Slather your favorite sandwich with this creamy, homemade vegan mayonnaise. It has a base of silken tofu, and it's the best dressing for salads and slaws. Use it to make dips, too! This super easy mayo recipe is vegan, nut free, gluten free, and, of course, eggless. It's also made without oil or aquafaba. As a bonus, it contains only 2 calories per serving!
Vegan Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is one of those things people either love or hate. I’m on Team Mayo Love. I’ve always loved its creamy texture and tangy flavor. I love slathering it on sandwiches and making different kinds of slaws with it. I’ve been known to use it for salad dressings and dips, too.
I was pretty picky about mayonnaise growing up. It had to be Hellman’s or I wouldn’t eat it. And yes, I could tell the difference. I remember going to parties at friends’ houses and having to choke down sandwiches made with Miracle Whip.
When I first went vegan many years ago, there was only one vegan mayo available locally, and it tasted quite a lot like the dreaded Miracle Whip I remember from my childhood. So I went mayo-less for a few years.
Thankfully, Vegenaise soon became easy to find and I was able to make tasty sandwiches and salads again. Then other brands, such as Earth Balance’s Mindful Mayo and Just Mayo (which is sadly now long gone), started popping up, making things even easier. Stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods now have their own versions. Even Hellman’s has a vegan mayonnaise now!
I had one jar of mayo in the fridge for the entire winter, and I finally finished it off in the spring. I tend to go through jars and jars of the stuff in the summer though, as I’m always making sandwiches and slaws.
Homemade Vegan Mayonnaise
While I do love the convenience of store-bought mayo, I realize that it’s not the healthiest option. It’s pretty much just whipped oil. I don’t follow an oil-free diet, but I know that slathering oil all over my food isn’t a good idea. DIY mayo to the rescue!
I do occasionally make my own mayo with cashews, but as I’ve had some requests for nut-free recipes recently, I thought silken tofu might be a good replacement as it’s super creamy when blended in a food processor or blender.
The ingredients of my favorite store-bought vegan mayo are canola oil, water, brown rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, soy protein, sea salt, mustard powder, and lemon juice concentrate. For my recipe, I’ve simply swapped out the canola oil and water for silken tofu and taken out the brown rice syrup. The result is a creamy, tangy spread that rivals any store-bought brand.
What You Need
- Silken tofu
- Lemon juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Sea salt
- Kala namak (black salt)
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
How to Make Vegan Mayonnaise
It couldn't be easier to make this recipe! You just toss everything in a blender and process until it's smoothie and creamy. It whips up super quickly in my Blendtec. I like to use the Twister Jar, which I find is better for small blends.
How Long with Vegan Mayonnaise Last?
This recipe will last about a week in the fridge. If it separates, just mix it together with a spoon.
How to Use Your Mayo
Use your mayonnaise to make potato salad, pasta salad, and coleslaw. And of course, you can use it as a sandwich spread. It can also be used in these recipes:
- Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
- Apple Pecan Tempeh Salad
- Chickpea Waldorf Salad
- Apple Pecan Tempeh Salad
- Grilled Street Fair Corn
- Vegan Chicken Salad with Soy Curls
How to Customize Vegan Mayo
This mayo can be customized to suite your tastes.
- For a creamier mayo, use ¾ cup silken tofu and ½ cup soaked, raw cashews instead of a full package of tofu.
- Add some a few cloves of roasted garlic for a garlicky aioli.
- Mix in a tablespoon or two of sriracha for a spicy spread.
- You can add chipotle powder, sriracha, barbecue sauce, pesto, or even a little truffle oil. Start with a tablespoon and continuing adding more to suit your tastes.
Vegan Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 (12.3 ounce) package silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch kala namak (black salt), optional
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a high-speed blender or food processor until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water, a tablespoon at a time. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- For a creamier mayo, use ¾ cup silken tofu and ½ cup soaked, raw cashews instead of a full package of tofu.
- Add some a few cloves of roasted garlic for a garlicky aioli.
- Mix in a little sriracha for a spicy spread.
- You can add chipotle powder, barbecue sauce, pesto, or even a little truffle oil.
Becky Striepe
Dianne! I love how simple this is to make. The texture looks amazing.
Dianne
Thanks, Becky!!
Trish
Must make this and will! Was recently looking for an oil-free mayo. Thanks!
Dianne
I hope you enjoy it, Trish!
Nancy A.
How long will this last in the fridge? I may have overlooked that part, but I can't find it. Thank you!
Dianne
Hi, Nancy! It will last about a week.
Sissel
Can you omit apple cider vinegar?
Dianne
I've never made it without the apple cider vinegar, so I can't guarantee that it will taste the same, but if you do need to leave it out, you can double the lemon juice.
Richard Wright
Diane, have you tried freezing this recipe? We don't use much mayo so probably wouldn't use this up in a week. Thanks for your great site!
Dianne
Hi, Richard. I'm glad you're enjoy the site! Silken tofu gets weird when it's frozen, so I don't recommend freezing this recipe. It will last about a week or so in the fridge. If you don't think you'll finish it all, you can cut it in half an use the rest of the silken tofu to make a salad dressing or smoothie.
trish
Can i use firm tofu? thats what i have on hand.
Dianne
Hi, Trish! No, firm tofu won't work, because it won't blend up to a creamy consistency.
CC
Just made this mayo with extra firm tofu and added about 1/4 c. of water. It is smooth and creamy. It taste great. Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Dianne
I'm glad it worked! Thanks for letting me know – I've only used silken, so I'm glad it works with extra firm tofu.