Vegan Mayonnaise

Summer, sun and fun – what can’t be missing on a trip to the public pool? Of course, a big portion of fries. As kids, we were beyond excited to dunk those greasy fries in mayo or drown them in ketchup, ideally both. Since going vegan, we’ve blinked a little disappointedly at the red dots in our tray of fries. When there’s no choice left between ketchup and mayo, life is only half as fun. And yet vegan mayo is so easy, you can even make it yourself, and it keeps so much longer than that silly mayo made with egg and milk.
To make sure every fry shack in the world can whip up its own awesome mayo, here comes the simplest recipe for vegan mayo, which we’d love to give to every burger joint and every public pool in town. But first and foremost, we’re giving it to you. That way, you can make the tastiest mayo at home and, if need be, pack a little for the next time it’s pool and barbecue season again.
Our vegan mayo has just five ingredients – yes, you read that right. All you need is soy milk, oil, lemon juice, mustard, and a pinch of salt. You probably have all of it at home already. Excited yet? Then let’s go!

Can I Use a Different Plant-Based Milk?
Soy milk matters not only for flavor but also for foolproof results. For the vegan mayo to turn out nice and firm and creamy, you need an emulsifier that binds the fat from the oil and the water from the plant-based milk. Soy milk contains lecithin, a natural emulsifier that does exactly that.
If you can’t tolerate soy milk, though, you could try pea milk instead. You might need to add extra emulsifiers, like pure lecithin, to make the mayo work. This calls for a true spirit of scientific adventure, because we’ve never tried it ourselves.

Which Oil Is Best?
Canola oil or sunflower oil work best for vegan mayo. Make sure to use a neutral-tasting oil. Unrefined, cold-pressed oils usually have a stronger flavor of their own that overpowers the typical mayo taste. That also makes a strongly flavored olive oil rather unsuitable for your homemade mayo.

How Else Can I Switch Up the Mayo?
For an even more intense egg flavor, we can warmly recommend kala namak (Indian black salt). The sulfurous salt makes everything taste like egg – pure magic. You can also sprinkle in any dried spices you like: how about an extra kick from chili flakes? Or just a little garlic, which always works.

Help, I Made Too Much Vegan Mayo – Now What?
No panic, this vegan mayo keeps for a looong time. But if you really can’t finish it, here are a few ideas for using it up. It tastes pretty great in our pasta salad with mayo dressing. Or whip up a vegan BLT sandwich for your lunch break. And of course, vegan mayo is a hit at any barbecue.