Basic Mayonnaise
If you've got egg yolks, dijon mustard and lemon juice, you're most of the way to this vegetarian: about 55 minutes of cooking across 6 steps. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for whisk. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Use eggs at room temperature and make sure your bowl and whisk are clean and dry, as this helps the emulsion form.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, dijon mustard, lemon juice, vinegar and salt until smooth and slightly pale.
- Begin adding the oil one drop at a time while whisking constantly, allowing each addition to be fully incorporated before adding more, until the mixture starts to thicken and emulsify.
- Once about a third of the oil is in and the base is stable, pour in the remaining oil in a slow, thin steady stream, whisking continuously until the mayonnaise is thick and glossy.
- If the mayonnaise becomes too thick or starts to look oily, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to loosen and stabilise it.
- Taste and adjust with a little more salt or lemon juice as needed, then cover and refrigerate; because it contains raw egg yolk, keep it chilled and use within 3 days.
You'll use: Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
- White Wine
- chicken or vegetable stock + 1 tsp vinegar
Tips & common questions
How long does Basic Mayonnaise take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 7 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lemon?
Try lime. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Basic Mayonnaise vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Basic Mayonnaise is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Tomatos on Toast - Yum! (252330693).jpg by Dan Zen from Dundas, Canada, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.