Homemade Avocado Oil Mayo Recipe
Homemade Avocado Oil Mayonnaise Recipe
How to Make Mayonnaise with Avocado Oil & an Immersion Blender
This homemade avocado oil mayo recipe is keto, paleo, and Whole30 compliant—and it tastes better than ANY store-bought mayonnaise I’ve had! Lusciously thick, creamy, and oh-so-easy to prepare. Perfect for spreads, sauces, dressings, sandwiches, tuna salad, or whatever you like! Learn how to make mayonnaise with avocado oil in just 2 minutes using a hand blender.
Typically, the first ingredient in store bought mayonnaise is an inflammatory oil, like soybean oil. Even most “olive oil” mayos use a blend of olive, canola, and soybean oils. Plus, many contain sneaky additives like preservatives and food starches. Instead, this avocado oil mayonnaise recipe uses only 5 simple ingredients: avocado oil, an egg, lemon juice, Dijon, and salt!
Although you can find clean avocado mayo options at the store, one 12oz jar can cost over $8. Or, buy a 16-25oz bottle of oil for the same price and make multiple batches of this homemade avocado oil mayo recipe! Mayo is a staple in my house, and we make this recipe just about every week. Grab your immersion blender and I’ll show you how to make mayonnaise with avocado oil in a jiffy.
Is avocado oil mayonnaise healthy?
“Healthy” is a subjective term, but this recipe is my personal favorite option for homemade mayo. Avocado oil mayonnaise is rich in monounsaturated fats, which are heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory—in contrast to the inflammatory oils used in most mayos. And, avocado oil has a high smoke point, so you can safely use this homemade avocado oil mayo in sauces or marinades for cooking.
Does avocado oil mayo taste different?
To me, homemade avocado oil mayo is just as thick and creamy as any store-bought mayo, and it has the best taste! Honestly, I don’t enjoy the flavor of regular mayo made with soybean oil as much. But, if you’re used to traditional mayonnaise, you may notice a difference in the flavor of this avocado oil mayonnaise. Use a light-colored, refined avocado oil—not extra virgin—for the most neutral flavor.
Avocado Oil Mayonnaise Recipe Ingredients
- Avocado Oil. I prefer to make homemade mayonnaise with avocado oil, but I’ve also made this recipe with light olive oil. Or, you can try another refined oil if preferred—just be sure to NOT use an “unrefined” or “extra-virgin” oil.
- Egg. This is an essential ingredient for any homemade mayo recipe! In my experience, I’ve found that a fresh, whole egg works better than using only egg yolk. For best results, I recommend using a cold egg straight out of the fridge, rather than a room temperature egg.
- Lemon Juice. This not only adds flavor and freshness, but the citric acid in lemon juice also helps to kill any potential bacteria from the egg. For an alternative acid source, you can substitute with white vinegar, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard. A source of flavor, as well as an emulsifying agent and a natural antimicrobial! That means a bit of Dijon mustard will neutralize bacteria and help your homemade avocado oil mayo to thicken. For a substitute, you could use yellow mustard, although it isn’t as strong of an emulsifier as Dijon.
- Salt. Just a dash will give your avocado mayo a more savory and satisfying flavor.
Which oil is best for mayonnaise?
For a homemade mayonnaise recipe, it’s best to use a refined oil with a neutral flavor. I prefer avocado oil or light olive oil because of their healthy fats. Other options include canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, or a blended vegetable oil. However, do NOT use an unrefined oil like extra-virgin olive oil. Unrefined oils have a stronger flavor, and they may cause homemade mayo to separate rather than integrate.
Avocado Mayo vs Olive Oil Mayo
Both avocado oil and olive oil are rich in oleic acid: a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid with anti-inflammatory effects. As long as you use a refined option, you can make mayonnaise with avocado oil or olive oil! I find the olive oil flavor can be a bit overpowering for my taste, but use whichever you prefer. Just be sure to use a refined avocado oil or light/extra light olive oil.
How to Make Avocado Oil Mayo with a Hand Blender
- Add all ingredients into a tall measuring cup or jar. (It can help to crack the cold egg in first, followed by the other ingredients, then pour the oil in last so it’s on top.)
- Using an immersion blender, pulse on low speed for a few seconds, gently moving the blender up and down.
- Once it starts to emulsify and integrate, switch to high speed—pulsing and lifting the blender until the mixture becomes creamy and fluffy. This process takes about 15-30 seconds.
What if my homemade mayonnaise breaks?
When learning how to make mayo with avocado oil, I’ve certainly had a few batches that turned out thin and soupy. If your mixture “breaks” and won’t emulsify, you can try to rescue it by adding 1 tsp of Dijon mustard or 1 egg yolk to the mixture. Then, continue pulsing with the hand blender, moving it up and down gently until emulsified and creamy.
Why doesn’t my mayonnaise thicken?
If your avocado oil mayonnaise still isn’t thickening after trying the above tips, I recommend starting a new batch with these potential fixes in mind:
- Use a Refined Oil. Again, refined avocado oil or light olive oil are essential to getting your homemade mayonnaise to thicken and emulsify. Check to make sure that you aren’t using an “unrefined” or “extra-virgin” oil.
- Make Sure to Use a Cold Egg. Often, homemade avocado oil mayo recipes recommend using a room temperature egg. In my experience, homemade mayonnaise emulsifies best when I use a cold egg straight out of the fridge.
- Add the Egg First, Oil Last. Some folks find that adjusting the order of ingredients results in a more successful mayo. First, crack a cold egg into the bottom of the jar. Then, without disturbing the egg, add the remaining ingredients—pouring the oil in last so it’s on top. Pulse with the hand blender as usual, gently moving it up and down.
- Pour Oil in Slowly. If the above tips don’t solve the problem, try a slow-pour method that works for many. Add all ingredients to the container except for the avocado oil. Pulse with the hand blender while you slowly pour in the oil and allow it to combine. This can reduce the chance of breaking the emulsion, allowing your avocado mayo to thicken.
Can I make mayonnaise in a blender?
Personally, I recommend making this avocado oil mayonnaise recipe with a hand / immersion blender. If you don’t have one, then yes—you can try using a regular blender, although there’s a higher risk of the emulsion breaking. Meaning: a potentially soupy mayo. For best results in a regular blender, double the ingredient amounts listed below. (I don’t recommend using a food processor.)
How to Use Avocado Oil Mayonnaise
- Whole30 Ranch Mayo Dip
- Keto Tuna Salad
- Whole30 Chicken Salad
- Paleo Coleslaw
- Healthy Potato Salad
- Egg Salad with Bacon
- Sriracha Mayo Baked Salmon
Homemade Avocado Oil Mayo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup avocado oil
- 1 egg, (cold, not room temperature!)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, about ½ lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a tall measuring cup or glass jar. (Make sure your egg is cold, not room temperature!)
- Using an immersion blender, pulse on low speed for a few seconds, gently moving the blender up and down. Once it starts to emulsify and integrate, switch to high speed, continuing to pulse and lift the blender until it becomes creamy and fluffy. This takes about 15-30 seconds in total.
- If concerned about potential bacteria: Allow homemade mayonnaise to rest at room temperature for 24-72 hours before refrigerating.
- Enjoy as desired immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for later.
- Lasts up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge.
- Yields 1 cup homemade avocado oil mayonnaise.
How long does homemade mayonnaise last in the fridge?
This homemade avocado oil mayo lasts 1-2 weeks stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep in mind, due to the presence of acid, mayonnaise is actually safe at room temperature. And, doing so for the first 24-72 hours helps to kill any potential bacteria. (More below.) However, after that initial period, storing in the fridge will maintain the quality of your homemade mayo for longer.
Why is raw egg in mayonnaise safe?
In this homemade avocado oil mayo recipe, the raw egg is paired with lemon juice (citric acid) and mustard—both of which help to kill any potential bacteria. You can also replace the lemon juice with vinegar, which contains a stronger acid (acetic acid). For added protection, let your avocado oil mayonnaise rest at room temperature for 24-72 hours, giving the acid time to neutralize any bacteria.
Generally, the risk of encountering raw eggs with Salmonella present in them is relatively small. (In the U.S., estimates say around 1 in 20,000 eggs.) If you regularly eat cooked eggs with runny yolks, the risk is similar—even less so if you let the mayo sit at room temperature. For the absolute safest option, use pasteurized eggs (particularly if making homamde mayo for children, elderly, pregnant people, or a large crowd).
45 Comments on “Homemade Avocado Oil Mayo Recipe”
I have to refrigerate the mixture overnight. The cold mixture emulsifies quickly and beautifully in the morning.
Hi Peg, this is a great tip for making your own avocado oil mayonnaise at home – thank you for sharing it here! We’re definitely going to try chilling our mixture overnight before emulsifying, and I’m sure this will be a helpful tip for others in this community 🙂 Thanks for trying the recipe, and we appreciate you being here!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I am seriously so happy about this recipe. I just purchased Primal Kitchen Avocado Mayo and I cannot believe how bitter and horrible it is. Pretty much inedible. immediately I started searching the web and found your recipe. Within minutes, I have a delicious jar of Avocado Mayo! Opens up a whole new world in the world of Whole30!
Yay, Victoria! We’re so happy to hear our homemade avocado mayo recipe turned out so tasty for you 🙂 And that it was quick & easy enough to make in just a few minutes! This mayo is definitely a great companion while you’re doing the Whole30 (and all the time, really). Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and sharing your kind words here with us!
My family LOVES this mayo. We do add 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and 1/2 tsp black pepper. It’s delicious! I’m trying to cut calories….do you have any suggestions or ideas on how I could replace about 1/2 of the oil with something else?
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for trying our homemade avocado oil mayonnaise recipe & sharing your kind words with us! We’re so glad that you & your family love it 🙂 Such a tasty idea to add a bit of garlic powder and black pepper!!
For this homemade mayo recipe, the full 1 cup of oil + 1 egg are necessary to get the mixture to emulsify and thicken up properly. We aren’t aware of a substitute that would work to cut down on calories. I’ve seen some recipes use just 3/4 cup of oil + 1 egg, but we haven’t tested this ourselves so I can’t speak to how it would turn out. Let us know if you do try it out! Alternatively, you could try thinning out your avocado oil mayo with a bit of almond milk so it’s less thick/concentrated, like we did in our whole30 ranch mayo dip/dressing recipe.
I hope these ideas can help 🙂
Well, I’ve made this recipe twice, and it won’t emulsify. I followed your directions exactly. It seems I’m the only one that it wouldn’t emulsify, and I have no idea why.
Hi Tamara, I’m sorry to hear this homemade avocado oil mayo recipe hasn’t worked as expected for you yet. We appreciate you trying out the recipe & giving it more than one shot! It’s hard to say exactly why it isn’t emulsifying without being in the kitchen with you, but I can recommend some strategies that have helped others, and hopefully they can be helpful for you too 🙂
You said you followed the recipe directions exactly, which is great! If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to also look at the section of this post titled “Why doesn’t my mayonnaise thicken?” There are numerous tips there that seem to solve most people’s problems! The basic summary is this:
We hope to hear how it goes if you give this homemade mayonnaise recipe another try!
I just made avocado mayonnaise and I had to say, it’s so good!! Thank you for sharing the recipe
Hi Donna, thank you so much for giving our avocado oil mayonnaise recipe a try! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, and we appreciate your kind words 🙂
This is so easy to make. So easy! Followed the recipe and it is delicious. Used Trader Joe’s Avocado Oil. Thanks!
Wonderful, Nancie! We’re so glad you enjoyed this avocado oil mayonnaise and that it was easy for you to make 🙂 Thank you for trying the recipe and sharing your kind words with us!
Just made your recipe in the blender since I do not own an immersion blender. I think it came out great! I may add more salt next time.
Thank you!!!
Hi Judi, we’re so happy to hear your homemade avocado oil mayo in the blender was a success! Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your experience with us 🙂 Knowing that it worked well in a regular blender will be helpful to others in this community!
Just made this for the first time and it’s the best mayo I’ve ever made at home! Thanks!
Hi Tom, thank you for trying out our homemade avocado oil mayonnaise recipe! We’re so glad that it worked out well for you 🙂
Hi what size mason jar do you recommend? Also I know you said to leave itat room temp for 24-72 hours. How long do you leave yours out for and can it be sealed with the mason jar lid during that time?
Hi Doreen, great questions. I’d recommend making your homemade avocado oil mayo in at least a 16oz mason jar so you’ve got room to move the immersion blender up and down. As for storage, a 16oz jar should do the trick, or potentially an 8oz jar. (This recipe yields 1 cup avocado oil mayo so an 8oz jar might be a bit tight.)
When leaving your homemade mayonnaise out at room temperature, you can certainly seal the jar with the lid. We typically leave ours out overnight, but you could leave it out up to 72 hours! 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve made it twice now in my Blendtec Blender. Comes out perfect. We love it!
Hi Lori, we’re thrilled to hear this homemade avocado oil mayonnaise turned out well for you! It’s helpful to know that it worked in your Blendtec Blender. Thank you so much for trying out the recipe, and for sharing your feedback and kind words with us 🙂
Super easy recipe to follow and turned out great. Thanks! Will make this again & save some money instead of buying avocado oil mayo all the time.
Hi Will, we’re so glad to hear this homemade avocado oil mayo recipe turned out well for you! Definitely a great money-saver and a tasty condiment to keep on-hand in the fridge 🙂 Thanks for giving it a try!
Help…mine won’t thicken either!
Pulsed forever! Using avocado oil, fresh lemon, egg and Dijon.
How can I make it thicken?
Hi Carol, I’m sorry to hear that your homemade mayo isn’t thickening! Our best tip is to left the immersion blender up and down gently as you pulse – this helps to get it nice and fluffed. Beyond that, make sure you’re using the proper ingredient amounts, which includes a bit of salt as well.
Is there anything else you can tell me about your process as you’ve attempted to make this mayo? I’d love to help you if I’m able
Great tips in the post above. There are a couple other methods listed for saving mayo, and also some troubleshooting tips.
So glad this was useful for you!
This is really good and easy to make. I used avocado oil and it tasted good but was a green color because of the avocado oil. Can I use sunflower oil and still be Keto?
Hmmm that’s interesting, avocado oil is generally clear in color, not green! We haven’t personally tried this recipe with sunflower oil so we can’t say for certain whether or not it would work. We have made this recipe with extra light olive oil though (NOT extra virgin) and it worked well! 🙂
What mustard do you use? Looking at ingredients on a standard Dijon (Coleman’s) there are a few suspect ingredients on there. I’d like to keep it as clean as poss. Thanks!
We just use a standard yellow mustard, like French’s or Trader Joe’s brand! Both are clean options 🙂
Hi there
Can this recipe be made with extra virgin avocado oil or does it need to be refined?
Also I’m not a huge fan of eating raw egg. Doe the lemon juice ‘cook’ this as such?
Hi Cam, this recipe MUST be made with a refined olive oil, like light or extra light olive oil. We’ve tried it with extra virgin and it just doesn’t work.
As for the raw egg, it is necessary for the recipe. But yes, the acid from the lemon juice can kill harmful bacteria like salmonella. You could also add a bit of vinegar if you’re worried about bacteria!
https://sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2672.1999.00473.x
i can’t get this mayo to thicken! i’ve been pulsing forever now! help?!
I’m so sorry this recipe is giving you trouble! There are a few things I’d need to know to give you guidance – which type of oil are you using? Light olive oil will work, but extra virgin will NOT. We’ve found that avocado oil works best! And, in addition to pulsing, are you moving the immersion blender up and down gently? This will help to get some fluffiness going!
Alyssia, just saw avo mayo recipe. Noticed it said no protein, carbs or sugar…but eggs contain protein
Hi Jenny, yes – you’re right! Eggs do contain protein, but because the serving size for mayo is fairly small (1 Tbsp), there’s only a very small amount per serving (less than 0.5g). But I will revise the recipe to note that, thank you for bringing it to my attention! 🙂
Came out AWESOME!!! Use it for my sandwiches and potato salad. Thank you!
Amazing!! So glad to hear it, and thank you for giving the recipe a try 🙂
Can I skip the mustard?
Yes! The mustard is mainly for flavor, not consistency. If you follow the rest of the recipe but skip the mustard, it should turn out just fine and you’ll still have a thick, tasty mayo!
Jen, I apologize for the delayed reply and I’m so sorry that this recipe has been failing you! What do you mean by swamp juice – that the mixture is too liquid-y? And how did things turn out with additional lemon juice and water?
If you can let me know more about the ingredients you’re using and your process of making it, I’ll do my best to sort out what the issue might be or to improve our recipe!!
Now tell me how to make this without an immersion blender. I’m not going to go out and buy one.
I have a regular (awful) blender (not food processor). And I have one of those ninja bullet things.
Would either work?
Lastly, why mustard? I don’t like mustard, will it taste like that? I don’t want that taste. Any other suggestions so it tastes like mayo?
Unfortunately I don’t think a blender or ninja bullet would work for homemade mayo! We’ve only ever made homemade mayonnaise using an immersion blender, and that seems to be the standard procedure for most homemade mayo. The alternatives that I’ve come across involve using either a hand-mixer or whisking by hand, while adding in the oil drop-by-drop. (I’ve linked some example recipes below)
And you can absolutely leave out the mustard if you’d like! The mustard is there for flavor, but it doesn’t make the mayonnaise taste so much like mustard in my opinion – it just contributes to the overall flavor in combination with the egg and lemon juice.
The flavor of your mayo will mainly be affected by the type of oil you choose (some are more flavorful than others), or if you choose substitute for the lemon juice with a different source of acid, like white wine vinegar. Hope this is helpful!
https://www.oxo.com/blog/cooking-and-baking/how-to-make-mayonnaise-without-a-blender/
http://justhungry.com/2006/02/basics_mayonnai.html
May I use olive oil instead?
Yes, but use LIGHT olive oil – not extra virgin!!