Egg-free, vegan mayonnaise might sound impossible, considering the main ingredient in regular mayo is egg. But it’s possible, and even better, it’s delicious. Here at Hunter & Gather, we tend to focus on keto, paleo and low-carb diets, but that doesn't mean vegans can't enjoy some delicious foods we like to make and eat as well!
And this includes plant-based mayonnaise that features healthy fats rather than the commercial junk like canola oil (rapeseed oil), vegetable oil or soyabean oil. Let's go over some ways to get creative with vegan mayo.
Make Your Own Paleo Vegan Mayonnaise
If you've done some googling to try and find a good vegan mayonnaise recipe, you might have noticed that there are some interesting ingredient recommendations. One ingredient we've come across in a few recipes is the liquid inside a can of chickpeas (called aquafaba) to replace the egg in a traditional mayo recipe. You may also see soya milk listed in a number of vegan recipes.
We are not personally fans of soya milk and avoid it in our lifestyle. So, we are providing you with a paleo and keto-friendly recipe that is also egg-free and free from refined sugars, grains and seed oils.
Avocado Oil Vegan Mayonnaise Recipe
This recipe is quite similar to the real thing in flavour and consistency but happens to be completely egg-free (it's also dairy-free and gluten-free).
To make this recipe a success, all the ingredients should be at room temperature, not cold from the fridge, so go grab your ingredients and set them on the counter before we move to the next steps.
You'll also need an immersion blender (or stick blender) for its emulsifying power. It’s one of our favourite kitchen gadgets because it's easy, requires minimal cleanup, and creates just as great a blend as a food processor for a number of applications.
We've also found that for homemade mayonnaise specifically, the immersion blender gives you way better results than a food processor or a regular blender. The latter two appliances yield watery results that don't emulsify properly. If you have a jar with a mouth just wide enough to fit the immersion blender in, use that to make and store your mayo.
Ingredients for this recipe, much like many of the condiment and dressing recipes we share here at Hunter & Gather, are a road map that you can tailor to your own taste buds. You can mix and match to create different flavours, as long as you keep the basics the same.
The must-have ingredients to make about two cups of mayo include:
- Avocado oil or other neutral fruit oil (240 millilitres)
- Unsweetened nut milk — almond or cashew milk are probably the creamiest (120 millilitres)
- Apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice (4 grams)
- Sea salt (about 2 grams or to taste)
Optional ingredients to mix and match according to your taste include:
- Garlic puree for a vegan aioli (about 6 grams or to taste)
- Dijon mustard to increase the tang (4 grams or to taste)
- Dried spices like paprika, chipotle peppers or other dried powder spices (2 grams or to taste). Check out our Pink Mayo recipe for a great example of how to use these spices.
The prep time for this recipe is basically the time it takes for your nut milk to come to room temperature and place everything into your jar.
That's because the blending process is kind of like magic, especially if you follow our advice about using a jar to blend it. The emulsifying process will happen so fast, you'll want to make another batch just to see the magic happen a second time. It makes for a good excuse to try two different flavour profiles!
Special note: You might be wondering why we didn't include extra virgin olive oil in this recipe. EVOO is an incredibly strong flavour, and if you use it to make a full jar of any kind of mayo (including regular mayonnaise), you'll find that the flavour takes over and is a little bit bitter. If you love the flavour of EVOO, try reducing your avocado oil by about 15 millilitres and replacing that small amount with EVOO. Try doing that with the garlic puree add-in, and you'll have an Italian-inspired mayo that will knock your socks off.
Get Creative With Vegan Mayo
Whether you decide to try one of the formulas we've suggested above or would rather just buy super high-quality vegan mayo and save the time and dishes, there are tons of ways to use it in your cooking.
Mayonnaise makes an excellent base ingredient for salad dressings, especially if you're looking for a creamy consistency but need it to be dairy-free. Whisk it into your favourite vinegar and spices for a creamy and flavourful vegan salad dressing. We have two great slaw recipes, Avocado Mayonnaise Coleslaw and Asian Cashew Coleslaw, both of which would go great with vegan mayo.
If you're looking to get a little bit fancier with a more involved recipe, try this amazing idea from the Healthy Consultant. This spinach artichoke dip checks all the boxes: paleo, keto, vegan and tasty. It can be pretty challenging to hit a homerun across all of those categories, but it's not impossible, we assure you. And a dish like this makes for a terrific appetiser to serve at a party when you're not sure who has which type of dietary restriction.
You can also skip the complicated recipe and use your vegan mayo as-is for a simple dipping sauce. Slice up some fresh veg crudités and dig in, whether you like your mayo plain or with some extra pizzazz from the list up top. For a paleo (but not keto) treat, try dipping some baked or air-fried sweet potato or parsnip chips into your vegan mayo. You might also try Hunter & Gather Unsweetened Ketchup for a lovely vegan and keto pairing.
If you want to make a tasty vegan, paleo and keto-friendly grilled cheese, try slathering your egg-free keto bread with vegan mayo and grill or pan-fry with sliced almond cheese. Or, if you're just egg-free and not dairy-free, you can use regular cheese.
Egg Sensitivity Solutions
About 0.5% of the population in the UK have some sort of egg allergy or sensitivity, so it's not just vegans who may be looking for egg-free mayonnaise [1]. If you've found that you don't feel great after eating eggs or foods containing eggs, egg-free vegan mayonnaise could be the perfect solution to your condiment woes.
Here are some of our favourite keto recipe ideas that can include either our classic mayo or our vegan, egg-free Mayocado:
Really any recipe that calls for mayonnaise is a good candidate for the egg-free swap. And whether you make it yourself or grab one of ours, you can always jazz it up with herbs and spices.
The Best Vegan Mayo
Whether you're vegan or simply unable to eat eggs, you have options with egg-free mayonnaise.
Make your own with a neutral oil like avocado oil, an acid like vinegar or lemon juice, your favourite unsweetened nut milk and a touch of salt, and you'll be on your way. If you find that your first time making it, it's a little too liquidy or not quite what you had in mind, don't give up. Just get yourself an immersion blender and a jar, and try again! You'll be on your way in no time.
All information provided on our website and within our articles is simply information, opinion, anecdotal thoughts and experiences to provide you with the tools to thrive.
It is not intended to treat or diagnose symptoms and is definitely not intended to be misconstrued for medical advice. We always advise you seek the advice of a trained professional when implementing any changes to your lifestyle and dietary habits.
We do however recommend seeking the services of a trained professional who questions the conventional wisdom to enable you to become the best version of yourself.
REFERENCES
[1] https://www.egginfo.co.uk/egg-safety/allergy/qas#:~:text=By%20the%20age%20of%20six,UK%20are%20sensitive%20to%20eggs.
