Almost all of the mayonnaise you can buy in the shops is made with vegetable oils, which are inflammatory for the body due to their high levels of omega-6. Instead, you can make your own homemade mayo in just a few minutes! Here’s how.

The first time I made mayonnaise was about eight years ago.

It was after reading the GAPS book (Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia) by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. She shared a heap of recipes at the end of the book, one of which was homemade mayonnaise.

I whipped up a batch, and I don’t know if it was beginners luck or something, but I made the perfect mayo.

After that I didn’t make mayonnaise again for eight years.

I only started making homemade mayo again this year, when I started eating a more vegetarian/pescatarian high-fat, low-carb diet.

My first attempt at homemade mayonnaise after eight long years was, safe to say, a complete flop. It broke because I added the oil in too fast.

My second attempt a few weeks later was, again, a disaster. I added in the oil much slower but I think my blender was too big for the amount I was blending, as it just didn’t thicken. So again, In had broken, runny mayonnaise…

On my third attempt I finally got it to thicken! By this point I was so happy because I was feeling really frustrated with the whole process. But, at long last, my homemade mayonnaise was a success.

Which leads me to today. I thought I’d share my tips and tricks for making homemade mayonnaise to make sure you get it absolutely perfect on the first go, as well as how revive broken mayonnaise if the case arises.

Mayonnaise Tips & Tricks

Some big takeaways for me after having many failed attempts at making mayonnaise were:

• Don’t use a large food processor or blender. This recipe only makes one cup of mayo, so using a large blender may be too big of an area to blend the mayonnaise mix effectively. I started out using my Vitamix blender but later switched to my Nutribullet as it was much smaller and blended the mayo much better.
• Make sure your blender or processor 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 and you may end up with broken mayonnaise.
• Add in the oil slowly. This is really important. You only want to add tiny drops of oil to the mayonnaise mixture until you see it start to thicken (this helps achieve proper emulsification).

Now, some people have commented asking whether the raw egg is a concern? I’m personally not concerned about raw egg in homemade mayonnaise, but that’s my personal preference. If you are concerned about salmonella you can use pasteurised eggs.

How to Fix Broken Mayonnaise

If your mayonnaise doesn’t emulsify properly (don’t worry, we’ve all been there), you can easily fix it with either of the methods below.

• Use another egg yolk: Add an egg yolk to a large bowl and, using a whisk, slowly beat the broken mayo, little by little, into the yolk.
• Add in some more mustard: Add about one teaspoon of mustard to a large bowl then, using a whisk, slowly beat the broken mayonnaise, little by little, into the mustard until it emulsifies and becomes creamy.

Before we get started in learning how to make this delicious homemade mayonnaise – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!!

Homemade Mayonnaise

A dairy-free, paleo-friendly homemade mayonnaise that tastes ten times better than any store-bought variety. Once you’ve made your own, you’ll never buy it from the store again.

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 pasture-raised egg
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt & black pepper

To make:

1. If you have a large food processor or blender, use the smaller bowl or blender attachment that came with your processor or blender so that the area is not too large for the amount of mayonnaise this recipe makes. Not using the smaller attachment can prevent the mayonnaise from emulsifying as the mixture needs to have enough contact with the blade. If you do not have a smaller attachment, you can alternatively use an immersion blender or whisk the mayonnaise by hand.
2. Add the egg to your food processor or blender and blend for 10 seconds, then add the mustard, lemon juice, and salt, and blend again for another 10 seconds.
3. Allow the mix to settle at the bottom again (scraping down the sides if needed), then turn the food processor on and begin to slowly add the oil in a few drops at a time. Continue to do this until you see the mayonnaise start to thicken.
4. Once you notice the mixture begin to thicken, you can increase the amount of oil you’re adding. Continue to add it slowly, but you can increase the amount to a thin stream instead of drops.
5. Serve right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Do not keep in the freezer as it will break the emulsification.

As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post. 

Have you made your own mayonnaise before? How did you go? Share in the comments below

Lots of love,

🖤 Vanessa