Truthfully, it is not hard to make your own mayo. I swear to you, it’s not. Okay, if you don’t have a food processor and you have to whisk the oil in by hand, yes that is more of a workout (which is reason 254 that you should go and get that food processor—now). Homemade mayo is great to have on hand for so many sauces, salads, aiolis, etc. Make some, store it in an air-tight container, and keep it for about a week. It’s less expensive than the stuff with all kinds of nastiness in the ingredient list, and so much better for you!
1 large egg, brought to room temperature
1½ tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon mustard powder
½ cup (125 mL) light or very mild tasting olive oil
½ cup (125 mL) avocado oil
¼ teaspoon white pepper (optional)
- Combine egg, lemon juice, and mustard in food processor and blend until frothy.
- Using the drip hole in the top of the processor, or pouring teaspoon by teaspoon to start, drizzle the oil in drop by drop. Do not rush this process, or you will end up with scrambled eggs mixed with oil!
- Once you have quite a few drops in there, you can pour the oil into the feed tube part of the food processor to let that useful drip hole control the rate of flow for you.
- Refrigerate in sealed container. This will keep for a week or so.
Variation—You can make spicy mayo simply by adding in some chipotle powder or chipotles in adobo.
Tips & Tricks—You will probably be tempted to dump all the oil in at one time. I restate this for emphasis: Do NOT dump the oil in at one time, or you will not find yourself with that nicely emulsified mayo. You will find yourself with runny, oily, slimy stuff that looks nothing like mayonnaise. Heed my warning! Start the oil drip by drip, and you’ll end up with a great mayonnaise! If you find that you only have olive oil, you can use just that (without avocado oil), just be forewarned that the mayo may have a distinct olive taste.
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Paleo mayonnaise whips a room-temperature egg with lemon, mustard powder, and two mild oils into a clean, creamy condiment with nothing unpronounceable in it. The oil goes in drop by drop at first - that is the only technique in the recipe. Keep a jar in the fridge for sauces, salads, and aiolis all week.
Pro Tips
- Bring the egg to room temperature first; a cold egg will not emulsify no matter how slowly you pour.
- Start the oil drop by drop - rush it and you end up with scrambled eggs mixed with oil, exactly as the recipe warns.
- Once the emulsion forms, switch to the processor's feed tube and let the drip hole control the flow for you.
- Use light or very mild olive oil; extra-virgin makes a bitter, overpowering mayo.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does homemade mayo keep?
About a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Can I make it spicy?
Yes - the recipe's variation adds chipotle powder or chipotles in adobo for a smoky, spicy mayo.
Do I really need a food processor?
You can whisk the oil in by hand, but the processor's drip hole makes the emulsion foolproof.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Combine egg, lemon juice, and mustard in food processor and blend until frothy.
- Using the drip hole in the top of the processor, or pouring teaspoon by teaspoon to start, drizzle the oil in drop by drop.
- Do not rush this process, or you will end up with scrambled eggs mixed with oil!
- Once you have quite a few drops in there, you can pour the oil into the feed tube part of the food processor to let that useful drip hole control the rate of flow for you.
- Refrigerate in sealed container. This will keep for a week or so.
