to-follow recipe!
Thrilled to hear both times have turned out perfectly, Mindy!
Made it to recipe and it’s just soupy oil! Added two more yolks one at a time and it’s still soupy oil.
Hi, I made this with apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice and white wine vinegar and sunflower oil (an excellent brand).
Worked perfectly!
Wonderful! I’m glad this mayo turned out perfectly for you, Kerryn!
Best recipe!!! Easy to follow ❤️
Hi Shey – I’m so glad you love this mayonnaise recipe!
I love this mayo and have made it a few times perfectly! When I made it tonight it was too liquidy. I even tried the tablespoon of hot water but no luck. Could the lower temperature inside and outside be the difference? Help! I don’t want to waste ingredients again until I know what’s wrong. Tyvm!
So easy to make! I’m usually not a fan of mayo but I wanted to make horseradish sauce for the sake of trying new things. This tastes light and all the ingredients blend well. Can’t wait to actually try it on a sandwich or something
So glad you enjoyed it! And yes, it’s great mixed into my horseradish sauce recipe.
Tried this recipe EXACTLY as stated (using olive oil) and it came out just fine! We are heavy seasoners in my house so for me it was a bit bland but yet heavy on the olive oil flavor. Next time I might tweak a couple things but I used this mayo for my coleslaw dressing and that turned out amazing! So as far as using it for a base for other recipes its a 5/5 but as for just plain old mayo I’ll have to give it a 4/5. Thank you for this super simple recipe!!
Hi Sara – I’m glad you enjoyed this mayo! The flavor of the oil is definitely personal preference. So have fun tweaking the recipe!
Lisa, I just followed your instructions exactly, and made expensive mayo soup.
Is there any way to salvage that?
I’m really trying to find a good homemade recipe, so my husband will stop buying mayo in plastic containers.
Any advice would be welcome!
Thanks!
Hi Margaret – I have a few tips in the blog post above. Hope that helps!
I made this to exact recipe too!
Using organic avocado oil and all things organic. Sad to say it’s an expensive soupy liquid. I’ve made mayo before in a cuisinart container and it comes out great. Thought I’d try the immersion blender and a smaller batch.
I’m going back to how I know how to make it. Guess it will be an expensive lesson. Margeaux
Used this recipe and the result was delicious mayo. I used LouAnna pure liquid coconut oil as I am trying to avoid all seed oils. Great recipe.
Hi Steven – I’m glad you enjoyed this mayo!
My mayo isn’t staying thick – in the fridge, it is tending to be runny. Perhaps too much lemon juice or my egg wasn’t large enough?
worked great! All of my ingredients were at room temperature. I used mustard powder instead of dijon and apple cidar vinegar for the lemon juice and wine vinegar. For oil, I used 1.5 oz extra virgin olive oil and the rest was cheap vegie oil. (I wasn’t ready to sacrifice a better quality oil until I knew it worked) That being said, I have read that there are some oils that just plain will not emulsify. So, I’d recommend doing your homework on that subject.
Hi Lynn – Thanks for sharing your feedback on the different oils you used for this mayonnaise recipe!
Followed the recipe and instructions and it came out great.
Perhaps a little bland but I’ve always thought mayo was bland.
Got me thinking about ways to “tasty” it up.
Thumbs up!
Hi Glenn – Happy to hear your mayonnaise turned out great!
I have tried this recipe 2x now and failed. I even watched the video and can’t figure out why. Do you have any additional tips for the mayo to not break?
Your eggs must be fresh and room temperature and you jar the same size as your blender. If the jar is wide it won’t emulsify. Also this Mayo is quite bland so add extra Dijon. You can adjust the taste once it’s made. I add roasted garlic to mine. It keeps well too.
I made this for the first time and I was successful and it was delicious. Second time it did not emulsify. Started over for the third time and it did not either. Tried the egg yolk tip and and the boiling water tip to no avail. Any suggestions? I used the correct equipment.
I followed the instructions to a T, and had mayonnaise in less than 2 minutes. I made sure to USE AN IMMERSION BLENDER with the PROPER CONTAINER, as the instructions say to. I even doubled the recipe and the mayonnaise came out right. If you are struggling with this recipe being “runny”, please make sure you are using the CORRECT EQUIPMENT as stated in the DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS that someone took the time to write out.
Hi Toby – Happy to hear your mayonnaise turned out perfectly!
I tired making it but it came out runny. Google searched and AI says egg must be room temp or can hinder emulsification process. Other recipes call for mixing egg first and slowly adding the oil.
Hi Michelle – you only slowly add oil if whisking. It’s not necessary when using an immersion blender. This recipe is specifically for an immersion blender.
Mayo was yellow and so runny, I even added another egg. Had to throw away, used a light olive oil and wasted money on that🥲
Best Mayo ever!
My husband absolutely LOVES IT!
you can not accidentally go over on the vinegar or lemon juice, it will not thicken.
And I use half avocado oil and half olive oil. No light oils.
Comes out perfectly and so very yummy! 😋
Yay, happy you and your husband love it, Tami!
I have used this recipe countless times and it has come out perfect almost every time. The one time it didn’t come out quite right I used it to make caesar salad dressing and it came out great. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Thanks, Sandi! Happy you love it!
I use this recipe every time and never have a problem- I’m not sure why people are having problems- it never fails on me. The only think I can think of, is not using the correct container. The opening must be just big enough to fit the immersion blender, the bigger you go, it will not firm up. I do use light tasting olive oil, not the best oil, but it tastes the best to me.
I’m right there with you, Renee! After making this recipe for over a decade, I’ve never once had a fail. So it’s always challenging to help people, without being in their kitchen and seeing exactly what they do. I’m happy it’s been a reliable mayo recipe for you as well!
This recipe has been tried and true for me for the last year+. For those concerned about runniness, I have found that using generic white wine vinegar works best. I bought bertolli and I have thrown away probably 6 separate batches in the last 2 months. That’s the only thing I have changed. Do not give up on this recipe because it’s pure gold!
Hi Jennifer – So glad you love this recipe, and thanks for sharing your tip!
I actually tried rice vinegar and really liked it.
Followed the recipe and instructions to the letter, even using high quality avocado oil. It was extremely runny and had to discard. :(
I made yellow soup. great. other recipes have you add oil slow. this one doesn’t. total fail. two thumbs down.
Hi Daniel – you don’t have to add the oil slowly to this recipe as you’re not whisking to create the emulsion, you’re using an immersion blender. This recipe was written specifically for using an immersion blender.
I made this and it was so thin. I added another yolk and it’s still runny. What do I do?
Tried this with lemon juice and vinegar in two separate recipes. Smells stale when completed. Used high quality oil new bottle not expired for a year out. Smelling the bottle I do not smell anything but after making I smell it. Eggs are fresh straight from the chicken but the smell reminds me of stale oil! Am I doing something wrong or does this disappear later?
Its really good!!
I used vegetable oil and apple cider vinigar on mine , and it tasted like real mayo
I don’t often leave reviews but I just had to on this one. I used your recipe for my first-ever time to make homemade mayonnaise. It came out perfect and delicious! I’ll never use the store-bought stuff again. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Hi Jean – Thrilled to hear your mayonnaise turned out perfectly with this recipe!