Making your own creamy, flavorful mayonnaise at home is incredibly simple with an immersion blender, and the results are far superior to anything you’ll find in a jar. This foolproof recipe is a total game-changer for your kitchen, providing the perfect rich base for your favorite chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad.
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🥚 The Ingredients
We’ve carefully selected a blend of fresh staples and savory seasonings to ensure a perfectly balanced, velvety texture that outshines any store-bought alternative. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Neutral Oil: It is crucial to use a neutral-tasting oil like avocado, safflower, or grapeseed oil; avoid extra-virgin olive oil, as its strong flavor can be overwhelming and it may turn bitter when processed with an immersion blender.
- Eggs: For the most stable emulsion, ensure your egg and egg yolk are at room temperature before starting.
- Acidity: The combination of fresh lemon juice and white wine vinegar provides a bright, balanced tang, but you can substitute the vinegar with apple cider vinegar or additional lemon juice if necessary.
- Dijon Mustard: Beyond adding a sophisticated depth of flavor, Dijon acts as a natural emulsifier that helps the oil and eggs bind together smoothly.
- Seasonings: Onion powder provides a subtle savory “hidden” note that mimics high-end deli mayo, while kosher salt enhances all the other flavors.
Refer to the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📌 Tips and Tricks for Perfect Mayonnaise
- Use the Right Vessel: For the best results, use a tall, narrow container (like a wide-mouth Mason jar or the beaker that came with your blender) that is just slightly wider than the head of the immersion blender to ensure the oil is pulled down into the blades correctly.
- The “Slow Lift” Technique: Place the immersion blender firmly against the bottom of the jar and process for about 20 seconds without moving it; once you see the white emulsion forming at the base, slowly tilt and lift the blender to incorporate the remaining oil.
- Room Temperature is Key: While some people have luck with cold ingredients, using room-temperature eggs and lemon juice ensures a much more stable and reliable emulsion.
- Order Matters: Always add the oil last so it sits on top of the other ingredients; this allows the blender to start by processing the eggs and seasonings before slowly drawing the oil in.
- Fixing a Broken Mayo: If your mixture remains thin and oily, don’t throw it out! Simply whisk a fresh egg yolk in a separate clean bowl and very slowly drizzle your broken mayonnaise into the new yolk while whisking constantly to re-emulsify.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise
- Step 1: Add all of the ingredients to a vessel that’s just large enough to fit the immersion blender. Be sure to add the oil last.
- Step 2: Place the blender all the way into the vessel/jar so it is touching the bottom.
- Step 3: Turn on the blender and gently move it upwards so the egg and yolk are incorporated.
- Step 4: Continue blending, gently moving up and down, until thick. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
🍽️ How To Serve
- Elevate Your Deli Salads: This mayo provides the ultimate creamy base for classic chicken, tuna, or egg salads, and it’s also the secret to the best potato salad or diner-style coleslaw you’ve ever tasted.
- The Ultimate Sandwich Spread: Slather a generous layer onto toasted sourdough for an elevated club sandwich, or use it as a rich, velvety topping for your favorite juicy burgers.
- Create Gourmet Dipping Sauces: Use this recipe as a blank canvas to create quick aiolis; simply whisk in roasted garlic, fresh herbs, or a squeeze of Sriracha to serve alongside crispy fries or roasted vegetables.
- A Secret Cooking Weapon: Use a thin layer of mayonnaise instead of butter on the outside of your bread for the most perfectly golden, crispy grilled cheese sandwich, or use it as a binder to keep breaded chicken or fish incredibly moist while baking.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
While many people enjoy this condiment without concern, it is recommended that those with weakened immune systems, the elderly, or pregnant women use pasteurized eggs to minimize any risk of foodborne illness.
Store the finished spread in an airtight glass jar and keep it chilled; it will typically maintain its best quality and flavor for about five to seven days.
This usually occurs if the oil was incorporated too quickly or if the ingredients were not at room temperature, but you can often fix it by slowly whisking the broken mixture into a fresh, room-temperature yolk.
It is best to avoid oils with very strong flavor profiles, as the high-speed blades can cause them to release bitter compounds that overwhelm the delicate balance of the other ingredients.
🌭 More Classic Homemade Condiments
Ready to make the best mayonnaise in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Classic Homemade Mayonnaise
Video
Equipment
- 1 jar or vessel about the
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard optional
- ¾ cup safflower oil plus another 2 tbsps (See NOTES)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a vessel just large enough to fit the immersion blender.1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ¾ cup safflower oil
- Place the blender all the way in, so the blades are touching the bottom of the vessel.
- Turn on the blender, and gently move it upwards, so the egg and egg yolk are incorporated, and the oil and egg begin to emulsify.
- Continue, gently moving up and down, until thick. Will keep in the fridge for up to one week.
Notes
- Safflower
- Avocodao
- Grapeseed
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in January 2018, but has been updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography, and a fabulous new video in May 2023!
Michele says
I made this for a chicken salad and it was easy and delicious! I’ll never use jarred mayo for chicken, egg, tuna, or any other salad.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Michele! You make us so happy! We LOVE that you made homemade mayo and had such great success with it! Isn’t it a game-changer?? Woo hoo! Thank you so much for sharing and for the awesome review. That means the world to us! Please stay in touch! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Alicia says
Looks easy and simple enough to do! Well if people are eating raw fish that has been cooked in lemon juice and vinaigrette and it actually Cooks the fish how is an egg any different than the fish? I would think that the egg in its own way is also being preserved and cooked because of the acid in the lemon juice and the vinegar therefore the egg is no longer raw so to speak. People around the world eat raw products daily and they’re fine. Only in America are we freaked out by fresh food such as raw milk unpasteurized with the real enzymes and probiotics it contains or by eggs or even cheese. Can’t wait to try this
Kris Longwell says
We think you are right, Alicia! If anyone has a compromised immune system, then raw eggs should avoided. If Rocky can drink raw eggs, a little in homemade mayo is a-ok in our books! Let us know if you make the mayo and how it turns out! Best, Kris & Wesley
Lori says
Can’t wait to try the mayo recipe. I love chicken salad, however haven’t found a good way to make the chicken breasts. Any suggestions
LinKot says
Being eating raw cookie dough, etc. because of the egg … I wonder how raw egg in mayo would be safe to eat if it isn’t cooked?
Diane says
I have never made homemade mayo so I thought that I’d give it a try. The first time that I made it I thought that maybe it was a little bitter? I then tried a mix of avocado oil and extra light olive oil and this was it for me. I also found that it didn’t thicken unless you had the small vessel to blend it in. I found a cute tall, slim measuring cup that I forgot that I had. It looked much liked yours and that is what made the difference. There is nothing like homemade mayo in your chicken salad recipe. I will not be buying regular mayo again. This was so easy. Unfortunately, my husband is a miracle whip fan. Just don’t tell him that homemade mayo is in the chicken salad. He doesn’t even know. Thanks again for the wonderful ideas that make me look like a way better cook than I actually am.
Kris Longwell says
It takes a little practice, but, then once you get it..it’s a snap!! Yay!!! You are a FANTASTIC cook and we’re going to keep telling you that until you finally believe it!!!! xoxo
Breanne says
I’m super excited to try making mayo for the first time. I really did think that it was more complicated than this. My one question is how long is the mayo good for after you make it? I plan on using a quart-size mason jar to store it in.
Kris Longwell says
Awesome, Breanne!! The homemade mayo will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks. Have fun and let us know how it turns out!!!
Thomas says
I have been craving great food and I found your site. I made the mayo first, when my wife tasted it, she threw our jar of store bought mayo away! Chicken salad / tuna salad was a big hit
I tanged it up a bit with apple cider vinegar, all I can say is I will never buy store bought again
Thank you!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Thomas!! We can’t even begin to tell you how happy this makes us!! We love that you made the homemade mayo and had such great success. And the addition of apple cider vinegar sounds wonderful!! Thanks so much for letting us know and for the GREAT review! We appreciate that very, very much!! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Lacey says
I love this site. I just found it 3 days ago. I already made the chicken marsala and Philly cheese steak. I am out of my cooking funk I can’t wait to try the homemade mayo. 🙂
Kris Longwell says
That is the best news we’ve heard all day, Lacey!! We are so so thrilled to have helped you get out of your cooking funk!! Cooking is fun!!! Yay!!!! Thanks again and continue to stay in touch! We LOVE it!!! Kris & Wesley
Ann Marie says
A friend introduced me to your site. Already having fun exploring your recipes and look forward to viewing more.
Thank you for sharing your recipes, tips and certainly your talent. Much appreciated.
Larry Lehmkuhler says
Love the videos they make my day!!
Kris Longwell says
Thank you, Larry! And you just made our day!! All the best, Kris & Wesley