I did a lot of experimenting to determine which oils provide the best-tasting mayonnaise, whilst providing excellent nutrition – I think this recipe is my fifth variation and I’m finally happy with it! My never-ending thanks to Nourishing Traditions cookbook for providing the lacto-fermentation method whereby the mayonnaise keeps for 3-4 months, rather than a couple of weeks, and results in yet another source of beneficial, food-based probiotics.

When you have a high nutrient mayonnaise composed of good, bio-available fats, you’ll start using it everywhere – dips, dressings, sauces, sandwiches, salads, etc. Remember, healthy fats are not used to make your body fat! They are used for crucial body functions like hormonal pathways and production, healthy hair, skin and nails. The cell membrane is 40% fat – so you need to eat a LOT of good fats to keep your body in optimum health.

Jini’s Homemade Lacto-Fermented Mayonnaise Recipe

Hand-held Blender Method:

Find a glass, ceramic or metal mixing container that fits fairly closely around your hand-held blender when it is at the bottom of the container (I use a metal milkshake cup).

1. Add these ingredients, in this order to the container:
2 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. raw liquid honey
1/4 tsp mustard powder (or 1 tsp fresh mustard)
1 tbsp. fresh liquid whey*
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
3 organic egg yolks

Add above ingredients to the blender container, run hot water around the outside of the container until ingredients are warmed to room temperature and then puree on low speed until liquid.

2. Then add to the container*:
1/4 cup Italian extra-virgin organic olive oil at room temperature
1/4 cup cold-pressed organic sesame oil at room temperature
1/2 cup cold-pressed organic avocado oil at room temperature

Add oils, all at once to the container. Immerse the blender stick in the mixture and whip on LOW, holding the blender at the bottom of the container for 12 seconds, then you can move the blender wand up and down until mayo thickens.

3. Pour the mayonnaise into a glass jar, screw the lid on and let it sit on the counter (at room temperature) for 7 hours – the whey in your mayonnaise will now lacto-ferment your mayonnaise.

4. Then place it in the fridge and mayonnaise will now keep for several months (due to the protective bacteria created by lacto-fermenting the mayonnaise with the fresh liquid whey).

*Important: Oils MUST be at room temperature or your mayo will not thicken. So measure out your oils into one glass jar. Leave them sitting on the counter until they reach room temperature OR run hot water over the outside of the jar to warm your oils. Make sure all these oils are brand new, or have been refrigerated immediately after opening. Do not use oil that has been sitting on the counter for a day or more after opening, since cold-pressed oils go rancid quickly and you will not get a good-tasting mayonnaise.

Dairy-Free Version

*If you wish, you can omit the whey and refrigerate immediately after making – this mayonnaise will then keep for about 2 weeks. The taste and texture (a bit firmer) are better if you use the whey to lacto-ferment it. But I’ve made it both ways and both are great!

You can also use 1/2 cup coconut oil and 1/2 cup olive oil instead of the blend I suggest, if you prefer.

Blender Method

You can use a traditional blender and the same recipe. But at Step 2, you need to add the oils very slowly, in the thinnest stream you can imagine, whilst the blender is running, in order to have the mayonnaise thicken. If you add the oils too quickly, you will end up with liquid mayonnaise and the ingredients will separate out.

About The Oils

Sesame oil lowers LDL cholesterol, is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and has been used in numerous clinical trials to inhibit the growth of melanoma and colon cancer cells.

Olive oil exerts anti-inflamatory, antithrombotic, antihypertensive as well as vasodilatory effects both in animals and in humans

Avocado oil is high in lutein (for eye health) and vitamin E and studies have shown it benefits arthritis and diabetes.

Egg yolks are an excellent food source of vitamins K2, B6, B12, D3 and DHA – this chart contains the full listing of all the fabulous nutrients in egg yolks:

egg-yolks-chart


Original post January 2012. Most recently updated March 2024.