Our homemade vegan mayo is a versatile and easy recipe you can make in 1 minute with 6 simple ingredients and an immersion blender.

This thick, creamy, spreadable, and tasty recipe feels just like regular mayo. You can use it in salads and dressings, as a dip, or as a spread in sandwiches and wraps.

homemade vegan mayo on a spoon

Classic mayonnaise is a blend of oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and egg yolk. The egg yolks are the emulsifier that binds the lemon juice and the oil together.

We use unsweetened soy milk as the emulsifier for our vegan mayonnaise recipe. Like egg yolk, soy milk contains lecithin, which, when blended with lemon juice and oil, forms a thick, creamy, and stable mayonnaise.

You can make this recipe in just a minute with an immersion blender and a tall container with a wide opening.

You can expect a delicious thick cold sauce with an almost identical taste and texture to regular mayo.

It’s perfectly spreadable and can be used in sandwiches, hamburgers, and wraps.

You can use it as a salad dressing in vegan tuna salad, potato salad, rice salad, barley salad, or dip with french fries and steamed artichokes.

baked sweet potatoes stuffed with chickpea tuna
Microwave sweet potato with vegan tuna salad made with vegan mayo.

Ingredients & Substitutions

ingredients for vegan mayo

Unsweetened soy milk

We tried almost all commercially available non-dairy milks, and unsweetened soy milk is the best one to make a vegan mayonnaise with the perfect creamy and stable texture and a delicious flavor.

We tried oat milk, almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk, and hazelnut milk, and they didn’t work.

Oils

You can make vegan mayonnaise with any neutral vegetable oils.

However, we recommend mixing two oils to produce a mayonnaise that has a better, more balanced flavor and doesn’t taste too much like one oil.

As a rule of thumb, we use 3/4 of a light, neutral vegetable oil like sunflower, canola oil, or avocado oil, ideally refined so that it has little flavor, and 1/4 olive oil to give the mayo a deeper taste and balance out the other oil.

The olive oil can be extra virgin, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s best if its flavor is not too strong.

Don’t use coconut oil because it’s saturated (solid at room temperature); you’ll make butter, not mayo.

I know you are wondering if adding two oils is necessary. We think it makes a big difference in flavor, so we strongly recommend it. Adding only one type of oil will make the mayo taste too much like that oil.

Mustard

Mustard adds a pleasant tangy flavor. Regular mustard or Dijon mustard work; we usually use squeeze mustard, and the mayo turns out great.

Lemon juice

Add acidity and tanginess that is so perfect in mayonnaise. You can replace lemon juice with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.

Salt

Salt is necessary to add taste. Sea salt and kosher salt are best. You can also add black pepper if you like, although we prefer not to add it to keep our mayo smooth.

Sweetener + Spices

Sweeteners and spices are optional; we don’t add any to our vegan mayo.

Add a tablespoon of maple syrup or agave syrup if you like your mayo with a hint of sweetness.

You can also add garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, or chili powder.

Vegan mayo on toast with cucumber

Equipment

You will need an immersion blender and a tall container that can fit the blender. We like to use a tall mason jar with a wide opening or a measuring jar.

This is to facilitate the emulsion of oil and milk. A wide and shallow container won’t work.

We did not get good results using a food processor, a standard blender, or a hand mixer. However, with an immersion blender, it comes out perfect every time.

immersion blender and jar

How to make vegan mayo

To a tall container, add all ingredients: soy milk, neutral vegetable oil, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and salt.

The container should fit your immersion blender (like a mason jar or measuring jar with a wide opening).

You don’t need to add the oil a little at a time. You can just put it in all at once with the other ingredients.

oil and soy milk in a jar

Blend for 30 seconds or until thick and creamy, moving the blender up and down the container. This facilitates the emulsion.

Tip: add 3 more tablespoons of vegetable oil for a thicker mayonnaise. Add 3 more tablespoons of soy milk if you want a thinner mayonnaise.

immersion blender and vegan mayo

Taste and adjust for salt and lemon juice.

Vegan mayo consistency

Serving Suggestions

You can use this recipe just like you would use regular egg-based mayonnaise.

Spread: on a slice of bread, in a sandwich, or a wrap.

Vegan mayo on toast

Dip: for french fries, sweet potato chips, sweet potato wedges, veggie sticks, fried eggplants, rice balls, and steamed artichokes.

Steamed artichokes with mayo

Dressing: use as a dressing for vegan egg salad, vegan tuna salad, vegan potato salad, creamy pasta salad, carrot raisins salad, and any other salad you’d use regular mayo.

vegan egg salad sandwich

Sauce: mix it with other ingredients to make a delicious sauce like our spicy chipotle sauce, a garlic aioli sauce, or a green goddess dressing.

green goddess dressing on a salad
Salad with green goddess dressing made with vegan mayo.

Variations

Spicy vegan mayo

spicy mayo with potato wedges

Use the same recipe and add the following:

  • 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup: for a touch of sweetness, you can replace it with agave syrup or any other syrup.
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons Tabasco hot sauce: You can replace Tabasco with any other hot sauce. You can even replace it with a couple of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a smokier flavor.
  • 1/2 clove garlic: it perfectly complements the hotness of the mayo. You can replace it with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Vegan aioli or garlic mayo

vegan aioli garlic mayo in a small serving bowl

Use the same recipe and add the following:

  • 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, depending on how much you like garlic.

    To have the smoothest vegan aioli, the trick is to thinly slice or mash the garlic before adding it and blending it.
  • 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or agave syrup.

You can use this basic recipe for vegan mayo to make a lot of different variations. For example:

Vegan chipotle sauce

chipotle sauce

A smokey, creamy, and spicy sauce you can use instead of regular mayo. We make it with chipotle in adobo sauce, vegan sour cream, vegan mayo, garlic, lime juice, and salt.

Check out our vegan chipotle sauce recipe.

Kind of a ranch dressing

Blend in a couple of tablespoons of plant-based yogurt and a handful of fresh herbs (like dill, parsley, and chives), and you get a delicious dressing similar to ranch dressing.

Tips

  • Use refined or neutral vegetable oils: especially if you are serving this recipe to non-vegans, make sure to use refined vegetable oil so they won’t be able to taste its flavor, and mix it with a good quality olive oil following our measurements.

    A mix of sunflower and olive oil is by far the best combination of oils we have tested to make vegan mayo for texture and taste.
  • Thicker mayo: if you want a thicker mayonnaise, add 2 to 3 more tablespoons of oil.
  • Thinner mayo: if you want a thinner mayonnaise, add 1 to 3 more tablespoons of unsweetened soy milk.
vegan tuna sandwich
Vegan tuna sandwich with vegan mayo.

How to scale the recipe

Always use 1 part of soy milk and 2 parts of oils.

Then divide the oil part into 3 parts of neutral vegetable oil and 1 part of olive oil.

So, for example, if you want to make a double batch, you could use 1 cup of soy milk and 2 cups of oil.

Of those 2 cups of oil, use 1.5 cups of light vegetable oil (like sunflower oil) and 0.5 cups of olive oil.

vegan egg salad on bread
Vegan egg salad made with tofu and vegan mayo.

Questions

Can I use a food processor or a hand mixer?

No. The oil and the milk won’t emulsify in a food processor or hand mixer, and the mayo won’t turn out creamy and thick.

Can I use a Vitamix?

I would recommend not to. We had mixed results with it, and the mayo did not turn out creamy in some cases.

The best is if you use an immersion blender and a tall container.

Do the ingredients need to be at room temperature or cold?

It doesn’t matter. Just put everything in a tall container and blend with an immersion blender.

How can I make a thinner mayonnaise?

You can add less oil, or more soy milk, to make the mayo more like a salad dressing.

How do I make vegan mayo without soy?

You can use aquafaba, the water in a can of chickpeas. Vegan mayo made with aquafaba is not as thick and creamy as the one made with soy milk.

Is vegan mayo gluten-free?

It can be. Just read the labels on the ingredients you use. If they are, then your mayo will be gluten-free.

What about vegan mayo with aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the water from a can of chickpeas. We use aquafaba occasionally in our recipes (it works like magic in this vegan brownie cake). However, we are not the biggest fan of aquafaba in vegan mayo.

The mayo is not as thick and creamy; it separates easily, it tastes a little off, and it’s more like a salad dressing than a real thick mayo.

Storage

Make ahead: you can use this recipe for meal prep as it keeps well for several days.

Refrigerator: store the vegan mayo in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing: we do not recommend freezing it.

For more condiment ideas, check out our dressing and sauces category page.

vegan mayo in a measuring jug with an immersion blender

Vegan Mayo

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 26 votes
Our homemade vegan mayo is a versatile and easy recipe you can make in 1 minute with 6 simple ingredients and an immersion blender.
This thick, creamy, spreadable, and tasty recipe feels just like regular mayo. You can use it in salads and dressings, as a dip, or as a spread in sandwiches and wraps.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 20 servings
Course: Dressing & Sauces
Cuisine: International

Equipment

  • Immersion blender
  • Tall container that can fit the blender (like a mason jar with wide opening)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup soy milk unsweetened
  • ¾ cup neutral vegetable oil sunflower, canola, or other (+ 3 tbsp if you want an extra thick mayo)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

Instructions 

  • Add all ingredients to a tall container: ½ cup soy milk, ¾ cup neutral vegetable oil, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon mustard, and ¾ teaspoon salt.
    oil and soy milk in a jar
  • Blend for 30 seconds or until thick and creamy, moving the blender up and down the container. This facilitates the emulsion.
    immersion blender and vegan mayo
  • Tip: add 3 more tablespoons of vegetable oil for a thicker mayonnaise. Add 3 more tablespoons of soy milk if you want a thinner mayonnaise.
    immersion blender and jar
  • Taste and adjust for salt and lemon juice.
    Vegan mayo on toast

Video

Vegan mayo in 5 minutes

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving of vegan mayo out of 20 servings.
STORAGE
Make ahead: you can use this recipe for meal prep as it keeps well for several days.
Refrigerator: store the vegan mayo in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: we do not recommend freezing it.
ALSO ON THIS PAGE

Nutrition

Serving: 19g, Calories: 99kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.2g, Protein: 0.2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Potassium: 10mg, Dietary Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 13IU, Vitamin B6: 0.004mg, Vitamin C: 1mg, Vitamin E: 1mg, Vitamin K: 17µg, Calcium: 8mg, Folate: 0.4µg, Iron: 0.1mg, Manganese: 0.003mg, Magnesium: 1mg, Zinc: 0.01mg
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below or mention @theplantbasedschool on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

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Nico and Louise in the kitchen

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

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28 Comments

  1. No I didn’t. In fact I even added a few more tablespoons of oil. I did make my soy milk from powder but used the correct ratio.
    I’ll try again.
    Thank you
    Angel

  2. Hi Nico and Louise,

    Great recipe! I’ve tried many of your recipes. They really turned out amazing and are now on a regular base on our menu, so thank you so much for sharing! 🙂

    I’m also looking for a vegan bearnaise sauce. Do you have / know by chance a recipe?

    Kind regards,

    Lou

    1. Hi Lou,

      That’s wonderful, I’m very honoured that our recipes are part of your recipe rotation ❤️

      For now, we don’t have a bearnaise recipe, BUT we will do a lot more sauces in the upcoming year.

      Thank you for your kind words and support – it means a lot to us. All the best,

      Louise

  3. Thank you for this great recipe, it turned out really great! How long exactly will it last in the fridge?

    Roos from the Netherlands

    1. Hi Roos,
      I’m so happy you liked the mayo! You can store the vegan mayo in an airtight container (like a mason jar) in the fridge for up to 5 days. We do not recommend freezing it.
      All the best,
      Louise