Make Your Own Soy-Free Mayonnaise

I started making mayonnaise after the only soy-free brand I could find was taken off the market. We were surprised to find that my homemade mayonnaise had a much better flavor… so much better, in fact, that I would continue to make my own mayonnaise now even if I could find another soy-free commercial brand.

At first I made mayonnaise with a mixer, and it was a lengthy and difficult process. Then I started making it with a stick blender, and although that simplified the process, making mayonnaise still took nearly half an hour. A few months ago I switched to making mayonnaise in my food processor. With the food processor, I can now make a batch of mayonnaise from start to finish in less than ten minutes.

This is the recipe I use:

Ingredients
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 egg yolks or the equivalent in dried eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups safflower oil (I use a light olive oil… a heavy olive oil is too overpowering in mayonnaise)

Start by mixing the vinegar or lemon juice with the salt, mustard, and sugar. Add the eggs. Because I have concerns about fresh eggs and salmonella in this uncooked mayonnaise, I use pasteurized powdered egg yolks that I first reconstitute in a small amount of water, following the directions on the can. I just dump all of these ingredients into the food processor and pulse it several times until everything looks well mixed.

Then I start adding about a teaspoon of the oil at a time, while keeping the processor running. The most important part of making mayonnaise is to add the oil very slowly. If you add too much oil too quickly, the mixture will not emulsify and you will end up with an oily, liquidy mess instead of a creamy, smooth mayonnaise. Continue to add the oil a teaspoon at a time. With a food processor, the mixture will start to thicken and look like mayonnaise in just a couple of minutes, but don’t try to hurry the process… keep adding the oil in small amounts until all the oil has been added. If the mayonnaise becomes too thick, and it probably will, it can be thinned out with small amounts of water, adding a bit at a time and pulsing until the desired consistency has been reached.

That’s all there is to it… and you’ll have a great-tasting mayonnaise! Because this mayonnaise does not contain preservatives, it will keep in the refrigerator for about five days, so make only as much as you know you will use during that time. After all, if you run out, it will only take a few minutes to make more!

This recipe can easily be halved or doubled, and the amount of vinegar or lemon juice can be adjusted to suit your taste preference. If I’m going to be using the mayonnaise immediately, sometimes I pulse in a few cloves of fresh garlic or some other herb. Sometimes I use a spicy brown mustard and honey instead of sugar. It’s a very flexible recipe!

Written by Shirley | Filed Under Cooking & Baking from Scratch, Doing It Ourselves, Frugality & Nutrition series, Living with a Soy Allergy, My Family's Favorite Recipes, My Soy-Free Recipes

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Comments

Comment by Noelle Ray:

Thanks so much for the recipe!! I like to have a years supply of food on hand. Mayo from the store doesn’t last very long on the shelf. This will be a great way to have fresh yummy mayo available whenever we need it.

Comment by Elizabeth:

THANK YOU!!! I have been craving chicken salad like mad lately, but couldn’t find soy-free mayo anywhere. I just made some of my own mayo using your recipe, and it is fantastic! (I used pasteurized liquid egg whites and safflower oil.) The mayo really is so much tastier than store-bought. I then proceeded to make some of the most delicious chicken salad ever. You have no idea how grateful I am!! Thank you so much for sharing this.

Comment by S H:

Great recipe! I was skeptical because I’ve never attempted to make anything like this, and have not used my food processor very much. I halved the recipe since I was unsure of how it would turn out. Much to my surprise, not only did it have the look and consistency of jarred mayo, it tastes AMAZING! Thank you, I am so glad I found your recipe!

Comment by LAK:

PLEASE keep in your mind that CANOLA, not just some, about 98% on the planet is now MONSANTO ROUND UP READY Genetically Modified Canola. Avoiding soy just to end up jumping into the GMO Caola fire is not a great change. Canola is NOT a great oil, rancid almost from the time it is created. Olive oil, even peanut oil or sesame oil (interesing smell and flavor) are much better subs.

Thank you for the recipe, I have been frustrated chasing edible food, and mayo I love. I must try this one.

Comment by Sabina@Slipstitches and More:

Thanks so much for posting this recipe. I’ve bookmarked it. I plan to use it very soon. I recently stopped using canola and soy and was at my wits end trying to find a mayo that was free of both.

Comment by Toni Reita ND:

Nice to find your site, and glad to see I’m not the only one that makes homemade Mayonnaise. As you say, it’s impossible to find anything that isn’t contaminated with GMO Soy.

I use Hemp seed oil in my Mayonnaise, and some of the extras that I might add are:

fresh ginger root
fresh Cayenne
fresh herbs in season

Stay healthy!

Toni

Comment by Samantha:

Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I was recently diagnosed as not only being allergic to soy, but also to peanuts, dairy, shellfish, yeast, and beef. I’ve been looking everywhere for an alternative to store-bought mayonnaise that does NOT use vinegar (because it is a derivative of yeast).

Did you use actual mustard, or mustard powder in your recipe? All commercial mustard I have found contain vinegar as well, so I may have to try this with powder instead.

Comment by Shirley:

Samantha, I use the dry mustard or mustard powder in making this mayonnaise. Be careful with commercial mustards… most of them also have some form of hidden soy.

Comment by Vaughn:

Thanks so much for posting! My daughter has a soy allergy and I have been craving mayo on a sandwich (I’m still nursing her so I have been off of soy for about 2 months.). I can’t wait to try your recipe…and I didn’t know about hidden soy in mustard! I have been eating French’s and it doesn’t say anything about it on the label, but I will have to check again! Thanks!

Comment by kristyreal:

I really appreciate the recipe. Remember to avoid distilled vinegar because it is made entirely from GMO corn. Bragg organic apple cider vinegar or Santa Cruz organic lemon juice are the best options. Also, refined oils like sunflower, safflower or canola oils contain hidden citric acid (product of the fermentation of GMO corn by the mold Aspergillus Niger). As someone that is allergic to corn and soy, I react to all the oils on the market except extra virgin olive oil in glass bottles or virgin organic coconut oil. It took a lot of research before I found the source of my allergic reactions: citric acid is used as a “degummer” in the processing of refined oils. Since it is only used as a “manufacturing aid”, the FDA doesn’t require the companies to list it on the label.

Comment by Ivonne:

Is it possible to make this mayo or mayo in general without the use of egg yolks? My daughter is allergic to soy and egg yolk, but she can eat the white part of the egg. Thanks in advance for your help.

Comment by Shirley:

Ivonne, I have used dehydrated egg whites in this recipe and they work fine.

Comment by Sarah:

I am in the process of trying to eliminate ALL soy from my diet. What I want to know is if you use chicken eggs which are fed on soy based feed do you not get the soy isoflavones concentrated in the egg yolk? I notice that now ther are farmers selling organic eggs from birds fed on coconut meal with no soy added.
Sarah

Comment by Jamie:

I didn’t know about the hidden soy in mustard. I’m allergic to soy and wheat and a multitude of other foods and preservatives. A while back I ate some mustard and got really bad intestinal cramps like I get when I eat soy. Now I know why! I’m definitely going to try this recipe for mayonnaise, cause I can’t find soy-free mayonnaise anywhere. Thanks!

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