Oil-Free Plant-Based Mayonnaise ~ Green Circle Kitchen

Name: Oil-Free Plant-Based Mayonnaise
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 min
Ingredients: ½ cup cashews, pre-soaked* (unsalted and unroasted); ¼ cup aquafaba (liquid brine from a can of chickpeas); ¼ cup silken tofu, firm or extra firm (1/4 cup = a little over 2 ounces); 2 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar; ¼ tsp black salt (kala namak)*; 1 tsp flake sea salt; 1 tsp dijon mustard; ⅛ tsp paprika

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oil-free plant-based mayonnaise in wooden spoon over jar

Bright, tangy, & creamy

Traditional mayonnaise is made with a base of egg yolks, oil, and vinegar. Finding an egg-free and oil-free plant-based mayo in the store can be quite a challenge. Most (if not all?) of the "vegan" mayonnaise options available in the store contain oil. In addition, there seem to be limited options for oil-free plant-based mayo recipes online. Lucky for us, this bright, tangy, & creamy mayonnaise has us covered! 😁

This mayo has no oil, no egg, & no dairy yet it's still nicely creamy and tangy. Therefore, you can feel free to use this much healthier option in place of store-bought mayonnaise in any recipe.

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Bright, tangy, & creamy
Gathering all of your ingredients
Blend all of the ingredients
Store in a sealed container
📖 Recipe

oil-free plant-based mayonnaise mise en place on wooden cutting board

Gathering all of your ingredients

To make this easy oil-free plant-based mayonnaise, begin by gathering all of your ingredients. A high-speed blender will help you reach the best creamy consistency for this recipe. So, you'll want to be sure your cashews are soaked well prior to blending, especially if you are not using a high-speed blender.

In this recipe, the cashews, silken tofu, and aquafaba add to the creamy texture while the lemon juice, distilled vinegar, and dijon mustard balance out the sweetness of the cashews and bring forward the tanginess we're used to. In addition, the black salt adds a very subtle eggy quality to mimic the eggs included in regular mayonnaise.

oil-free plant-based mayonnaise ingredients in blender

Blend all of the ingredients

After placing the ingredients into the high-speed blender in the order listed, simply blend all of the ingredients for about 2 minutes, until the sauce becomes nice and creamy smooth. If you are using a regular blender, you may need to blend the sauce longer. It may also be best to add small amounts of the cashews at a time, allowing each small batch to blend thoroughly before adding the next.

oil-free plant-based mayonnaise in jar top view

Store in a sealed container

After blending, pour the mayo into your preferred storage container. This recipe, which makes about a cup of mayonnaise, fits nicely in a 16 oz wide-mouthed canning jar (you could actually double the recipe & it should still fit), though any sealed container should work well.

Store in a sealed container the refrigerator, where it should last about 4-6 days.

I have not tried freezing this recipe yet. However, you may be able to freeze this mayonnaise for up to 4 months. Please keep in mind the consistency will likely change with freezing. When removing from the freezer, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator. Then, you may need to re-blend or whisk the sauce in order to make it creamy smooth again.

What is black salt?

Black salt also goes by "kala namak", Himalayan black salt, or Indian black salt. It is frequently used in Indian and Asian cuisine. It has a very sulfurous quality to it that is reminiscent of egg yolks, so it is often used to provide an eggy quality in eggless dishes.

Where can I find black salt?

You may be able to find black salt in a specialty grocery store near you. I purchased my black salt from Amazon several years ago. Since only a very little amount is used in any given recipe, a small quantity of black salt lasts quite a long time.

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the brine or liquid drained from a can of chickpeas (chickpeas are also called garbanzo beans). It's an excellent egg replacement in many recipes & it can even be whipped to the consistency of whipped egg whites. It doesn't impart any sort of bean flavor in this recipe. It's quite remarkable stuff, actually! Each ~15 oz can of chickpeas contains about ¾ cup of aquafaba.

📖 Recipe

Oil-Free Plant-Based Mayonnaise

Green Circle Kitchen

A bright and tangy creamy oil-free and egg-free plant-based mayonnaise that can be used in place of any store bought vegan mayonnaise.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 2 mins

Cooling time (optional) 1 hr

Course Condiments, Sauces

Servings cup

Equipment

high-speed blender

Ingredients

½ cup cashews, pre-soaked* unsalted and unroasted
¼ cup aquafaba liquid brine from a can of chickpeas
¼ cup silken tofu, firm or extra firm ¼ cup = a little over 2 ounces
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
¼ tsp black salt (kala namak)*
1 tsp flake sea salt
1 tsp dijon mustard
⅛ tsp paprika

Instructions

Prepare your mise en place

Gather your ingredients including your pre-soaked cashews (see note).

Add all ingredients to your high-speed blender

Add all ingredients to your high-speed blender* in the order listed.

Blend

Blend ingredients for about 2 minutes or until creamy smooth.

Pour mayonnaise into a container, seal, and refrigerate

Pour the creamy mayonnaise into a container of your choosing (a 16 oz wide-mouthed canning jar works really well), seal & refrigerate. The mayonnaise will thicken slightly as it cools.

Cool mayonnaise in the refrigerator

Depending on how you're using this mayonnaise, you may wish to cool it in the refrigerator prior to using it. The mayonnaise will thicken slightly as it cools.

Storing the mayonnaise

You can store the mayonnaise in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It should last 4-6 days. If some separation occurs, stir to combine before using.
I have not tried freezing this recipe yet. However, you may be able to freeze this mayonnaise as well, for up to 4 months, though the consistency will likely change. When removing from the freezer, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator. Then, you may need to re-blend or whisk the sauce in order to make it creamy smooth again.

Notes

*Using a high-speed blender: A high-speed blender is necessary to bring this recipe to its intended creamy consistency. A regular blender can be used but the texture of the sauce will likely not be quite as creamy. If using a regular blender, be sure to soak your cashews (see note below) and consider adding a smaller amount of cashews at a time during the blending process.

*Soaking cashews: Soaking cashews is definitely helpful for making sauces such as this more creamy. It is especially important if you are not using a high-speed blender. I recommend soaking your cashews for at least an hour (in boiling-hot water) or for several hours or overnight in room temperature water. Drain thoroughly after soaking.

*Black salt (kala namak): Black salt offers a sulfurous aroma unique to Asian and Indian cooking. Regular (non-plant-based) mayonnaise contains eggs. The black salt contributes a very subtle egginess to this egg-free mayonnaise recipe.

Keyword aquafaba, cream sauce, egg-free, mayo, mayonnaise, oil-free, plant-based, salad dressing, tangy, vegan, WFPB, WFPBNO

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!