Smooth operator.
Big dollop.
Mayonnaise is just oil, egg yolk and acid, whisked until they agree to be friends. It's the base of countless sauces, sandwiches and salads. Welcome to the field guide.
Meet the mayosStyles
Pick a mayo to see what it's good for.
Nutrition
Per tablespoon (~14 g) of regular mayonnaise, approximate values.
Light versions swap some oil for water and starch, so they have fewer calories and a different texture.
Making it
- Start cold-ish. Use room-temperature egg yolks and a bowl that won't slide around. A damp towel under it helps.
- Yolk, acid, mustard. Whisk one yolk with a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar, a little mustard and salt.
- Add oil drop by drop. Begin with a few drops while whisking hard. Once it thickens, pour in a thin stream.
- Adjust. Thin with a little water, then tune the salt and acid at the end.
- Chill. Keep it in the fridge and use within a few days.
What if it splits?
Start again with a fresh yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk the broken mixture into it.
Is homemade mayo safe?
It uses raw egg. Use pasteurized eggs if you're pregnant, elderly, very young or immunocompromised, and keep it refrigerated.
A short history
- Sauces of oil and egg are recorded in French and Spanish cooking, with Menorca's Mahón often credited as the origin of the name.
- Mayonnaise becomes a standard sauce in French cuisine.
- Jarred mayonnaise is sold commercially in the United States.
- It's a staple condiment worldwide, with endless regional and flavored variations.