Mayonnaise is a beloved staple for sandwiches, pasta, tuna or potato salads and, of course, the all American hamburger.
And if you are a true mayonnaise lover, you haven’t lived until you’ve tasted real mayonnaise—the way it was intended to be made.
Today’s commercial mayonnaise is full of highly processed ingredients and even worse, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which is actually as bad as it sounds.
Soybeans In Commercial Mayonnaise
GMO is a term used for “any food product that has been altered at the gene level.” Other names for GMOs include “genetically engineered,” “genetically altered” or even “genetically manipulated,” all of which pertain to the manipulation of the organism’s genetic makeup—its DNA.
While “modification” of plants is nothing new to framers or gardeners, the simple crossbreeding of different species to create stronger, better tasting or prettier plants is child’s play compared to the new technology now being used to engineer our food.
Today, scientists are not just using genes from other plants, but they are also using genes from animals, bacteria and even viruses to create their super crops. This type of genetic modification is highly dangerous because it ultimately and irreversibly alters the genetic code or blueprint of the receiving organism.
When this happens, it creates an unstable combination of genes that are not found anywhere in nature or through older crossbreeding methods. (1) One of the most engineered plants, however, is soybeans, a plant used in countless food products, including your commercially made mayonnaise.
Avoid GMO Soybeans
While scientists are still studying the long term effects from GMOs, there is sufficient evidence to determine that altering the genetic makeup of any organism has dire consequences. The Center for Food Safety calls this practice “one of the greatest and most intractable environmental challenges of the 21st century.”
Many developed countries have legislation regarding the cultivation and/or importation of GMO foods. In fact, more than 60 countries including Japan, Australia, and the European Union either outright ban or have restrictions on GMOs. (2)
This leaves consumers with little else to do but grow their own fruits and vegetables or buy strictly organic. And a good place to start is with your mayonnaise!
How To Make Mayonnaise—Non-GMO
Probably the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about making your own mayonnaise is the inconvenience. But making homemade mayonnaise is not as difficult as it may seem. And not only does it taste so much better, but you have control over the ingredients you use.
Once you get the hang of a basic recipe you can also play around with other ingredients to make your own delicious mixtures like garlic mayonnaise or horseradish mayonnaise.
You can even use other flavor boosters like curry, ginger, jalapeno, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, dill or cilantro. The options are literally endless and completely up to you. Here are just a few recipes to get you started.
1. Basic Mayonnaise
Ingredients:
- 2 raw egg yolks (use organic eggs)*
- 1 cup quality oil—an organic avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil are good
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed organic lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. filtered water
- Sea salt or Himalayan salt to taste
Directions:
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. Place your egg yolks in a food processor or blender and add the salt and water (start with a pinch of salt until you get the right proportions to your liking—you can always add more).
Blend these ingredients until the mixture is smooth then slowly pour the oil in as it continues to blend. When the mixture becomes thick, add the lemon juice and mix slowly using a spoon. Refrigerate and enjoy! Fresh mayo can have the same lifespan as your eggs. Typically, however, you should only keep it for about a week.
*If salmonella is an issue where you live, you will want to use pasteurized eggs.
For the following recipes, continue to use all (or as many) organic ingredients as you can and follow the same directions for the basic mayonnaise recipe. Note that if your mayonnaise separates after you add the oil, the mixture has “broken.”
To bring it back to a creamy state, you can add another egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of tepid water to a clean bowl. Then, slowly add the “broken” mayonnaise as you continue to whisk the mixture. Whisk in ¼ cup more oil and you should have a perfect mayonnaise.
2. Herbed Homemade Mayonnaise
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup olive or avocado oil
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, or chives
3. Homemade Mayo with ACV
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (ACV)
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- sea salt to taste
4. Homemade Garlic Basil Mayonnaise
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves lightly blanched
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- ¾ tsp. salt, or to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ cups olive or avocado oil
5. Coconut Oil Mayonnaise
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon of mustard.
- 1– 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup of coconut oil, melted.
- pinch of sea salt and black pepper
Make sure to leave the mayonnaise out on your counter for 7 hours before refrigerating.
6. Paleo Truffle Mayonnaise
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
- About 0.66 cup (1.5 dl) walnut/macadamia/avocado oil
- truffle oil (to taste)
7. Spicy Cashew Mayo
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours and drained
- 6 tbsp. water
- 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- 2 soft Medjool dates
- 2 tsp. Sirach sauce, or to taste
Chill for at least 1 hour before serving, to allow the mayonnaise to thicken and the flavors to blend.
8. Paleo Miracle Mayo
- 2 large egg yolks
- 4 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 to 1½ tbsp. good quality honey
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika (optional)
- 2 ½ cups avocado oil or light/extra light olive oil (NOT extra virgin as the taste can be overwhelming)
9. Duck Egg Mayonnaise
- 1 pasture raised duck egg yolk
- 1 cup macadamia nut oil or avocado oil
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 heaping tsp. Dijon mustard
- pinch of salt
10. Basil and Parmesan Mayonnaise
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
- 2 anchovy filets
- 1 tbsp. water
- 4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tsp. freshly minced garlic (about 1 medium clove)
- ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
11. Egg-Free Avocado Mayo
- 2 ripe, fresh avocados
- ¼ cup high quality olive oil (here’s how to tell if your olive oil is healthy or not)
- 1 tsp. of lemon juice, lime juice or apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp ground black