Homemade mayonnaise is one of those things that feels impossibly fancy until you make it once. Then you realize it takes 30 seconds, costs almost nothing, tastes ten times better than the jar, and impresses everyone who watches you do it.
The trick is the tool. By hand with a whisk, mayonnaise takes 10 minutes and breaks 30% of the time. With a food processor it works but you waste two egg yolks worth of mayo on the sides of the bowl. With an immersion blender it is so easy it almost feels like cheating.
Why an immersion blender is the right tool
Mayonnaise is an emulsion, millions of microscopic oil droplets suspended in water-based liquid (the egg yolk and acid). To create that emulsion you need to break the oil into tiny droplets very quickly, in a confined space, in the right order. An immersion blender held against the bottom of a tall narrow container does exactly that. The blade creates a vortex right at the egg yolk, oil joins the vortex from above, and emulsion happens in seconds.
This is also why the recipe below is foolproof. You are not relying on technique, you are relying on physics.
The recipe
Ingredients
1 whole egg, room temperature (cold egg = slower emulsion)
1 cup neutral oil (sunflower, grapeseed, or light olive — not extra virgin)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp fine salt
Method
- Crack the egg into a tall narrow container, a bamix®beaker is ideal because it is exactly the right diameter.
- Add the mustard, lemon juice, and salt directly on top of the egg.
- Pour all of the oil on top in one go. Do not stir.
- Lower the immersion blender all the way to the bottom of the container so the bell sits over the egg yolk. Do not lift it yet.
- Start the motor. Hold the blender still at the bottom for 8–10 seconds. You will see the mayonnaise form upward like magic.
- Once the bottom 80% is white and creamy, slowly raise the blender straight up over the next 5 seconds, pulling the unmixed oil at the top down into the emulsion.
- Stop. Done. The whole thing takes about 25 seconds of actual blending.
Why this works (and what to do if it doesn't)
If your mayonnaise breaks (separates into liquid oil and curdled bits), it is almost always one of three things: cold egg, wrong container shape, or you lifted the blender too early. Pour the broken mayo into a measuring cup, start over with one fresh yolk in your beaker, and slowly drizzle the broken mixture in like oil. It will reform.
Variations once you have the base
- Aioli: add 2 grated raw garlic cloves before blending
- Lemon herb: add zest of 1 lemon and 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
- Smoked: replace 2 tbsp of the oil with smoked olive oil, or finish with smoked paprika
- Spicy: add 1 tbsp sriracha or 1 tsp harissa after blending
What makes a bamix® different here
Two things matter for mayo: the blade design and the speed. The bamix® multi-purpose blade with its cutter guard creates exactly the bottom-up vortex this recipe relies on. And at 12,000 rpm on speed 1, it is fast enough to emulsify but not so violent it whips air into the mayo and turns it pale and foamy.
Cheap stick blenders without a cutter guard tend to throw oil to the sides instead of pulling it down, which is exactly why their mayonnaise breaks.
FAQ
How long does homemade mayonnaise keep?
In a sealed jar in the fridge, 5–7 days. Always smell-test before serving.
Can I use olive oil?
Light olive oil yes; extra virgin no, the immersion blender breaks EVOO and makes it bitter.
Can I make this without raw egg?
Yes — use pasteurized eggs, available in most US supermarkets. The recipe works identically.
