The One-Ingredient Trick For Homemade Mayo That Doesn't Separate

With a just a few simple ingredients and less 10 minutes of your time, it's possible to whip up a batch of mayonnaise that will taste better than some of the best store-bought versions. So why aren't more people making their own mayo? Mayonnaise has a reputation for splitting when not made correctly, and given the price of eggs, it's understandable to be a little nervous about waste.

While technique is inevitably important, adding just a spoonful of Dijon mustard to the mix will make your mayonnaise much more stable. The mustard acts as an emulsifier, binding the oil with the water-based ingredients and preventing the mayonnaise from separating. Dijon mustard is recommended as it has a milder taste than regular mustard and won't overpower the rest of the ingredients.

This trick will work regardless of whether you make mayonnaise with the speedy immersion blender method or prefer to take the traditional route with a hand whisk (and a lot more time). Simply add the mustard to the egg and vinegar or lemon juice before you start to mix in the oil.

What makes mayonnaise difficult to master is that you're essentially trying to mix water and oil and make them stay together. The reason it works at all is that egg yolks contain lecithin, which is a natural emulsifier. While oil and water molecules prefer to stay separate, emulsifier molecules have one side that's attracted to oil and another that's attracted to water, forming a bond between the two.

Mustard is another natural source of lecithin, so by adding Dijon to mayonnaise, you're boosting the emulsifiers without upsetting your ratio of egg to oil. These emulsifying properties are why mustard is commonly added to salad dressings.

Store-bought mayonnaise often uses additional lecithin, which is extracted from a range of animal and plant matter, soy in particular. Not only does it help to provide a stable product, but it's also the secret to creamy plant-based mayonnaise without the need for egg.