Step by step recipe how to make vegan mayonnaise with aquafaba. This simple spread is thick, light, and fluffy. Egg free, dairy free, soy free, nut free, and gluten free!
Regular mayonnaise isn't vegan because the key ingredient is egg. Since I'm dairy-free and egg-free, I frequently experiment with vegan sauces and dips!
If you love creamy plant based dips, you'll love my cashew-based ranch dressing, 4-ingredient ranch vegan buffalo dip, and vegan spinach artichoke dip.
This homemade vegan mayo comes together with 6 common ingredients in under 5 minutes.
What is aquafaba?
Aquafaba is the liquid inside a can of chickpeas. It's great for vegan baking and in this recipe, it works with the oil to emulsify for an egg-free mayonnaise.
Vegan Mayonnaise Ingredients
Here's what you'll need. Here's what you'll need to make this egg free mayo yourself. I'm including substitutes as well, in case an alternative is needed.
Aquafaba
This is the brine you'll find inside a can of chickpeas. Rather than draining it down the sink. Save the chickpea liquid in a glass jar.
It whips up beautifully for whipped cream, can be used as a binding agent in baked goods, and emulsifies easily like you'll see in this recipe.
Oil
Oil transforms this eggless mayo into a thick, creamy, and spreadable sauce.
You can use any type of neutral oil for this recipe. I recommend vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil.
Lemon Juice
The acid in lemon juice helps balance everything out. A simple swap for lemon juice is apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
Agave Nectar
I like adding a drop or two of agave into my chickpea mayo to boost its flavor. Feel free to leave this ingredient out or use maple syrup instead.
Dijon Mustard
Mustard is another emulsifier, plus is adds to the final taste and color! You can play around with different types of mustard.
Salt
If you whip your plant based mayo together and something's missing, add an extra pinch of salt. It brings everything together and shouldn't be skimped.
How to Make Mayo without Eggs
Ready to make vegan mayo at home? Let's do it.
It's important to use an immersion blender, rather than a stand mixer or food processor.
Air is required for the emulsifying process, so using an immersion blender in a tall cup is the ideal method.
Plus, it gives you more control of the thickness and creaminess of the end result.
Start by adding aquafaba, agave nectar, lemon juice, salt, and mustard to a tall cup. Using the immersion blender, give the mixture a few quick pulses to combine everything and froth it up a bit.
While blending, slowing pour oil in, about ¼ cup at a time. It's important to add the oil in slowly!
As you add more oil, the vegan mayo will begin to thicken up. Once the mayo emulsifies, move the immersion blender up and down to ensure everything is combined and creamy.
Recipe FAQ
Below are common questions and top tips to ensure this recipe is a success!
Homemade vegan mayonnaise uses aquafaba in place of egg yolks, combined with oil for thickness and creaminess, agave nectar to maple syrup for a subtle sweetness, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to balance the ingredients out and provide a touch of tanginess, dijon mustard as an additional emulsifier and to contribute to the overall look and taste, and finally salt to bring everything together and boost the flavor.
Of course it does, or I wouldn't be sharing this recipe! It's lighter than store-bought mayo but much cheaper to make with common, affordable, and healthier ingredients.
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
I prefer the end result of using chickpea liquid instead of soy milk or other plant based milks. If you tolerate soy, you can replace the ¼ cup aquafaba with ½ cup soy milk. The remaining ingredients and directions stay the same.
The aquafaba mayo will thicken as oil is streamed into the mixture while blending. The immersion blender does the heavy lifting and you'll see the ingredients transform into a thick, creamy, white mayonnaise in 1-2 minutes.
If your vegan mayo is runny or not coming together, ensure you measured each ingredient accurately and followed the steps in order. By streaming the oil in slowly and ¼ cup at a time, you're able to determine when the mayonnaise is at your desired thickness and creaminess. You may not need to use the full 1 cup!
To save runny mayo, add a small splash of extra aquafaba or lemon juice and pulse using the immersion blender. It should emulsifying immediately!
How to Use Vegan Mayo
Once you've mastered this vegan mayonnaise recipe and have it on hand, there are endless ways to use it! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Spread it on a sandwich or burger bun. You've gotta try my veganized classic tomato sandwich with mayo!
- Use it instead of regular mayo when making a BLT pasta salad or macaroni salad.
- Make a dipping sauce out of it next time you make my animal style fries or buffalo cauliflower wings!
- Swap it in for regular mayo in mayo-based dips, like my vegan street corn dip.
Related Recipes
Want more dairy free and egg free condiments? Try these next:
- Vegan Yogurt Tzatziki
- Dairy-Free Avocado Crema
- Vegan Almond Ricotta
- Dairy-Free Beer Cheese Sauce
- Vegan Skillet Queso
Vegan Mayo Recipe with Aquafaba
Ingredients
- ¼ cup aquafaba
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 cup vegetable oil or other neutral oil
Instructions
- Add aquafaba, agave, lemon juice, salt, and dijon mustard to a tall glass. Using an immersion blender, blend on high. While blending, slowly pour oil in, moving the immersion blender up and down to help mixture become thick and creamy.
- Continue pouring in remaining oil and blending until vegan mayo forms! This generally takes about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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