Avocado oil mayonnaise.

Back to Basics: Homemade Mayonnaise

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I am a Mayo girl, and any condiment, dip, spread, gravy, or sauce used to dress up my meal, you name it, I am into it. Before I began the Natural Food Chef Program, my fridge door was full of all the store-bought bottles you could imagine, including some avocado oil mayonnaise. Most of which I had no idea when I had purchased or how long I they had been in my fridge. But I, of course, still used them! Yikes.

Have you noticed that so many of these items that we have in our fridge seemingly last for years? That is because they are full of preservatives, cell-damaging oils, and potentially gut-irritating gums.

I remember the day in school when we were informed that we were making our own mayonnaise from scratch, I was instantly excited.  After making it, and seeing how easy it was, how delicious it was, and how healthy it was, I was sold. Mayonnaise has so many applications, for preparing a wide variety of dishes, and it is a staple in my refrigerator, so I was thrilled to learn how to make my own.

With no preservatives, just good ol’ fashioned nutrition, it doesn’t last as long on my fridge door, but that is the point, fresh stuff goes bad…as it should! I easily use it all up before it goes bad though, because it tastes better, and is healthier than any store-bought version.

And, with Mayo only being one of many dressings we learned how to make from scratch in the NFC program, it is amazing the free space that I have now on my fridge door! (More of those recipes to come!)

Why we love this mayonnaise recipe:

This recipe has 6 ingredients. That’s all. You know exactly what you are putting into your body, and that each item has known benefits for your optimal wellness.

We use avocado oil in this mayonnaise recipe, which is a great source of antioxidants that fight cell damage and is a great source of healthy fat, and organic pasture-raised eggs which are an amazing source of protein and vitamins A and D. The yolk of an egg is the most nutrient-rich part of an egg, providing calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and a rich source of the essential nutrient choline, so be sure always to eat the yolk! We use red wine vinegar that is great for dressings, like mayonnaise. It brings a bit of sweetness to the recipe, just the right amount, and is also a source of some vitamins and minerals. Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier that bonds together the egg and oils in homemade mayonnaise and adds the perfect tanginess, the lemon juice in this recipe is a good source of flavor, vitamin C, and antioxidants.

Because you know you’re making this mayonnaise with nourishing ingredients using natural, whole foods, you can feel good about drenching (as I do), spreading, mixing, drizzling, or dipping this on a regular basis because you have made something good for you, free of gums, preservatives, and damaged oils.

Avocado Oil Mayonnaise

Yield: 1 cup

Preparation time: 10m

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
  • 1 cup (240 ml) avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Step 1

Add (room temperature) egg to the small bowl of a food processor and process for 20 seconds. Add mustard, vinegar, and salt. Process for another 20 seconds.

Step 2

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, turn the food processor on then begin to slowly add the oil in tiny drops until about a quarter of the oil has been added (this is critical for proper emulsification).

Step 3

When you notice that the mixture is beginning to thicken and emulsify, you can be a little less strict. With the processor on, continue to add it slowly, but increase to a very thin stream instead of drops of oil.

Step 4

When all the oil has been added, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and process for an extra 10 seconds. Taste mayonnaise for seasoning then add salt, lemon juice, or extra vinegar to taste.

Note, if the mayo seems too thin, slowly stream in more oil with the processor running until thick.

Fixing Broken Mayonnaise: If it happens to you don’t fret! Add about 1 teaspoon of mustard to a bowl then slowly beat the broken mayonnaise into the mustard until it becomes emulsified and creamy again (a tip from Julia Child). Another trick is to repeat the same process but replace the teaspoon of mustard with an egg yolk.

Recipe adapted from inspiredtaste.net

Recipes to use your homemade mayo in…

Avocado Fries + Fry Sauce

Shrimp Tacos + Coleslaw & Cilantro Lime Sauce

Chocolate Mug Cake


About the Author: Kelly Brewster is a graduate of NTI’s Certified Natural Food Chef program. She loves creating flavorful, nourishing, fortified food experiences! She takes pride in making recipes with the most nutrient-dense options for our optimal health and wellbeing! Her desire is to share her NFC knowledge to inspire others like her to enjoy a healthier, more conscientious life regarding good whole food and food sourcing. She loves that she gets to share recipes that not only continue to enhance her culinary mastery, but also provide creative delicious meals for others to enjoy. 

Image by Kelly Brewster

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