Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe (Easy 5-Minute Stick Blender Method)

This homemade mayonnaise recipe comes from our Czech friend Olga, and it is the only way we make mayo now. Blend three base ingredients (oil, egg, and mustard) with a few basic condiments and a stick blender, and in under 5 minutes you have the creamiest, cleanest stick blender mayonnaise you have ever tried. The bonus: add your own mayo flavors!

The trick to Olga's creamy stick blender mayonnaise is layering: put the egg and oil in a tall jar. The stick blender then does all the work as you slowly lift it from the bottom.

There are no additives, no sugar, and it tastes fresher and richer than anything from a store-bought jar. Plus, the base homemade mayonnaise recipe is a blank canvas for adding flavors like sriracha mayonnaise or sweet chili mayonnaise (see the flavor variations below).

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Why You'll Love This Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

• Ready in 5 minutes: the stick blender emulsifies everything in under a minute.
• Only 6 basic ingredients: an egg, oil, mustard, vinegar, lemon, and salt. No preservatives, no additives, no sugar.
• Foolproof method: layering the ingredients in a jar takes the guesswork out of making an emulsion.
• Endlessly adaptable: turn the neutral base into a range of different flavored mayos.
• Better than store-bought: you control the type of oil and the flavor, and the result is fresher and cleaner.

What Goes Into Real Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is simple, and each ingredient does a job.

• Egg yolks are the emulsifier that holds oil and water together, and eggs are a good source of protein and choline.
• Light-tasting olive oil gives a smooth, mellow flavor, and olive oil is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
• Apple cider vinegar adds brightness.
• Lemon juice adds bright aromatic citrus lift, vitamin C, and helps with emulsification.
• Dijon mustard adds a gentle tang while also helping the emulsion stay stable.

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Servings: 21 tablespoons (about 1 ⅓ cups or 300 grams of mayonnaise total)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250ml) light-tasting olive oil, it must say "light" or "mild." Extra virgin olive oil turns bitter when blended at high speed. Sunflower or avocado oil also works.
• 1 large egg, as fresh as possible and at room temperature.
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or any mild, smooth mustard (not whole-grain).
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Equipment: stick (immersion) blender and a tall jar or the blender's mixing cup

A note on raw egg: This recipe uses a raw egg, so use a very fresh one. If you are serving anyone pregnant, elderly, very young, or immunocompromised, use a pasteurized egg instead.

Choosing the Right Jar for Stick Blender Mayonnaise

Any standard stick blender works, so the jar is what matters. Pick a tall, narrow jar just slightly wider than the blender head, so the oil cannot slip around the sides before it meets the egg.

The mixing cup that comes with many stick blenders is ideal, and a wide-mouth mason jar also works well.

Why Mayonnaise Splits (and How to Fix It)

Mayonnaise splits when the oil goes in faster than the egg can absorb it, or when the ingredients are too cold. The jar method avoids both, but if your mayo stays runny, don't throw it out. Crack a fresh egg yolk into a clean jar, start the blender, and slowly pour the runny mixture in a thin stream. It will thicken right up.

How to Make Stick Blender Mayonnaise

1. Add the Ingredients to the Jar

Crack the egg into the bottom of a tall jar, then add the mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.

Pour the oil gently over the top and let it settle for 20 to 30 seconds, so the egg stays at the bottom and the oil floats above it.

2. Blend at the Bottom

Lower the stick blender until it sits flat on the bottom of the jar, right over the egg. Switch it on and hold it still for 10 to 15 seconds. You will see a thick white mayonnaise starting to form at the base and climbing upward through the oil.

3. Slowly Lift the Blender

Once the mayo has climbed about halfway up the jar, lift the blender very slowly, tilting it slightly, to pull the remaining oil down into the emulsion. This takes about 20 to 30 seconds. Lower it once or twice to blend in any last streaks of oil.

4. Taste, Adjust, and Store

Taste and add a pinch more salt, a splash of vinegar, or extra lemon juice if you like. Blend any additions in again.

Once you are happy with the taste, spoon the mayonnaise into a clean airtight jar and refrigerate right away.

Flavor Variations

There are unlimited options for what you can mix into the base mayonnaise to create some unique flavorings. Try some of the following - amounts are per full batch, and taste as you go to adjust to your liking:

• Sriracha Mayonnaise: stir in 2 tablespoons sriracha for a creamy, spicy sauce. Add a squeeze of lime if you like. Great on burgers and fries.
• Sweet Chili Mayonnaise: stir in 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce for a sweet, mildly spicy dip. Olga adds a little to her mayo.
• Chipotle Mayonnaise: stir in 1 finely minced chipotle pepper in adobo, plus 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce.
• Horseradish Mayonnaise: stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (or 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh horseradish root plus a squeeze of lemon juice) for a sharp, zesty kick. Start with 1 tablespoon, since the heat varies from jar to jar. It is very popular in Czech cooking, where "křen" is served with boiled beef, ham, and smoked meats. Try horseradish mayonnaise on roast beef sandwiches or with hard-boiled eggs.
• Dill Mayonnaise: stir in 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice. Perfect with fish and potatoes.
• Truffle Mayonnaise: stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons truffle oil. Start small, since it is strong.
• Tarragon Mayonnaise: stir in 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon for a classic French-style herb mayo.

Serving Suggestions

• On sandwiches and burgers: spread it on our grilled Tex-Mex burger, where the chipotle or sriracha version would make a perfect match.
• In seafood rolls: it is the classic binder for our East Coast lobster roll.
• In creamy salads: use it as the base for our homemade potato salad.
• In slaws: toss it with our kale slaw for a rich, tangy dressing.
• As a dip: serve the sriracha or sweet chili version with fries, roasted vegetables, or crispy chicken.

Storage

• Fridge: keep in an airtight jar in the coldest part of the fridge for up to 1 week. Because it is made with a raw egg, we recommend not storing it any longer.
• Freezer: not recommended. The emulsion breaks when thawed, and the mayonnaise separates.

We would love to hear how your homemade mayonnaise turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know, and feel free to share your favorite flavor variations.

Happy cooking 👨‍🍳!

Related recipe: Homemade Potato Salad Recipe. Creamy, tangy, and made even better with fresh mayo. 👉 Get the recipe

Recipe

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