How to Make Vegan Mayo

Bring on the summer salads, wraps, and sandwiches! As I embrace the transition to a plant-based diet, I'm realizing it really isn't that difficult to find vegan alternatives to my favorite everyday convenience foods, including cool, creamy mayonnaise.

I've been reading about how to make vegan mayo, cashew cheese (like this recipe from The Full Helping), and a slew of protein-packed nut butters. It's a delicious world! Summer is a great time to try a whole new plant-based way to cook, and I'm digging in.

Tips for Going Vegan

First and foremost, if you're new to the vegan lifestyle, focus on what you can eat rather than what you're giving up. You've just opened the door (er, cookbook) on a new way to prepare foods that you've enjoyed for years. I never thought I'd turn beans into burgers or bananas into ice cream, but here I am doing it regularly!

You can also keep life simple by exploring the health sections of your local grocery stores or scouring the farmer's market for homemade vegan treats. I've been sampling a few brands of vegan mayo from the local store and now feel empowered to try making the vinegary condiment on my own. Here's how to make vegan mayo in a matter of minutes.

4 Vegan Mayo Recipes

Mayonnaise is deceptively simple. It's generally a blend of a tart acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, with a neutral-flavored oil and an egg yolk to bring it all together. But how do you make an egg condiment vegan? The egg is often replaced with another natural emulsifier: high-speed whipped air.

1. Classic vegan mayonnaise: This recipe from the Simple Vegan Blog uses only four ingredients and blends, literally, in two minutes thanks to the help of an immersion blender. If you have sunflower oil, unsweetened non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt on hand, you can make this today.
2. Vegan aquafaba mayo: If you're a chickpea fan, don't toss the water from your next open can down the drain. Save the brine to make this vegan mayo recipe from Minimalist Baker that features a pinch of savory mustard seed and dash of maple syrup for sweetness.
3. Easy homemade egg-free vegan mayonnaise: Have soy milk handy? Turn it into a simple vegan mayo by adding lemon juice, everyday pantry seasonings, and vegetable oil. The Spruce Eats shares easy instructions and everyday uses for this creamy sauce.
4. Vegan avocado mayo: If you're not a fan of oil-based sauces, this avocado mayo from My Darling Vegan is sure to tempt your taste buds. Lemon juice, chickpea brine, and garlic turn this green fruit into a delicious sandwich spread.

How to Use Vegan Mayo

In addition to amplifying your hoagies, vegan mayo can become the creamy, tart base for many condiments. Add a few chopped herbs like chives and parsley with a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to make a tangy salad dressing. Blend garlic into your mayo recipe and call it aioli! Or, use the mayo to bring together mashed chickpeas for The Kitchen Girl's faux egg salad that you can pile high on a bakery roll.

Vegan mayo can, of course, take the place of traditional mayonnaise in your favorite potato salad, onion dip, layered salad, salad dressing, pasta salad, or coleslaw recipe. We'd love to see and hear how you're using vegan mayo in your kitchen. Post a foodie picture to Instagram and with the #GoodMatters hashtag.

Image source: Angela Tague | Angela Tague

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