How to Make Mayonnaise (or Aioli) Without a Recipe (2024)

At Food52, we love recipes -- but do we always use them? Of course not. Because once you realize you don't always need a recipe, you'll make your favorite dishes a lot more often.

Today: Food52's Assistant Editor Kenzi Wilbur really likes mayonnaise. Here's how she makes it, without a recipe, and with just a few ingredients.

So you want to make some mayonnaise. Maybe you're making slap fries, or fancy burgers, or better, you've just roasted a chicken and you're feeling a little decadent.

Advertisem*nt

The first step? Don't look at a recipe. All you need is a bowl, a whisk, and a few ingredients we're betting you have on hand already.

This isn't the only method out there -- some people use immersion blenders and food processors and blenders -- but we do it by hand, because we're old school, and also because we're too lazy to take out our appliances. Our biceps look better than theirs do, anyway.

Advertisem*nt

How to Make Aioli Without a Recipe

1. Put 1 egg yolk into a bowl. But before you start whisking like a mad person, a bit of science: most think (including food science greats like Ruhlman and McGee) that adding liquid at this stage is essential to properly emulsifying an aioli. If you're a traditionalist and you'd like a bit of extra security, add about 2 teaspoons of liquid (like lemon juice, water, or a combination of both) now. You can also choose to add your flavorings now, like a minced garlic clove to throw this thing into aioli territory, or a teaspoon of mustard.

If you want to go rogue, take a page out of Suzanne Goin's book, and add nothing. As proof this will work, consider exhibits a) this Genius recipe, and b) the fact that when we asked her about it, she said she's been doing it this way for 20 years. Who knew this would be so adventurous? It's a choose-your-own ending aioli.

Advertisem*nt

Let's proceed.

2. Measure out a cup of neutral oil like grapeseed, and begin whisking it in extremely slowly -- at first, just drop by drop. After about a 1/4 cup of painstakingly. Slow. Adding, the aioli should begin to emulsify. Once it does, you can start adding the oil in a thin stream, still whisking constantly.

3. After you whisk in the rest of the oil, your arm will likely be tired. Take a break, and if you haven't added it already, figure out what you'd like to flavor your mayonnaise with. You have options: mash garlic into a paste with salt and stir that in, add some more lemon juice, go wild and fold Sriracha in to taste. At this point, it's your blank canvas.

If you're not busy slathering it on things already, here are a few options. We'd recommend all, at once:

Photos by James Ransom

Food52 is a community for people who love food and cooking. Follow them at Food52.com -- and check out their new kitchen and home shop, Provisions.

This article originally appeared on Food52.com: How to Make Mayonnaise or Aioli Without a Recipe

Support HuffPost

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

Your Loyalty Means The World To Us

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Dear HuffPost Reader

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Dear HuffPost Reader

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circ*mstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.

Related

food52RecipesFoodcondimentscooking how to
How to Make Mayonnaise (or Aioli) Without a Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the 5 steps in making mayonnaise? ›

Directions
  1. Place the egg yolk and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the lemon juice and mustard; blend well. ...
  2. Once you've added the oil, sample the mayo and add more salt or lemon juice to taste. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Stir before spreading.
Aug 28, 2022

What makes mayo an aioli? ›

Unlike mayonnaise, which is made by emulsifying oil into egg yolks, aioli is made by pounding garlic into a paste and then gradually adding olive oil to the mixture, creating a thick and creamy sauce. The garlic gives aioli its characteristic pungent flavor, while the olive oil adds richness and depth.

What can be substituted for mayonnaise in a recipe? ›

7 Healthy Mayonnaise Substitutes
  1. Greek Yogurt. Greek yogurt is a great healthy substitute for mayonnaise. ...
  2. Avocado. Avocados obviously don't have the same flavor as mayo, but the creaminess can replicate mayo in lots of dishes. ...
  3. Hummus. ...
  4. Sour Cream. ...
  5. Tahini. ...
  6. Mashed Tofu. ...
  7. Cashew Cream.
Jul 17, 2023

What sauce is similar to aioli? ›

You need oil, whole egg or egg yolks, and an acidic element (vinegar or lemon juice) to get a thick, creamy condiment. Just like aioli, mayo is one of the most versatile sauces out there, used as a sauce, dip, or dressing for meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables cooked in various ways.

What is real aioli made of? ›

What is aioli sauce made of? At it's simplest, an aioli recipe starts with egg yolks and olive oil which is seasoned with a little lemon juice, a generous pinch of salt, maybe a little dijon mustard, and most often garlic. The two liquids are emulsified together so they don't separate over time.

Is aioli just garlic mayo? ›

Nowadays, the word aioli is pretty much synonymous with mayo, and is often just a simple mayonnaise (store-bought or homemade) that is flavored generously with garlic—a nod to its origins.

Is aioli just mayonnaise? ›

What Is the Difference Between Aioli and Mayonnaise? Although both aioli and mayo are creamy, white emulsions made with egg, the two condiments have distinctly different flavors. That's because aioli is made with olive oil, while mayonnaise is made with a neutral oil.

What is Miracle Whip made of? ›

Miracle Whip is made from water, soybean oil, high-fructose corn syrup, vinegar, modified corn starch, eggs, salt, natural flavor, mustard flour, potassium sorbate, spice, and dried garlic. The original Miracle Whip is produced using less oil compared to traditional mayonnaise, thus has around half of the calories.

Is Miracle Whip a mayonnaise? ›

Mayonnaise is made of oil, eggs, and vinegar (or lemon juice). Miracle Whip has the same basic ingredients but with less oil, and the addition of water, sugar, and spices like mustard, paprika, and garlic. Even with these additions, Miracle Whip has almost half the calories of mayo and half the fat.

Can you use Miracle Whip instead of mayo? ›

Edwards notes that while you can "almost always" use mayonnaise and Miracle Whip interchangeably, you might notice a difference in flavor of the finished product. “Baking is the one exception where you should opt for mayonnaise rather than Miracle Whip, as the full-fat content is needed there,” Edwards says.

What tastes just like mayo? ›

9 Scrumptious Mayonnaise Substitutes (Including Vegan Options)
  • Sour cream. Sour cream can add a fresh zip of flavor to almost any recipe that calls for mayonnaise. ...
  • Pesto. Pesto is a popular paste-like sauce made from pine nuts, basil, garlic, cheese, and olive oil. ...
  • Greek yogurt. ...
  • Mustard. ...
  • Eggs. ...
  • Olive oil. ...
  • Avocado. ...
  • Hummus.
Mar 19, 2021

What is the main flavor of aioli? ›

Making aioli is easy, and is arguably the greatest cold sauce of all time. It's nothing more than olive oil emulsified into freshly crushed garlic, seasoned simply with salt and lemon. This is pure, fiery, intense garlic flavor like you may have never tasted.

What tastes similar to mayo? ›

Mayo Substitute: Sour Cream

Don't just break out the sour cream for nachos and baked potatoes—use it as a mayo substitute, too! Sour cream is similar in texture and flavor, and will make your salads and slaws just as creamy. (Just note: This isn't a good swap if you're looking for something light.)

What is the essential ingredient in making mayonnaise? ›

Ingredients for preparing a mayonnaise include egg yolks, water, oil, mustard, salt, vinegar, and lemon juice. Use a bowl and whisk, a mixer, or a food processor to prepare mayonnaise from scratch. For blender mayonnaise use whole eggs.

What oil is best for mayonnaise? ›

Neutral Flavored Oil — By neutral flavored oil, I mean use an oil that is light in flavor. Quite a bit of oil is added to make mayonnaise, so it's important to like the flavor of the oil you use. For a clean tasting mayonnaise use something like grape seed, safflower, avocado or canola oil.

What are the rules for mayonnaise? ›

All the ingredients from which the food is fabricated shall be safe and suitable. Mayonnaise contains not less than 65 percent by weight of vegetable oil. Mayonnaise may be mixed and packed in an atmosphere in which air is replaced in whole or in part by carbon dioxide or nitrogen.

What are the raw materials of mayonnaise? ›

Mayonnaise is made from Edible vegetable oil, water, edible common salt, Milk solid, permitted emulsifying & stabilizing agents, permitted acids & permitted antioxidant. Mayonnaise is used commonly around the world, and is also a base for many other chilled sauces and salad dressings.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. An Powlowski

Last Updated:

Views: 5923

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (44 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. An Powlowski

Birthday: 1992-09-29

Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398

Phone: +26417467956738

Job: District Marketing Strategist

Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.