The Secret to Longer-Lasting Homemade Mayonnaise
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.
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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 longer-lasting mayonnaise.
Don’t worry. Adding a small amount of whey won’t affect the taste of your mayo.
What Makes This Recipe Especially Useful
- Avoid a last-minute trip to the grocery store.
- Modify the recipe to your tastes .
- Stores (in the fridge) longer than most homemade mayo recipes.
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
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.
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.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- EGG YOLKS: Use 2 large (36 g) yolks at room temp; pasteurized yolks are fine for food safety.
- APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: Substitute with white vinegar or lemon juice.
- DRY MUSTARD: Adds flavor and stability; use Dijon, stone-ground, or yellow mustard instead.
- WHEY (FROM PLAIN YOGURT): Use 1 tablespoon drained from plain yogurt.
- AVOCADO OIL: Substitute with vegetable oil or another neutral oil like grapeseed.
- CAYENNE RED PEPPER: A dash adds gentle heat; use paprika for a milder flavor.
💡Tips That Make a Difference
- Both a blender or food processor work great for smooth mayo.
- Feeling adventurous? A whisk and bowl get the job done with some effort.
- Warm cold eggs quickly by placing them in a bowl of warm water.
Step-by-Step Process for Making Mayonnaise
➊ Add the first five ingredients to a blender, food processor, or bowl.
➋ Blend well using your machine or a whisk.
➌ Slowly drizzle in the oil while blending.
➍ Stir in yogurt whey, transfer to a jar, and let sit at room temp for 8 hours.
Shared & Loved
This is excellent… I have tried different recipes and nothing compares to this. I used the avocado oil.. very smooth, mild texture.” — STEPH J.
Longer-Lasting Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 large (36 g) egg yolks (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 cup (198 g) avocado oil or vegetable oil
- dash of cayenne red pepper
- 1 tablespoon whey drained from plain yogurt
Instructions
- Combine ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, 2 large (36 g) egg yolks (room temperature)1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl, food processor, blender or tall narrow pitcher that comes with an immersion blender.
- Drip or barely trickle 1 cup (198 g) avocado oil or grapeseed oil into the egg mixture with the machine on or while you whisk vigorously by hand.Add a dash of cayenne and gently stir in 1 tablespoon whey.
- 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
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQs About Homemade Mayonnaise with Yogurt Whey
• Oil added too fast: Start with a few drops, blend until it thickens, then add the rest in a thin stream.
• Cold ingredients: Room temp eggs and oil emulsify more easily.
• Wrong tool or speed: A whisk, blender, or food processor can work. I use a bowl with my immersion blender’s whisk attachment.
• Too little emulsifier: Small yolks may not contain enough lecithin to bind the oil and water.
First of all, understand that homemade mayo is not as stiff as the store-bought variety. It doesn’t have all the added stabilizers that regular mayo has.
• Let it sit and chill: If it’s slightly thin but emulsified, chill it for an hour. Mayonnaise usually thickens in the fridge.
• Add more oil slowly: If your mayo is thin but still emulsified, adding more oil slowly while blending can help it thicken.
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.
Overmixing can cause greasy mayo. Fix it by adding 1 tablespoon of boiling water and mixing briefly.
Final 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!
Favorite Recipes With Mayonnaise:
- Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad with Poppy Seeds
- Ham Salad
- Potato Salad with Cooked Dressing (my sister’s famous recipe!)
- Deviled Eggs without Mustard
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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.