Aquafaba mayo is creamy, tangy, and made with only 8 ingredients. This oil-free vegan mayo has half the calories (and even less than half the fat) of traditional mayonnaise yet still tastes luxuriously rich! Plant-based and ready in minutes. Contains no soy, gluten, oil, coconut, or eggs.
Last week I was craving my favorite vegan tuna salad, but first I needed to whip up a batch of homemade vegan mayo. And that's how we've arrived at today's recipe, this ultra creamy, perfectly tangy, aquafaba mayo.
Bonus points because it also put the aquafaba from those chickpeas to good use!
I've never been a big mayonnaise person, and my husband isn't either. So we don't usually keep mayonnaise in the fridge, which means that when I do need mayo for a recipe, I usually end up tossing together a light vegan tofu mayo, like the one in this chickpea salad recipe.
But I wanted a richer, thicker mayo this time around, though still oil-free. And the combination of cashews and aquafaba accomplished it beautifully.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love Oil-Free Mayo
Does this oil-free mayonnaise taste exactly like full-fat regular mayo? Well, no. It doesn't.
But is it deliciously tangy and creamy and awesome in its own right? Yes! It is!
Here are a few reasons why I think you'll LOVE this healthy vegan mayo. It's....
- tangy, salty, barely sweet, and oh so thick
- easy - no stressing over emulsification of oils
- ready in minutes
- has HALF the fat and calories of regular mayonnaise
- versatile - use it in any recipe where you need mayo
- made with pantry staples
- and even though it's made with cashews, it's still very affordable - especially if you're like us and have a tendency to spend $6 on a jar of vegan mayonnaise only to waste about 75% of it!
Ingredient Notes
To make low-fat aquafaba mayo you'll need the following ingredients (pictured below):
- aquafaba - this is the liquid in a can of chickpeas (or white beans). Or if you cook your own beans, use the cooking liquid. Feel free to use water instead if you don't have aquafaba or prefer not to use it.
- raw cashews
- fresh lemon juice
- apple cider vinegar
- white vinegar
- mustard powder or prepared mustard
- garlic and onion powder, optional
- sweetener such as cane sugar, brown rice syrup, agave, or maple syrup
- fine sea salt
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
Instructions
- If not using a high-speed blender, soak the cashews by placing them in a bowl and covering with boiling water. Soak for 1 hour, then drain. Alternatively, substitute 6 tablespoons raw cashew butter (this is a very full ⅓ cup).
- Beginning with the lesser amount on ingredients where a range is given, combine everything in a blender, and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust the acid, salt, and sweetness.
- Use immediately or transfer the mayo to a clean jar and refrigerate until chilled, 2 to 4 hours. It will thicken as it cools.
Tips
I find that using a combination of three different acids (lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and white vinegar) prevents any one flavor from coming through too strongly. You don't want your mayo to taste too lemon-y, for example.
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I prefer a significantly tangy mayo, but you can easily adjust the amounts to suit your own palate.
In testing the recipe I tried to mimic the ingredient list of Vegenaise, well, as closely as I could considering this one has no oil. I even tested it with a tiny bit of pea protein since Vegenaise includes pea protein.
I wanted to see if it worked some sort of magic on the final product, and in short, I can't really say that it did. So I've adjusted the recipe slightly since it was first published to remove the pea protein (it was listed as optional).
Variation: Vegan Aioli
Transform this into an irresistible vegan aioli by adding 1 or 2 cloves of garlic or a teaspoon or more of garlic powder to the blender. It's always a good idea to start with less and taste as you go.
Vegan Mayo Without Nuts
If you're interested in a nut-free vegan mayo, you can substitute raw sunflower seeds for the cashews in this recipe.
Simply soak the seeds in hot water for about 30 minutes, then rinse and drain well before adding to the blender.
For another option, check out this oil-free pumpkin seed mayo by Rosa over at This Healthy Kitchen.
How long does it keep?
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator the mayo lasts up to one week. If separation occurs, simply stir before using.
The recipe makes about 1 cup, so it's pretty easy to use within a week. All of the ingredients are freezer-friendly, too. So you can probably even freeze it. I haven't tried, though, since we always use it up!
Ways To Use Aquafaba Mayo
Use this vegan mayo anywhere you might use regular store-bought mayo, such as:
- The Best Vegan Tuna Salad (chickpeas + jackfruit)
- Vegan Chicken Salad (same as above!)
- Curried Chickpea Salad
- Make an epic Vegan BLT
- and so many other vegan sandwiches
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Chickpea Salad With Dill
- Use it to make Vegan Ranch Dressing or Creamy Jalapeno Dressing
- Stir it into Vegan Honey Mustard to make it extra creamy
- Use it instead of tahini in Harissa Dressing and Carrot Raisin Salad!
More Aquafaba Recipes
I hope you enjoy this Oil-Free Vegan Aquafaba Mayo! If you give it a try be sure to leave a star rating and let us know in the comments below.
Recipe
Oil-Free Vegan Aquafaba Mayo
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup raw cashews (90 g) - See step 1 below
- ⅓ cup aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas or white beans), either salted or unsalted - Or use water
- 1 tablespoon water - Omit if subbing water for aquafaba
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons organic cane sugar, brown rice syrup, agave or maple syrup - Cane sugar and agave taste the most neutral
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder, optional
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon mustard powder - Sub ½ teaspoon prepared mustard if needed, and reduce one of the vinegars by ½ tsp.
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt - Adjust based on whether the aquafaba is salted or not
Instructions
- A high-speed blender is recommended for the creamiest consistency; if using a standard blender, soak cashews first by placing them in a bowl and covering with boiling water. Soak for 1 hour, then drain. Alternatively, substitute 6 tablespoons raw cashew butter (a very full ⅓ cup).
- For the ingredients where a range is indicated, begin with the lesser amount. Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust acid, salt, and sweetness.
- Use immediately or transfer the mayo to a jar and refrigerate until chilled, 2 to 4 hours. It will thicken as it cools.
Notes
Storage
Store homemade vegan mayo in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (this may vary). Always use clean utensils and containers for serving and storage to extend freshness. All of the ingredients are freezer-friendly, so you can probably freeze it. I haven't tried, though, since we always use it up!Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Sarah
I swapped the cashews for silken tofu-came out excellent, and tastes like mayo!
Ron Callahan
Hey Lori,
This is the best vegan mayo I've tried. It is very tasty and is everything I want mayo to be. I actually like it better than Miracle Whip. This is a keeper. Thank you so much!
Ron
Jim
Love it! Its super easy to make, and tastes fantastic. I forgot how much I missed mayo. I made a faux-chicken(chickpea) salad with it. But on its own in a spoon its delicious. This is now going to be a regular go to on a weekly basis. Thank you!!
KC
The best compliment I can give you is to say: "THIS IS THE ONE!!!"