No-Fail Hand-Whisked Mayo Recipe | Classic Homemade Mayo Without a Blender
This no-fail hand-whisked mayo yields a rich, creamy, and stable mayonnaise using simple pantry ingredients and a whisk. Control the flavor, thickness, and oil with a reliable emulsification method.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or smooth yellow mustard)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1 cup neutral oil (grapeseed, sunflower, canola, or light olive oil)
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water, if needed to adjust thickness
- Optional: 1 small garlic clove, grated
- Optional: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- Optional: 1 teaspoon white miso
Instructions
Instructions
- Bring the egg yolk and lemon juice or vinegar to room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Stabilize a medium metal or glass bowl on a damp towel and use a balloon whisk.
- Whisk together the egg yolk, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice or vinegar until creamy and slightly lighter in color, then season with a pinch of salt.
- While whisking constantly, add oil drop by drop for the first 2 to 3 tablespoons until a thick, glossy paste forms.
- Increase to a very thin, steady stream of oil while whisking nonstop, pausing the oil if the mixture stops absorbing it.
- When all the oil is incorporated, whisk in additional lemon juice or vinegar to taste and season with salt and pepper.
- If the mayo is too thick, whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons cold water to loosen, then whisk 10 to 15 seconds more until smooth and glossy.
- Adjust acidity and salt to taste and fold in any optional add-ins if using.
- If the mayo breaks, whisk together 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon Dijon in a clean bowl, then slowly whisk in the broken mayo a spoonful at a time to re-emulsify.
Notes
Use neutral, fresh-tasting oil; avoid using all extra-virgin olive oil to prevent bitterness. Store in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator and use within 5–7 days. For safety, consider pasteurized eggs. Whole egg can be used for a lighter mayo. If too thick, loosen with cold water or more acid.