Easy Vegan Mayo Recipe (Actually Healthy + 2 Ways!)

GFGluten Free

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Forget store-bought, make your own Vegan Mayo using this easy recipe! It’s Oil-Free, Healthy, and has both Nut-Free and Soy-Free Options.

What’s that, you say? Vegan Mayo that’s Oil-Free, actually tastes like Mayonnaise, and has both a Nut-Free and a Soy-Free option?

Yeah, you heard me right 😉

ingredients for Vegan Mayo on wood cutting board

I’m all about celebrating the flavors of whole plant foods, but sometimes you just need a little mayo in your life, ya know? And when I want Mayo, I want the almost-real-deal.  Taste, texture, and color! There I chose each ingredient in this recipe very carefully…

  • Cashews OR Tofu: some people are Nut-Free, while other avoid Soy. Therefore, I created TWO recipes using either Cashews or Tofu! I’ll share notes below on each variety, so you can decide which one you’d like to make for yourself.
  • Lemon Juice AND Vinegar: traditional Mayo has some acidity to it, so we need to include some in our recipe as well! The Mayo tasted too Lemony when I used all Lemon Juice, so I did a 50-50 split with Distilled White Vinegar to even it out.
  • Nutritional Yeast: gives a nice “dairy-esque” flavor to the Mayo, as well as more depth of flavor! A little goes a long way.
  • Dijon Mustard: again, this contributes to the “tang” that is classic to Mayo. You only need a bit, but it makes a dramatic difference!

overhead shot of glass jars of tofu and cashew mayonnaise

Each recipe has the same basic ingredients, though there are a few slight adjustments. Mayonnaise normally has a subtle sweetness to it — I found that the Cashew Mayo still had this sweetness (from the Cashews), but the Tofu Mayo did not. So we need to add a bit of sugar to the Tofu Mayo! Tofu itself also holds a lot more liquid than Cashews, so we actually need to drain and dry it a bit to get that thick and fluffy consistency that we’re looking for.

Don’t worry friends, it’ll all be in the recipe notes. Now, on to texture and color! I compared both of my homemade Mayos with a store-bought Vegan Mayonnaise, for reference.

spoons of tofu, store-bought, and cashew mayo

You’ll notice that the Tofu Mayo (left), appears a little more yellow than the store-bought Mayo (center), while the Cashew Mayo (right) appears a touch more yellow-gray. In terms of consistency, I found that the Tofu Mayo was initially more runny than the store-bought Mayonnaise, but it thickened up in the fridge overnight. The Cashew Mayo was as thick as the store-bought Mayo straight off the bat, but also thickened in the fridge. So if you’re planning to use it over time, I would suggest adding a little more water to it!

The Cashew Mayo also appears to be slightly less smooth than the other two types of Vegan Mayo, but I did not notice a difference when actually using it in recipes. That being said, you’ll definitely need a high-speed blender to make the Cashew variety.

piece of bread with 3 mayo streaks on it

Now, let’s look at spreadability! I found that all three varieties spread very well over a slice of bread. As you can see, the Tofu (left) and Store-bought (center) seem to be the most similar. However, I still found the Cashew Mayo (right) to spread quite nicely. As I mentioned earlier, you can also add a little bit more water to the recipe to get a smoother consistency.

So, what’s the deal? Is one variety of Vegan Mayo actually better than the other?

I think this is a hard one! Obviously, you may need to make one version of Vegan Mayo vs. another due to dietary restrictions, but I would say I personally prefer the Cashew Mayo over the Tofu Mayo, just slightly. Both of them taste pretty darn close to actual Mayo, but the Tofu Mayo does have a subtle “soy” flavor to it. I found that the Cashew Mayo had a much more neutral flavor, and tasted more like actual Mayonnaise.

That being said, the Tofu Mayo is still a great option and is much more budget-friendly! Not only is Tofu less expensive than Cashews, but you don’t need to have a powerful blender to make it.

glass jars of tofu and cashew mayo on wood cutting board

At the end of the day, both of these Vegan Mayos taste awesome! Traditional Mayonnaise is made with Egg Yolks and a Neutral Oil…I personally try to avoid both of those things. I was so happy when I was able to recreate the exact same Mayo consistency and flavor, but using whole food ingredients. Not only are these Mayos tasty, but it’s also pretty darn good for you too.

Feel free to use them as you would normal Mayo! Both are great on Sandwiches, in Salad Dressings, or anywhere you would traditionally use Mayonnaise. And if you do end up making both varieties, let me know which one was your favorite in the comments below!

jars of mayo, piece of bread, and mayo ingredients on wood cutting board

If you’re looking for more Vegan Spreads, you’ll also love this Vegan Chipotle Mayo and this Creamy Cilantro Dressing!

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

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Easy Vegan Mayo Recipe

Forget store-bought, make your own Vegan Mayo using this easy recipe! It’s Oil-Free, Healthy, and has both Nut-Free and Soy-Free Options.

  • Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 Minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: about 1 1/4 cup 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Blender
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ozSilken Tofu OR 1 cup whole Cashews, soaked overnight
  • 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Distilled White Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1/4 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/41/3 cup water (for the Cashew version ONLY)
  • 1/4 tsp White Sugar (for the Tofu version ONLY)

Instructions

For the Tofu Mayo:

  1. Remove the Silken Tofu from its package, removing as much water as possible. Cut the Tofu into cubes and carefully place them onto a dry and clean dish towel. Let the Tofu sit on the towel for 5-10 minutes, to absorb extra moisture.
  2. Add the Silken Tofu Cubes, Lemon Juice, Vinegar, Nutritional Yeast, Dijon Mustard, Sugar, and Salt to a high-speed blender. Blend for 45 seconds, or until everything is well incorporated.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a glass jar or sealable container, and store in the fridge for up to 10 days.

For the Cashew Mayo:

  1. Drain your soaked Cashews, if they are still in liquid. Add the Cashews, Lemon Juice, Vinegar, Nutritional Yeast, Dijon Mustard, and Salt to a high-speed blender.
    1. Add 1/4 cup of Filtered Water if you are using the Cashew Mayo immediately in a recipe
    2. Add 1/3 cup of Filtered Water if you are planning on using the Mayo over time (ex: Sandwiches)
  2. Blend all ingredients together for 60 seconds, then transfer to a glass jar or sealable container.
  3.  Store in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Notes

  • I do not recommend any substitutions for this recipe; each ingredient serves a specific purpose, and if you must use it if you are looking for a realistic Vegan Mayo!
  • You MUST use Silken Tofu for this recipe, or the final product will not be as smooth. If you are using Cashew pieces in place of whole Cashews, use a heaping 3/4 cup.
  • If you forget to soak your Cashews ahead of time, you can either (1) carefully pour hot water over them and let sit for 30 minutes, or (2) microwave them in water for 3 minutes and let sit until soft.

Keywords: vegan mayo, vegan mayonnaise, egg free mayo, dairy free mayo, tofu mayo, cashew mayo

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Forget store-bought, make your own Vegan Mayo using this easy recipe! It's Oil-Free, Healthy, and has both Nut-Free and Soy-Free Options. #mayo #healthymayo #veganmayo #mayonnaise #mayorecipe #oilfreemayo #nutfree #soyfree #glutenfree #vegan #dairyfree #plantbased via frommybowl.com

About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. This is the best vegan mayo I have made! I made it with cashews. Next time I may try to split, some cashews some tofu, to lower the fat content.

  2. Hi,

    I made the silken tofu version and it is really delicious, I highly recommend it. I was really surprised that it tastes exactly the same as the original mayo and you can’t notice any difference. Besides, it is also very easy and quick to make. Thanks for all delicious and simple recipes!

    Regards, Kalina

  3. I’ve made many vegan mayos and I’ve hated them all.
    This one is an absolute winner. I made the cashew version and added black salt. I also doubled the lemon and vinegar just because I like a tang in the mayo.Oh And I had no mooch so I didn’t add it, I will the next time. This will be my go to from now on!! Gonna share with everyone. Thank you.

  4. I made the soy version with Mori-Nu shelf stable extra firm shelf stable tofu. It was a 12.3 oz. box, so I increased the ingredients by half. It turned out great–and so easy! Thanks for the recipe Caitlin!

  5. I make the cashew one all the time. I usually end up doubling or tripling the lemon juice and vinegar. It’s so good. I’ve tried so many mayo recipes and this one by far is the best.

  6. I haven’t made this yet, I plan on making the tofu version. I was wondering if I could substitute the sugar with maple syrup? I try to stay away from regular sugar and I can’t stand the tastes of stevia or other artificial sugars..

    1. Hi Cris, unless you have a high-powered version like a vitamix or blendtec I don’t think the end result would be smooth and creamy enough

  7. I made the tofu version but used all lemon juice since I didn’t have white vinegar. I found it much too salty having used 3/4 t. of Kosher salt (perhaps it was tested with a different variety, though I think Kosher is usually one of the less salty versions of salt). I was using it for Caitlin’s delicious Chickpea Salad Sandwich recipe, so I just left any additional salt out of that recipe and it worked out just fine, but I would recommend reducing the salt by half and then adding more to taste if necessary. There is a bit of soy flavor in the tofu mayonnaise (as you would expect), but overall, the taste and consistency are really good besides the saltiness. Once its flavor is masked a bit more by whatever you’re adding the mayo to, you don’t notice the soy flavor and can’t tell it isn’t just normal mayo. I love how much healthier it is than traditional and even popular vegan mayos! This recipe, adjusted for my own salt tolerance, will become a staple. Thanks!

  8. Hello again – I just sent the same qu for the a different recipe and thought I should ask here too since it is a different recipe – it calls for SIlken tofu – but which one for the mayo? I went on Amazon and there is Silken Super Firm, Firm, Lite Firm, Soft. I really am looking for a mayo substitute and would love to try this one.

    1. I usually use refrigerated silken tofu, which is a little different than shelf-stable. If you are going with shelf-stable tofu, I would recommend getting the softest one.

  9. I decided to experiment and used sprouted extra firm tofu. It blended quite well in my ninja bullet. I had to add about 1/3 cup water to get the consistency of mayo. On its own it tastes mildly of tofu but added to something else (like chickpea salad sandwich) you can’t taste the tofu at all! Great consistency. Thank you for the healthier version of mayo!

    1. Ooh sprouted tofu, sounds interesting for the mayo! Thanks for giving that a shot and letting us know how it went!

  10. Amazing! Made the tofu version and was surprised how tasty it was with so little seasoning 🙂 although I confess to adding a touch more nutritional yeast! thank you ☺️

  11. Hi Catlin,
    I made your cashew mayo and it was amazing! I tweaked the recipe a little as I found that it needed more flavour for my taste, so I added a few cloves of garlic and then to 1/2 the recipe I added sriracha for some spicy mayo which was AMAZING! Thanks for the basic recipe. Love it!!!

      1. They sound amazing. I want to try the cashew mayo but am wondering if I can use any other vinegar or would you recommend white?

      2. We recommend using distilled white vinegar to achieve the most authentic mayo taste, but you can experiment with other types of vinegar if you prefer. Keep in mind that the taste of the final product may be slightly different depending on the type of vinegar you use.

  12. Hi Caitlin,

    I’m tempted to make this super soon and just threw out our Dijon mustard. Just wondering if regular yellow mustard would work?

    1. I think yellow mustard should work just as well! A slightly different flavor but the same idea!