5-Minute Homemade Mayonnaise That Beats Store-Bought Every Time

Name: 5-Minute Homemade Mayonnaise That Beats Store-Bought Every Time
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 large egg; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 cup neutral oil (like canola or avocado); 1/4 teaspoon salt

Jump to Recipe

Spread the love

I’ll never forget the first time I made homemade mayonnaise – it was one of those “why didn’t I try this sooner?” kitchen moments. My grandmother used to whip up batches in her old blender, turning simple ingredients into this magical creamy condiment that made everything taste better. The best part? You probably have everything you need in your kitchen right now. Forget the store-bought stuff with its weird aftertaste and mysterious ingredients. Real homemade mayonnaise takes just 5 minutes and transforms sandwiches, salads, and dips into something extraordinary. Once you taste that rich, velvety texture and bright lemony flavor, you’ll never go back to the jarred version again.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Mayonnaise
Ingredients for Homemade Mayonnaise
How to Make Homemade Mayonnaise
Tips for Perfect Homemade Mayonnaise
Variations for Homemade Mayonnaise
Serving Suggestions for Homemade Mayonnaise
Storing Homemade Mayonnaise
Homemade Mayonnaise FAQs
Nutritional Information

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Mayonnaise

Trust me, once you try this homemade mayonnaise, you’ll wonder how you ever settled for the store-bought stuff. Here’s why it’s a game-changer:

Creamier than anything from a jar – that rich, velvety texture makes every bite better
Totally customizable – add more lemon for tang, garlic for kick, or herbs for freshness
No weird preservatives – just real ingredients you can pronounce
Ready in 5 minutes flat – faster than running to the store!

My favorite part? Watching simple ingredients transform into something magical right in my blender. It’s like kitchen alchemy!

Ingredients for Homemade Mayonnaise

Here’s the beautiful simplicity of homemade mayo – just five basic ingredients that create magic together. And I mean basic – you likely have everything in your kitchen right now!

1 large egg – must be room temperature (cold eggs won’t emulsify properly)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice – none of that bottled stuff, please!
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard – my secret flavor booster
1 cup neutral oil – canola or avocado work perfectly (save the olive oil for another time)
1/4 teaspoon salt – just enough to make all the flavors pop

See? Nothing fancy – just real ingredients that transform into something extraordinary. Now let’s make some mayo!

How to Make Homemade Mayonnaise

Making homemade mayonnaise is easier than you think – it’s all about that perfect emulsion! I’ve made this recipe dozens of times, and these foolproof steps will guide you to creamy, dreamy mayo every time. Just follow along and watch the magic happen in your blender.

Step 1: Blend the Base

First things first – grab your blender (or food processor if you prefer). Toss in that room-temperature egg, fresh lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Now here’s my little trick – blend this mixture for a full 10 seconds until it’s completely smooth and frothy. You want everything perfectly combined before we start adding oil. I can always tell when it’s ready because the color turns this beautiful pale yellow and the texture gets slightly foamy.

Step 2: Emulsify the Oil

This is where the real magic happens! With your blender running on medium speed, start drizzling in that neutral oil painfully slow – I’m talking a thin stream about the width of a spaghetti noodle. No cheating! If you pour too fast, your mayo will break and you’ll end up with a sad, oily mess. After about 30 seconds, you’ll notice the mixture starting to thicken beautifully. Keep going until all the oil is incorporated and you’ve got this gorgeous, creamy white emulsion that holds its shape when you scoop it.

Step 3: Season and Store

Almost done! Now add your salt and give it one last quick blend – just 5 seconds will do. Taste it (I always do – quality control!) and adjust if needed. More lemon for brightness? A pinch more salt? Make it yours! Transfer your homemade mayo to an airtight container – I love using mason jars – and pop it in the fridge. It’ll keep beautifully for about a week, though in my house it never lasts that long!

Tips for Perfect Homemade Mayonnaise

After making countless batches of homemade mayo (and yes, a few disasters along the way), I’ve learned all the tricks for perfect results every time. Here are my hard-earned secrets:

- Room temp is non-negotiable – Cold eggs won’t emulsify properly. I leave mine out for 30 minutes before starting.
- Neutral oils work best – Save the extra virgin olive oil for dressing. Canola or avocado oil give that classic mayo flavor without overpowering.

If your mayo breaks, don’t panic! Start with a fresh egg in a clean bowl, then slowly whisk in the broken mixture – it’ll come right back together.

Slow and steady wins the race – That oil needs to drizzle in at a snail’s pace. I count to 3 between each tablespoon.
Blender speed matters – Too fast creates air bubbles, too slow won’t emulsify. Medium is just right.

Remember – even if it goes wrong, it’s just eggs and oil. You can always try again!

Variations for Homemade Mayonnaise

Oh, the fun really begins once you’ve mastered basic mayo! Here are my favorite ways to jazz it up:

Garlic Aioli – Add 2 minced garlic cloves (roasted for extra mellow flavor) for the perfect sandwich spread
Herb Garden – Stir in a handful of fresh chives, dill, and parsley – divine on potato salad
Spicy Kick – Blend in a teaspoon of sriracha or chipotle powder for burgers that pack heat

My current obsession? Lemon zest and cracked black pepper – it brightens up everything!

Serving Suggestions for Homemade Mayonnaise

Oh, the places this mayo will go! I slather it on everything – it’s my kitchen MVP. Try it:

Sandwiches – transforms basic BLTs into something extraordinary
Salads – potato, egg, or chicken salad never had it so good
Dips – mix with herbs for crudités or stir into tuna for the ultimate snack

My guilty pleasure? A big spoonful straight from the jar – don’t judge!

Storing Homemade Mayonnaise

Here’s the scoop on keeping your homemade mayo fresh – pop it in an airtight container (I swear by mason jars) and it’ll stay perfect in the fridge for about a week. Whatever you do, don’t freeze it – the texture turns all weird and grainy. Trust me, I learned that one the hard way!

Homemade Mayonnaise FAQs

I get asked about homemade mayo all the time – here are the questions that pop up most often in my kitchen (and my honest answers!):

Can I use olive oil instead of neutral oil?

Technically yes, but I don’t recommend it for your first try. Olive oil has a strong flavor that can overpower the delicate mayo taste. If you must, use light olive oil and blend it with a neutral oil – half and half works nicely.

Why did my mayonnaise break?

Oh honey, we’ve all been there! Usually it’s because the oil went in too fast. Remember – slow as molasses! If it separates, don’t toss it. Start with a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the broken mixture. It’ll come back together like magic.

Is raw egg safe in homemade mayo?

This one makes people nervous, I know. Use fresh, properly refrigerated eggs from a source you trust. Some folks pasteurize their eggs first (you can do this at home in warm water). Personally? I’ve made this hundreds of times with regular eggs and never had an issue.

Can I make it without a blender?

Absolutely! A whisk and some elbow grease work too – it’s how my grandmother did it. Just be prepared for an arm workout as you slowly drizzle and whisk. The blender just makes life easier.

How do I know when it’s done?

When it looks like… well, mayonnaise! Thick, creamy, and able to hold its shape on a spoon. If it’s still runny, keep blending – sometimes it just needs a little more time to come together.

Nutritional Information

Just a quick note – these numbers can vary based on your exact ingredients, but for a general idea: each tablespoon of this homemade mayonnaise comes in at about 94 calories with 10g of fat. Now go make some and tell me how it turns out – I can’t wait to hear your mayo success stories!