How To Make Mayo By Hand

Mayonnaise is one of those things that people rarely make at home because it’s so convenient to pick up a jar from the grocery store. On the downside, if you look at the ingredient list, you’ll find that most commercially made mayo contains soybean oil and high-fructose corn syrup. I started making it at home several years ago because I wanted to use healthier ingredients. And even though you can find healthy options made with avocado oil nowadays, I know that homemade mayonnaise tastes so much better!

You can do it the “easy” way using an immersion blender, but frankly I’ve always liked making it by hand with a whisk. In fact, I always prefer doing kitchen tasks by hand instead of using electricity; it’s just more satisfying.

What You’ll Need:

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons of lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or rice wine vinegar 

1 cup neutral flavored oil, such as avocado

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Start by putting the egg yolk into a medium-sized bowl. Slowly pour in a very fine stream of oil, about 1 tablespoon at a time, while whisking vigorously. Once the oil is incorporated, pour in a little more oil. It will start to thicken around ¼ or ⅓ of a cup; that’s when I squeeze in roughly a teaspoon of lemon and a little water to thin it. Once the water is emulsified, repeat this process by slowly streaming in the oil, a little at a time. Your arm will get tired, but keep on whisking until you’ve added all of the oil, pausing if it gets too thick by adding a little drop of water or lemon juice to thin it.

You can add more lemon or vinegar for acidity, water to thin to a desired consistency, a sprinkle of salt, and any other flavor additions if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Don’t wanna make it by hand? Here’s how to do it with an immersion blender:

Start by chilling your ingredients first; this will help to prevent it from breaking. Combine the egg yolk, lemon juice or vinegar, and the oil in a blender and puree until smooth. If using an immersion blender, combine everything into a tall container or mason jar and whiz until emulsified. Taste and adjust with desired seasoning. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Variations:

Garlic-Parmesan Aioli: Add 1 small clove of grated garlic plus ¼ cup grated parmesan 

Bacon Aioli: Substitute half the oil for rendered bacon fat

Herb Aioli: Add 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs such as dill, parsley, or chives

Smoky Aioli: Add 1 teaspoon of sweet or hot smoked paprika