The vegan diet has become a trend in recent years, and there are many reasons for its rise. However, for me, it’s the environmental issue more than anything else, as I believe a vegan diet is crucial in protecting the planet.
So in this post, I want to show you how to make homemade vegan mayo. You only need 4 key ingredients, no chopping, no cooking, and just in 3 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with delicious, thick, creamy vegan mayo!
People eat meat and think they will become strong as an ox, forgetting that the ox eats grass.
Pino Caruso
What is vegan mayo?
Mayo is an essential pantry staple because it is such a great flavourful food enhancer. Traditionally, mayo is made of egg yolks, oil, vinegar (or lemon juice) and salt. However, some people use the whole egg instead of just the egg yolk. Either way, the regular mayo involves animal products in the making, so vegans can’t consume it.
As for vegan mayo, it still uses oil, vinegar and salt. But egg yolks are replaced by one of the following vegan ingredients: unsweetened soy milk, silken firm tofu or aquafaba. Aquafaba could sound alien to you, but you might already have it in your kitchen cupboard – it’s the liquid from tinned chickpeas. It’s also referred to as chickpea water, chickpea brine, or garbanzo bean water.
How does vegan mayo taste?
Honestly, I can’t taste the difference between the regular mayonnaise (i.e. egg-based mayo) and the vegan version. Vegan mayo is also generally healthier than egg-based mayo because the vegan one contains less saturated fat (because it’s eggless). For the homemade version, you can also use healthier oil in the recipe, such as avocado oil or olive oil, for a milder flavour.
Can I buy vegan mayo from shops?
Yes. Today, you can get vegan mayo from any chain supermarket. Most big brands have launched their vegan mayo product, including Heinz, Hellmann’s and Nando’s. Some supermarkets also introduced their own vegan mayo brands, such as TESCO, ASDA and CO-OP. However, nothing can beat the homemade version as you can twist it to the exact taste you like.
Vegan mayo with chickpea water
Equipment
- 1 measuring jug (has a capacity of 500ml at least)
- 1 immersion blender (food processor or food stand mixer with a whisk)
- 1 mason jar (or any glass jar to store the mayo)
Ingredients
- 60 ml aquafaba/chickpea water (see *note 1) (if you have more than 60ml chickpea water, just increase the quantity in the rest of ingredients)
- 250 ml sunflower oil (any cooking oil will do)
- 1 tsp vinegar (apple cider vinegar is my go-to. If you don't have this, just use lemon juice, either fresh or a bottled one)
- ½ tsp salt
Optional:
- 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried mixed herb
Instructions
- drain aquafaba (chickpea water/brine) from the tin
- get the measuring jug and add aquafaba
- add sunflower oil to the jug
- add salt
- add apple cider vinegar
- add the optional ones (see above) you'd like
- blend the ingredients (see *note 2)
- store the mayo in the glass jar (see *note 3)
Video
Notes
Another thing is that make sure you use fresh aquafaba, i.e. as soon as it’s drained from the tin. Make sure it’s at room temperature, too. The fresher the aquafaba is, the higher the success rate you’ll have. *note 2: Place the head of the hand blender at the bottom of the jug and turn it on high speed. Slowly lift the head of the blender until all the oil is incorporated with other ingredients. Once it reaches the consistency you like, you can switch off the blender. *note 3: If you aren’t going to have mayo straight away, then store it in a glass jar. Put the lid on. If your kitchen isn’t too hot, leave the jar at room temperature for 2 hours, then put it in the fridge. That way, your mayo will even be creamier the next day.
The verdict of vegan mayo
I served my homemade vegan mayo with french fries, vegan BLT, and potato salad at some of my dinner parties. Honestly, none of my guests can tell it’s vegan mayo – it tastes just like a real thing! They also said they’ll swap vegan mayo for their egg-based mayo after learning it can be healthier. I also think this is an effective way to show your friends/family members how easy it can be to adapt to a vegan diet, which doesn’t require them to give up their favourite condiments.
As for yourself, if you aren’t a vegan yet, you don’t need to stop eating non-vegan foods all at once. Instead, changing one thing at a time and gradually adapting to a vegan diet will have a higher success rate. Frankly speaking, I am still working on my way to being a full-time vegan, as the availability of vegan food varies when I travel to other places/countries. However, I don’t beat myself up on that as I know I’ve tried my best.
Lastly, I’d like to share a Chinese saying: ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step‘. The notion of this proverb is a daunting task can usually be started with a simple thing. So, let your vegan journey begin with vegan mayo, and keep moving forward to achieve your goal.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Lao Tzu
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