Fail-Proof Homemade Mayonnaise in the Food Processor

I love mayo. I love it so much that when I was younger, my cousin and I would go to my grandmother’s house, take a slice of bread, spread mayo and ketchup on it, and eat it like a sandwich. Sure, I gotta admit I was a little bit of an overweight child, but what can you do when the love of food is so strong!

Now, looking back at our mayo sandwiches, I am a tad bit disturbed, but at the same time, I totally understand my younger self. After all, food is life!

So since I love mayonnaise so much, I wanted to share an easy mayonnaise recipe that you can make at home for fun or for those days when you really don’t want to go to the store to get more.

This is the homemade mayonnaise recipe you need to make your own today!

If you have never made your own mayo, don’t be scared. It is pretty easy to make and doesn’t contain all those preservatives that you would find in store-bought mayonnaise.

Now more than ever, with the extreme cold weather (yup, we went from 80F a few days ago to 35F this morning!), no one wants to leave the house, drive to the store, and wait in line just for a tub of mayo. So make it yourself at home, and you can thank me later!

What’s so special about this food processor mayonnaise?

Homemade mayo is a staple at my house, and this is exactly why we love it so much:

• You can make it in less than 10 minutes.
• It tastes fantastic, and you can adjust the flavor to your liking
• No processed ingredients! Yes please! By making this mayo at home, you can literally control everything that goes in it.
• It is super flavorful and fun to make.

Ingredients to make homemade mayo

To make your own mayonnaise at home, you will need the following ingredients:

• Egg– the egg is the base of this mayo. I use raw eggs to make my homemade mayo but if you’re concerned, feel free to use pasteurized eggs.
• Mustard– You will not taste the mustard much in the mayo, sure it does season the mayo a bit but it helps the mayo emulsify a whole lot more.
• Apple cider vinegar– The acidic nature of vinegar helps stabilize the mayo and gives it a little bit of a tang.
• Salt– Just a little salt to season the mayo
• Neutral flavored oil
• Lemon juice (optional)- Lemon juice adds a nice acidity to the mayo.

What is the best oil to use for mayonnaise?

The best oil you can use for mayonnaise is a neutral oil. I say neutral because mayo tends to have a soft, smooth flavor that isn’t too bitter.

A few neutral oils that you can use to make your homemade mayo are:

• Grape-seed oil
• Canola oil
• Sunflower oil
• Peanut oil
• Olive oil: with this one, just make sure that it is not extra virgin olive oil. Otherwise, your mayo will be too bitter.

Are raw eggs safe to eat?

According to the USDA, they are not. I, on the other hand, have never had an issue with that. I eat raw cookie dough and homemade mayo all the time with no problem whatsoever.

The risk of salmonella poisoning is so, so low; think 1 in 20,000 eggs have salmonella, so the odds are pretty low. Of course, use very good-quality eggs for this mayo recipe to ensure a healthy mayo.

On the other hand, you can also use pasteurized eggs to be 100% safe.

Step-by-step guide to make foolproof mayonnaise at home!

1. In a small food processor, or using the small bowl attachment of your large food processor, add the egg, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and salt, then process for 30 seconds.
2. Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl, turn on the food processor again, and slowly start adding the oil. Go as slowly as possible to let the mayonnaise emulsify. Once the mayonnaise mixture starts to thicken a little more, you can add the oil a little faster.
3. Wait 10 seconds after adding the last bit of oil, then turn off the food processor, scrape the sides, taste the mayo, add any salt or lemon juice to taste, and process for another 10 seconds.

Can I freeze homemade mayo?

No. If you freeze the mayo and then thaw it out, the texture will be totally off. The emulsion that we worked so hard for (maybe not that hard, actually) will break while the mayo thaws, and you will end up with a mess.

Homemade mayonnaise variations

Honestly, you can take this mayo recipe and run wild with it. I have used it to make garlic aioli, spicy mayo, and so many other delicious sauces. A simple homemade mayo is also great as a creamy dip for crispy snacks like these air fryer polenta fries. It also works beautifully in creamy recipes like this tuna pasta salad.

• To make garlic aioli- Add one or two minced garlic cloves to the egg mixture to get a super flavorful sauce. You can also mix in a little homemade pesto for an easy herby sandwich spread.
• To make spicy sriracha mayo– Add 1-3 tsp of sriracha (or more if you’re feeling adventurous) after your mayo has thickened, then process for 10 seconds to combine everything together. If you love making sauces from scratch, you might also like this creamy garlic pizza sauce.

Homemade mayonnaise making tips

• Patience is a virtue when it comes to making your own mayonnaise- Adding the oil slowly is essential to getting your egg mixture to emulsify with the oil. And if you have extra mayo to use up, it can even add moisture to baked recipes like these Jiffy cornbread hacks.
• Be careful not to over mix the mayo– I know I know, making mayonnaise sounds a little tricky but just bear with me. Once you have it down, this homemade mayo is perfect for quick lunches like my 5-minute tuna sandwich.