The Secret to Long-Lasting Homemade Mayonnaise

Name: Long-Lasting Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 large egg yolks (room temperature); 1 teaspoon apple cider, white vinegar, or lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon whey (drained from plain yogurt); pinch sea salt; 1 cup avocado oil (or vegetable oil); dash of cayenne (red pepper)

Last updatedJanuary 5, 2025

67 Comments

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Sneak Peek: Read about this secret for making long-lasting homemade mayonnaise that stays fresh for up to a month! A touch of yogurt whey keeps it delicious far longer than the usual week.

Homemade long-lasting mayonnaise with yogurt whey in a jar

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You may have a new reason to save the whey you get from draining yogurt. Yogurt whey is the key ingredient to turning regular mayo into long-lasting mayonnaise.

Don’t worry. Adding a small amount of whey won’t affect the taste of your mayo.

Why This Long-Lasting Mayo Recipe is Worth Trying

Avoid a last-minute trip to the grocery store
Customize to your taste
Incredibly smooth and velvety texture.

Happy Cooks Speak Up

“This is excellent… I have tried different recipes and nothing compares to this. I used the avocado oil.. very smooth, mild texture.” — STEPH J.

How Long Does Homemade Mayonnaise Stay Fresh?

If you’ve never made mayonnaise, you may not know that homemade mayo recipes are only good for a week in the fridge. Of course, commercially-made mayonnaise has preservatives added, so it keeps much longer.

So why make it yourself? I don’t know about you, but our mayonnaise usage can be sporadic. I’m afraid I couldn’t use an entire batch of homemade mayonnaise in a week. This long-lasting mayonnaise recipe is ideal for those who don’t use mayo daily but want a fresh batch available anytime.

How Whey Extends the Freshness of Mayo

As it turns out, adding whey (that yellowish liquid you see collected on top when you first open a container of yogurt) to homemade mayo seems to extend the freshness window up to a month. It’s called Lacto-fermented mayonnaise or fermented mayonnaise.

If you make Greek yogurt at home, save some of the whey you strained from your yogurt.

yogurt whey used to ferment homemade mayo

Not into homemade yogurt? No worries! Pour off the liquid you see on top of commercial yogurt when opening it. You only need a tablespoon. Of course, the yogurt should be unflavored.

Tips for Making Homemade Mayo

Blender or Food Processor: Both work great for smooth mayo.
Whisk by Hand: Feeling adventurous? A whisk and bowl get the job done with some effort.
📌 Kitchen Tip: Use room-temperature eggs for the best results. Warm cold eggs quickly by placing them in a bowl of warm water.

How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise with Whey for Longer Shelf-Life (In the Fridge)

Ingredients for long-lasting mayonnaise in a blender — Add the first five ingredients to your blender.

mixing oil into mayo in blender — Slowly drip oil into the blender.

pint of homemade mayo — **Stir yogurt whey into mayonnaise. Store in a jar. Leave finished mayonnaise at room temperature for 8 hours to activate the enzymes in yogurt whey and extend its shelf life.**

FAQs About Homemade Mayonnaise with Yogurt Whey

1. How can I make this mayonnaise thicker?
Use 2 egg yolks instead of 1 whole egg and 1 yolk. Reduce vinegar to 1 teaspoon for a thicker consistency.

2. Can I use an immersion blender to make this mayo?
Yes! Add all ingredients (except pepper) to a jar, with the oil last. Blend from the bottom up for about 20 seconds, then pump a few times to combine. Stir in pepper by hand.

3. Why does my mayo look greasy?
Overmixing can cause greasy mayo. Fix it by adding 1 tablespoon of boiling water and mixing briefly.

4. What can I do with mayonnaise?
Use it in:

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad with Poppy Seeds
Ham Salad
Potato Salad with Cooked Dressing (my sister’s famous recipe!)
Deviled Eggs without Mustard

Parting Thoughts: Homemade mayonnaise doesn’t have to spoil quickly. This long-lasting mayonnaise recipe is a must-try for anyone who loves fresh, flavorful condiments. With just a tablespoon of yogurt whey, you can extend your mayo’s shelf life to an impressive 30 days. Say goodbye to store-bought alternatives, and hello to customizable, long-lasting mayo. I can’t wait for you to try it—let me know how it works for you!

Help at Your Fingertips: Email Paula at saladinajar.com for quick troubleshooting. Attach pictures and details for the best advice.

Homemade Mayonnaise That Stays Fresh for a Month

Yield: servings (1 tablespoon)

Long-Lasting Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

By Paula Rhodes

This standard mayonnaise recipe has 1 tablespoon of whey added. Instead of a week in the refrigerator, your homemade mayonnaise will keep for a month.

5 from 43 votes

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Prep time: 10

Total time: 10

Ingredients

2 large (36 g) egg yolks (room temperature)
1 teaspoon apple cider, white vinegar, or lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whey drained from plain yogurt
pinch sea salt
1 cup (198 g) avocado oil or vegetable oil
dash of cayenne red pepper

Instructions

Combine 2 large (36 g) egg yolks (room temperature), 1 teaspoon apple cider, white vinegar, or lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon whey, and a pinch sea salt, in a
bowl, a blender, or a medium mixing bowl.
Drip or barely trickle 1 cup (198 g) avocado oil into the egg mixture with the machine on or while you whisk vigorously by hand.
Add a dash of cayenne.
Pour finished mayonnaise into a glass jar and cover. Allow to sit on the kitchen cabinet at room temperature for 8 hours, then refrigerate.

Notes

This mayonnaise will stay fresh for about a month when refrigerated.

One of the reasons I like to make my own mayonnaise is so I can use one of my favorite foods, avocado oil. You can substitute vegetable oil or grapeseed oil. I don’t personally care for olive oil in my mayonnaise because of the strong flavor.

Equipment

Nutrition

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Paula Rhodes, owner

As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.

4.63 from 43 votes (36 ratings without comment)

67 Comments

Shireen B says:

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Hi Paula,
thank you for the recipe, it sounds pretty easy. I’ve never attempted to make mayonnaise at home and I’m curious.
I have a couple of questions though.
1) I have whey from making quark cheese, I hope this one will work
2) would canola oil work for this recipe? I love avocado oil but it’s pretty expensive, so I would like to substitute.
Thank you in advance!

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Shireen,
  
  Yes, the canola oil should work but the flavor will be a little different. As far as the whey, you need an acid whey. I’m not too familiar with Quark cheese, but it sounds like the whey from making Quark is also an “acid whey,” unlike the sweet whey produced when making Mozzarella cheese which would not work. Worth a try.
  
  Reply
Melinda says:

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I do not use any seed oils could I make this with melted butter? That is the way I make mine now.

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Melinda,
  I have never tried making mayonnaise with melted butter. Sounds good. I would think this would work, though.
  
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Charleen says:

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This was great! I used MCT oil for no flavor. It was fantastic.

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Charleen,
  
  Fantastic! Glad you loved it. Thank you for taking the time to write.
  
  Reply
Judy says:

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Hi – why are you only using the yolks? Can you put the whole eggs in?
Thanks, Judy

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Judy,
  
  That’s a good question, and I should add something to the post about this. I’m an angel food cake maker, so I’m always happy to freeze the whites and save them for my next cake, but not everybody does that.
  
  As far as the mayonnaise, using only yolks makes it richer and better tasting, but I’m sure that may be a personal preference, depending on who you talk to. Some people say using the whole egg gives a different texture, possibly fluffier. I have not tested whole eggs in this recipe, so I can’t speak from experience.
  
  It’s worth a try.
  
  Reply
2. Marty says:
  
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  Where can I get whey so I too can make this?
  
  Reply
  1. Paula says:
    
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    Hi Marty,
    
    Go to the grocery store and buy plain regular or Greek yogurt (fat content doesn’t matter). Pour a cup into a fine strainer and wait for the whey to strain out into the bowl below the strainer. You might get lucky, and there will be enough whey sitting on top of the yogurt when you open it, so you won’t have to strain it. That’s it.
    
    Reply
Diane says:

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I make mine with unflavored coconut oil and use an immersion blender using a wide mouth pint jar. Much easier than scraping out of blender.
I whole egg (from chickens fed no corn of soy)
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1t white wine vinegar
1/2 dijon mustard
1/4t sea salt
1 cup unflavored coconut oil.
1T whey (I make from Raw Milk and freeze in 1T cubes)
I don’t like Olive oil for the same reason, it’s to strong and so is avocado oil. But I don’t use any seed oils. I avoid all polyunsaturated oils. I am glad you use whey.

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Thank you for taking the time to share. I agree with you. Immersion blenders are the best!
  
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Lynn says:

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I’m definitely going to make this – (gave a 5 star review because I already know I’m going to love it 😉 – it sounds yummy! And what I like, too, is it has *0* sugar! I’m tired of added sugar in store-bought items (as I’m sure many others are, as well)…when, meanwhile, I’ve all but given it up (99.9%)! That it gets a bit of fermentation is an added bonus, too!

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Lynne,
  Making mayonnaise can be tricky sometimes. I’m hoping yours turns out perfect. Thanks for the high rating.
  
  Reply
Rebecca Jenner says:

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This was my first try at making mayonnaise and it was easy!! I was worried because the cayenne pepper came out of the jar faster than I had anticipated but the mayonnaise tastes great! Thank you for the recipe!!!

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Rebecca,
  Thank you for the exellent feedback. Mayonnaise can be a bit tricky but I’m so happy it worked out for you.
  
  Reply
Suzanne says:

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Not sure if it was the avocado oil or the additional liquid from the whey, but mine came out pretty thin/runny. I used in immersion blender and fresh eggs from my chickens. Even if it’s a little runnier, it’s definitely worth the shelf life!

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Were any of the ingredients you used cold? You could always try adding another egg yolk (room temperature, of course). Fresh eggs? You are blessed!
  
  Reply
Steph J says:

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This is excellent… I have tried different recipes and nothing compares to this. I used the avocado oil.. very smooth, mild texture.

Thank you. I have not failed with any of your recipes 😊

Reply
1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Steph,
  I’m so glad this worked for you. Thank you for the five-star rating.
  
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  1. Vicki says:
    
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    Excellent recipe. Used whey from sour cream & it worked like a charm. Thanks so much for the brilliant idea!
    
    Reply
    1. Paula says:
      
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      Great idea, Vicki. I haven’t tried this myself but I may need it if I find myself without any whey. Thank you for sharing.
      
      Reply
Vee says:

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Will grapeseed oil work in making this mayo? I’m planning on using whey from sour cream and omit the yolk and see how it goes.

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Vee,
  
  I feel certain the grapeseed oil will work just fine. I can’t say about omitting the yolk and using whey from sour cream. You’re on your own with those modifications. I would love to know how it turns out.
  
  Reply
Katelyn says:

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Can you use the whey from sour cream in this recipe instead of using yogurt whey? Thanks!

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Katelyn,
  I haven’t tried that, but I will now. If it works, I’ll come back and add it to this post. Meanwhile, if you try it, let me know if it seems to make a difference in how long mayo stays fresh.
  
  Reply
christian says:

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Hi, will the mayo with whey last longer without using a refigirator?

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Christian,
  Mayonnaise should be kept refrigerated whether it has mayo or not. No difference.
  
  Reply
Elle says:

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ii have always made my own mayonnaise with raw egg ,but for health reasons i no longer do not want to use uncooked yolks, can i mke this by cooking the yolks

Reply
1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Elle,
  
  I have not tried it with my recipe. I found this recipe online from “The Incredible Egg.” I don’t know if the whey trick would work with their recipe, but it’s worth an experiment. Let me know if you try it and it works.
  
  Reply
Kathleen Forrest says:

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I just attempted to make this mayo, everything at room temperature, and I got soup! It refuses to thicken! Do I have to toss it and start over? It has never failed me before. The only thing I did differently is, I was low on avocado oil, so I used half avocado oil and half peanut oil.
Is there a save for this?

Reply
1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Kathleen,
  
  I’m so sorry about your mayonnaise. I found this article online that has several good suggestions you might try to save it.
  
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Mila says:

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What an amazing tip this is. I’m so glad to have come across it. However, I only have one concern, do you think this would work with vegan/healthy mayo made using cashews or white bean milk? I personally can’t figure out just by thinking 😅🌸

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Mila,
  
  I’m sorry, but I have no idea. Vegan recipes are out of my lane. You might ask somebody who blogs about vegan food.
  
  Reply
Stefan says:

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This method is indeed interesting, I’m going to try this but I’ll pasteurize the eggs first and get the pH to 4.7, that should in theory give at least 2-3 months shelf life and kill off any salmonella if present in the eggs.

I’ll report back after a few months..

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1. Paula says:
  
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  2-3 months? I can’t recommend keeping it for that long. I’ll be interested to hear back from you.
  
  Reply
Debbie Berry says:

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Oh no I didn’t see the last instruction to leave on counter for 8 hrs and I put it in the fridge, it’s been there about 40 minutes did I ruin it????

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Debbie,
  
  Retrieve it from the fridge and let it sit on your counter for 8 hrs. Your mayo should be fine.
  
  Reply
Maya says:

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Hi Paula,
I’m allergic to eggs, so I make eggless Mayo, which is basically just replacing the egg yolk with milk. So do you think the whey would make the eggless Mayo last as much longer too? Sorry if this sounds weird, but I really liked the idea and don’t know if it will work similarly with eggless mayo. I can try with a small batch and see how long it keeps with whey, right? Thank you.

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Maya,
  Worth a try. Let me know how it turns out. My guess would be, “yes.”
  
  Reply
Arnaud says:

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Hello, should I let it sit for 8 hours with the jar open or closed ?

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Arnaud,
  I recommend you cover the mayo loosely. For example, lay a plate on top. You don’t want to cut off the oxygen but you also don’t want any foreign bodies or dust to contaminate your mayo. Hope that helps.
  
  Reply
Lyndsay says:

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I tried using my stand mixer but it’s still liquidity. Any troubleshooting thoughts?

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Lyndsay,
  I’m so sorry about your mayonnaise. Let’s troubleshoot:
  1. Were your eggs fresh?
  2. Were they room temperature or slightly warmer?
  3. Is it possible that you mixed too long? Mayonnaise will separate and become runny if you beat it for too long.
  4. I have never made mayonnaise with a stand mixer. But if I did, I would use the whisk attachment. Which attachment did you use?
  
  Meanwhile, I went back to the kitchen and tried a few things with the recipe. Instead of 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, I used 2 egg yolks. I also reduced the vinegar to 1 teaspoon instead of 2. I put it all together with an immersion blender. It came out much thicker. I loved it. I added the details in the FAQ at the end of the post and also revised the recipe.
  
  Hope this is helpful.
  
  Reply
Pingback: Can You Reheat A Sandwich With Mayo On It? – topfoodinfo.com
GC says:

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Great recipe. Thank you, Any suggestions for those that are lactose intolerant and trying to avoid mike products?

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hmmm. Some people make yogurt and incubate it for 24 hours because it is supposedly lactose-free when you incubate that long. Haven’t tried it myself.
  
  Reply
Hannah says:

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Thanks for the recipe, but I want to ask some say we should use lime juice instead of vinegar. Is it right? But if you don’t have whey can you still make the mayonnaise.

Reply
1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Hannah,
  Good to hear from you. You need something acid. Lime juice, lemon juice, vinegar…they all work. Each will taste slightly different so use whatever tastes good to you. You do not have to have whey to make this mayonnaise. Whey just makes it stay fresh a little longer.
  
  Reply
Alex says:

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And another question what if I put yogurt in my mayo garlic sauce(not the whey only),do I still need to wait for 8hrs (in room temperature)for fermentation?
Sorry for my bad english 😓,I hope you can help me

Reply
Alex says:

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Hello I just want to ask,what if I make a lot of homemade mayo garlic sauce(for shawarma)how many tbsp of whey should I add in it?I hope I can get a reply from you ….

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Add 1 tablespoon to 1-1/4 cups of mayo. Your sauce sounds delicious. Yes, you could add yogurt. And yes, you should let it sit for 8 hrs at room temperature. Little yogurt bodies go to sleep when they get cold. Since you actually want some fermentation, you will have to give it some warmth to activate the process. Glad you wrote.
  
  Reply
  1. R says:
    
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    Hi! I’m going to try your recipe as it’s so hard to find mayo without soybean oil in the market.
    I wanted to say the reader that asking about leaving garlic sauce at room temperature for 8 hours. It’s very dangerous to let garlic oil sit at room temperature… it can lead to botulism fyi.
    
    Reply
Pat says:

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I always make mayo with “extra light” olive oil, which has NO taste–so it can be used for baking as well. Also, pure olive oil is non-GMO. When I do mayo in a blender, I add 1/4 cup of the oil with the other ingredients, blend for 30 seconds, and then blend while adding the rest of the oil in a steady stream (takes about 25 seconds to empty the other 3/4 cup of oil). Works perfectly every time! I’m so glad to know that whey will extend the life of my mayo, because I don’t use it all that fast.

Reply
1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Pat,
  
  I love hearing about your method and I’m sure others will, too. I like the extra light olive oil for salad dressing. Avocado oil works good for the mayonnaise, too. So grateful for all the choices we have. Right?
  
  Reply
Barb says:

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I made mayo first time last week. Similar recipie except no whey. It’s on its 10th day and looks and tastes fine. I’m wondering if I could use whey powder instead of the liquid from yogurt. Any thoughts on that?

Reply
1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Barb,
  
  Good question. From what I’ve read, whey powder is made from the whey produced by cheese. This is a sweet whey compared to yogurt whey which is an acid whey. I don’t think it would work, but I haven’t actually tried it so can’t say with 100% certainty.
  
  Reply
  1. Jess says:
    
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    Could you use plain whey powder made from milk (it’s the only ingredient), if you don’t have yoghurt?
    
    Also, could the brine from mozzarella cheese work?
    
    Thank you for sharing, can’t wait to try😊
    
    Reply
    1. Paula says:
      
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      Hi Jess,
      
      I don’t think plain whey powder has the right bacteria (lactobacillus and others). I don’t know much about the brine one gets from making mozzarella cheese so I can’t say for sure about that but you can’t use it to make yogurt so I rather doubt it.
      
      I hope you get a chance to try it.
      
      Reply
Theresa P. says:

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I have been making homemade mayonnaise for a few years now.and the way I make my no fail mayonnaise is put COLD WHOLE egg(s), yes cold! straight from fridge. into a jar that just fits my stick blender (immersion blender) in it. add salt ACV or vinegar of choice or lemon juice, mustard if you like. and choice of oil (I use a combination of evoo, avocado,and coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled. insert the stick blender into the jar all the way down til it sits on the bottom of jar. keep it there for the first 20 seconds of blending, til you can see the mixture at the bottom turning white,(into mayonnaise) then slowly move the stick blender around and up and down til all the ingredients are blended into mayonnaise.it works every time! and is fast. if you have a problem your jar may be too big. try adding in another WHOLE egg and blend some more.Then stir in the whey. Or can try blending it in with rest of ingredients. and

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Theresa,
  So glad you wrote. I have tried this stick blender method and you’re right. IT WORKS! Thanks for going to the trouble to write this out. Paula
  
  Reply
Rebecca says:

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How safe is it to use raw eggs in a recipe?

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1. Paula says:
  
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  The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers it safe to use raw eggs if they are pasteurized. Bottom Line: Raw eggs may contain a type of pathogenic bacteria called Salmonella, which can cause food poisoning. However, the risk of an egg being contaminated is quite low. Quoted from Healthline.
  
  If people eating this food are very young, very old, or immuno-compromised, I would stick to pasteurized eggs. Otherwise, decide for yourself.
  
  Reply
Mary Davis says:

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How can you leave it at room temp for 8 hrs and not have any negative affect? Would it still have this shelf life if I refrigerated it right away?

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hi Mary,
  The 8 hours give the whey time to “ferment” the mayo so it will last longer. I know that word doesn’t sound very appetizing but it seems to work and doesn’t affect the flavor. The mayonnaise has enough acid to keep it safe for 8 hours. Refrigerating right away would most likely not allow or encourage the little yogurt bodies in the yogurt-whey to multiply.
  
  Reply
Becky says:

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Well, I love this idea, Paula! I like the idea of making my own mayo and have done so, but there are only 2 of us, so it often went bad before I could use it all. This will get me making it more regularly. Does the whey cause the flavor to change significantly? Just wondering. You know I love my yogurt, so a bit of change in the flavor will not discourage me. I am excited to try this with my next available whey. Thanks, Paula.

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1. Paula says:
  
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  Hey Becky,
  I can tell absolutely no difference in the flavor. But that is a really good question. So glad you brought it up.
  
  Reply

The Secret to Long-Lasting Homemade Mayonnaise