Homemade Fresh, Seed Oil Free Mayo

You literally can't buy a mayo without seed oil in the store. You do need a stick blender, unless you have robot wrists that can spin around. They're cheap, I'll reply to this article with an Amazon link for mine with price.

Ingredients

1 large egg (room temperature helps emulsify; use pasteurized if concerned about raw egg)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or white wine vinegar/distilled vinegar for tangier flavor)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (helps stabilize the emulsion; optional but recommended)

¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste; kosher or fine sea salt)

Pinch of sugar (optional, for slight balance)

1 cup neutral oil (avocado oil for clean/mild taste and health benefits; light olive oil, avoid extra-virgin olive oil as it can turn bitter) I get my avocado oil in bulk from @wincofoods.

Equipment

Immersion blender (stick blender)

Tall, narrow container/jar that just fits the blender head snugly (e.g., the cup that came with your blender, a wide-mouth pint mason jar, or tall measuring cup). This is key—the tight fit creates the vortex for emulsification. (Comes with blender)

Instructions

Crack the egg into the bottom of your tall container.

Add the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and any optional sugar.

Pour the oil on top last (it should float above the other ingredients).

Insert the immersion blender all the way to the bottom so the blades touch the egg mixture (don't turn it on yet).

Turn the blender on high speed and hold it steady at the bottom for 10–20 seconds. You'll see the emulsion start forming and thickening from the base upward (white mayo "billowing" out).

Once the bottom is mostly emulsified (about 15–30 seconds total), slowly lift and tilt the blender head upward through the remaining oil to incorporate everything. Move it gently up and down a few times if needed until smooth and thick—no pulsing or fast whipping.

Stop when it's creamy and holds peaks (total blending time: 30–60 seconds usually). Taste and adjust salt/lemon if needed.

Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.

Yield & Storage

Makes ~1–1.25 cups.

Keeps in the fridge for 1 week (raw egg base; use sooner if concerned).

If it breaks (looks separated), rescue by starting a new egg/lemon/mustard base in another jar and slowly blending in the broken mayo.

Tips for Success (Especially First Time)

Container fit is crucial — If too wide, the emulsion won't form properly; double the recipe if your jar is large.

Start on high — Don't go low; high speed creates the fast shear needed.

Oil choice — Avocado oil gives a neutral, premium taste. Light olive oil is fine too, but you'll have to read the label closely.

Troubleshooting — If it stays runny, oil was added too fast or container too wide; add more oil slowly while blending. Room-temp egg/lemon helps.

Variations — Add garlic for aioli, herbs, or hot sauce after it's set.

This method is nearly foolproof compared to whisking or food processor versions.