Homemade Mayonnaise (base recipe)

Few kitchen staples are as versatile and rewarding to make from scratch as mayonnaise. With just a handful of ingredients—egg yolk, oil, mustard, and a touch of acid—you can create a rich, creamy emulsion that far surpasses most store-bought versions in flavor and texture. This classic mayonnaise serves as a foundation for countless sauces and dressings, including aioli, tartar sauce, ranch, and flavored sandwich spreads. Once you master the basic technique, you'll have a versatile condiment that can be customized to suit any dish.

Once you master the basic technique, you'll have a versatile condiment that can be customized with herbs, garlic, spices, citrus, and other flavorings to complement a wide variety of dishes

You'll notice that homemade mayonnaise is typically pale yellow to golden in color, which comes from the natural pigments (carotenoids) found in egg yolks. Store-bought mayonnaise, by contrast, is often much whiter because it usually contains a lower proportion of egg yolk, highly refined pale-colored oils, added water and vinegar, and is produced using high-shear industrial mixing that incorporates tiny air bubbles. These factors dilute and scatter the yolk's color, creating the familiar white appearance seen on supermarket shelves.

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 200–250 ml neutral oil (sunflower, canola, or light olive oil)
• Salt to taste
• Optional: pinch of sugar

Method

1. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
2. Start adding oil drop by drop while whisking constantly. This is the key to emulsification.
3. Once it begins to thicken, you can slowly pour in the oil in a thin stream while whisking continuously.
4. Keep whisking until thick and creamy.
5. Adjust seasoning with salt and extra lemon juice if needed.

You now have classic homemade mayonnaise.