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Which oils to consider for making nourishing homemade mayonnaise and which is best based on taste, consistency and healthy fat content.
Life without mayonnaise? Perish the thought! It is an essential condiment in the kitchen and learning how to make healthy mayo yourself is so simple and easy that once you give it a go, you won’t be settling for anything from the store – including the healthfood store – ever again!
Even homemade eggless mayo is super simple to whip up yourself. Psst. Don’t use aquafaba though!
The smooth, creamy texture and sheer elegance that quality mayo imparts to sandwiches, salads, and sauces are certainly unrivaled at least in American cuisine.
Never does the thought cross my mind to “go light on the mayo”. If I am feeling like a huge dollop or two, I feel free to indulge myself given that the mayo I insist on using is of superior freshness and quality and made with health-boosting oils and liquid whey for additional digestive enzymes and even probiotics.
Given that the fats used in the mayo are the most critical ingredient, which oils are the best ones to select?
Sunflower or Sesame?
I tell folks that when making mayo for the first time, use sunflower seed oil as this will give the closest consistency and taste to store mayo.
However, sunflower oil is a high omega-6 oil. This is fine if one follows whole food, traditionally based diet where the omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid ratio is roughly between 1:1 and 1:4.
If one is still in the process of transitioning off processed foods, however, a lower omega-6 oil is probably a better choice. This is because processed foods are loaded with rancid omega-6 oils. Too much in your diet encourages inflammation.
Note that including even a few processed foods in the diet can skew that omega-3 to omega-6 balance in a hurry!
If you are concerned about your omega-6 intake, unrefined sesame oil is a good choice for mayo as it is higher in oleic acid (monounsaturated, omega 9 fat) and lower in omega-6 fats (polyunsaturated) than sunflower oil. Oleic acid is the healthy fat found in great quantity in avocados and olive oil.
Olive Oil
If oleic acid is so fantastic, then why not just use extra virgin olive oil for mayo?
While this can be a good choice for some, many folks find the flavor of olive oil mayonnaise too strong.
Using half olive oil and half sesame oil is an option for a milder taste which is still high in oleic acid.
In addition, some folks find that olive oil really packs the weight.
Oleic acid is a long-chain fatty acid and is more likely to contribute to the buildup of body fat than shorter chain fatty acids found in coconut oil or ghee. Let’s talk about both of those next.
Coconut Oil or Ghee
What about ghee or coconut oil for mayonnaise?
I’ve made mayo with ghee before and it turns out absolutely fabulous. The one drawback is that the mayo turns out too rich in my opinion. It also hardens in the refrigerator and loses consistency when brought to room temperature.
Since I like to use a lot of mayo, using all ghee doesn’t really work for me in most situations. However, half ghee and half sesame oil can work to lighten up the richness factor a bit.
A similar problem happens with coconut oil mayo. It hardens in the fridge and can’t be used quickly for chicken salad and other dishes.
If you choose to make coconut oil mayonnaise, be sure to use expeller-pressed, which is flavorless. Virgin coconut oil results in a coconut flavored mayo, which some people do not enjoy.
Blended Oils
Another option for homemade mayo is to blend fats together to achieve a good taste and consistency.
One I’ve used in the past is 1/2 sunflower or sesame oil and 1/2 expeller pressed coconut oil.
Since coconut oil goes very firm below 76 F/24 C, using half expeller-pressed coconut oil produces a mayo that is very thick and scoopable even after refrigeration.
Another option suggested by the Weston Price Foundation is what’s known as “Mary’s Blend” after the late Dr. Mary Enig, a PhD in lipids. She suggested a blend of 1/3 olive oil, 1/3 sesame oil, and 1/3 coconut oil.
Avocado Oil. My Favorite Fat for Mayo
As you can see, there are numerous options for healthy fats for making mayo.
Judging based on taste, nourishing lipid content, and consistency (both at room temperature and refrigerated), my favorite is avocado oil.
It is mild tasting, has a fatty acid profile similar to olive oil, and the mayo stays creamy in the fridge.
If you must buy, there are a couple of brands now available that are acceptable. This is the brand I use in a pinch. The only downside is that it does not use raw egg yolks, and it is a bit pricey.
Be sure to check my Resources page for a list of brands I trust that supply quality oils for all your mayo-making endeavors!
Here’s a short video of what avocado oil mayo looks like after I made a batch.
I use high oleic sunflower oil which 12 g monosaturated, 1 g saturated, and 1 g polyunsaturated, along with refined coconut oil. Good!
Sarah, thanks for the oil ideas. I’ve tried making it just using olive oil and have not liked it at all. I’ve also learned that using a stick blender will blend this up nicely. I had trouble with blending before, too.
Not to change the subject, but I found it kinda funny. I saw a Country Crock ad here on your site! I’m surprised Kim and Karen allowed such a thing!! (I know they float around and it’s not you, but I found it amusing)
Belgian “friet” require mayo, no getting around that. But my experiments weren’t great, because – indeed – I used olive oil and the taste just wasn’t right. I had already reconciled myself to never eat mayo again, when a few weeks ago in the supermarket I stumbled upon organic cold-pressed sunflower oil. My first batch had a very tiny bitter aftertaste, but still, it was a tremendous improvement. I used mainly sunflower and a bit of cold-pressed olive oil. It will take a bit more experimenting still, but I like the idea of trying to add some sesame and / or coconut oil. Many thanks for your excellent suggestions!
Thanks so much Sarah and Kristen; and I’m intrigued by the bacon fat mayo! I think that would be great on a BLT or hamburger. And, Susan and Melissa: I think I will try the macadamia nut oil, too.
Sarah, I’ve been making my mayo with avocado oil and coconut oil and it has been great! Do you know of any problems with using the avocado oil? I know I read on the WAPF website that is is probably ok.
Avocado oil is fine. Be aware that it is high in monounsaturated fats (long chain) like olive oil so might be best to limit it if you tend to put on weight easily.
I like macadamia nut oil, myself. The olive oil versions never tasted right.
Could you use coconut palm shortening?
I’ve always wondered about using coconut oil; now I’ll have to give it a go! I’ve tried olive oil and, even with insanely high quality, mellow stuff, it’s too peppery for mayo (except for sald dressings). My daily cooking oil is half clarified butter and half expeller-pressed coconut oil, so that plus sesame would be my first thought. I’ll blog the results ASAP.
I have a question about using whey in mayonnaise. Every time I add whey after the mayo is done, it makes my otherwise thick mayo runny again. Has anyone tried adding whey at the beginning as a substitute for some of the other acidics, like lemon juice or vinegar? If so, how did that work? I would love to hear about others’ experience using whey.
Using a little coconut oil or ghee should help thicken it up when it is chilled.
I previously mixed the whey in last, but this time I did it at the start, before adding the oil. Mine is still chilling but hasn’t thickened much yet. According to the directions in Eat Fat, Lose Fat, making lacto-fermented mayo means it will not only last longer, it will thicken up. That has been my experience, too, even when I mixed in the whey last, but I also used coconut oil previously. I still think it will thicken in a few days.
Expeller is not as healthy as virgin but is better for cooking as it has no coconut-y flavor which does tend to bother some folks.