Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
updated May 1, 2019
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When smooth and creamy homemade mayo enters your life, it’s easy to say so long to that jiggly store-bought stuff. And for all that rich flavor, it takes no more than a handful of basic ingredients and a quick whirl with a blender. Even with its simplicity, there are a few important essentials to know before getting started.
1. Trying to make too small of a batch.
The upside of making mayo in the blender is that you can skip the arm workout. The machine does all the heavy lifting for you, but there is a catch. You may need to up the size of your batch in order for the blender to work properly. When trying to make too small a batch of mayo, the ingredients don’t have enough volume to let the blender blade do its thing.
Follow this tip: In order to take advantage of using your blender to make mayo, you’ll need to start with enough ingredients to make sure that there’s enough volume for everything to mix together. As a rule of thumb, begin with no less than two egg yolks.
2. Adding the oil too fast.
When too much oil is added too fast, it doesn’t emulsify with the egg yolks. Instead of a smooth spread, you actually end up with a sauce that’s broken and curdled-looking.
Follow this tip: Add the oil gradually. Start with a teaspoon or two, blend, add another couple teaspoons, then blend again. Repeat that pattern until about 1/2 cup of oil has been added. By that time the emulsion should be stable enough to add the remaining oil at a faster pace.
3. Not adding liquid, like water or vinegar.
While homemade mayonnaise is mostly composed of egg yolk and oil, additional liquid like water, vinegar, or lemon juice are also critical to this emulsified sauce’s success.
Follow this tip: For guaranteed success, be sure to include a little water or vinegar. This addition increases the odds that the egg yolk and oil will emulsify, and stay emulsified.
4. Using the wrong type of oil.
When making mayo, not all oils are created equal. While olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil will get the job done, they can have an overpowering flavor that will leave your mayo tasting bitter and unpleasant.
Follow this tip: Opt for a more neutral oil, like vegetable, canola, or safflower oil. Although if you insist on using olive oil, be sure to use one with a light and mild flavor, or better yet, blend in just a spoonful or two at the end.
5. Blending the mayo too long.
Because homemade mayo comes together pretty quickly in the blender, that increases its chances of breaking. When blended too long, the emulsion that brought the spread together is more likely to break, either from overprocessing or overheating.
Follow this tip: To keep the emulsion from breaking and the mayo from separating, process just until the ingredients are combined and emulsified.
