Easy Vegan Aquafaba Mayo Recipe

Mayonnaise has become an essential condiment in our kitchen, and just because we choose a plant-based diet, that doesn’t mean we should go without the delicious sandwich spread.

But as egg is one of the main ingredients of mayo, we vegans have to get creative. So, what wet and starchy store cupboard substance can we use to replace the egg, bind the ingredients and recreate that creamy? 

The answer? Aquafaba! This is the liquid in which a portion of tinned beans, peas or lentils are transported and sold in.

You know that stuff you usually pour down the drain? Yes, that is aquafaba, and it is a very useful and versatile ingredient in a vegan diet.

It whips up so wonderfully, much like egg whites, to create a tasty vegan whipped cream, a fluffy white meringue, or a smooth, airy mousse.

After trying our mayo recipe, we guarantee you won’t be pouring it away anymore!  

The trick to a light and tasty whipped mayonnaise is in the oil. Using a natural, neutral flavored oil is important so the result is not heavy, oily or split.

We used a mixture of sunflower oil and rapeseed oil but this can be substituted for xx or xx. Reducing the aquafaba before adding the rest of the ingredients is not a method you’ll see with other recipes, it really concentrates the flavor and means less oil is required.

Black salt is an essential ingredient in our mayo as the sulfurous smell and eggy taste it brings adds to that creamy depth of flavor found in the dairy versions.

If you didn’t know this mayonnaise recipe is dairy free and vegan, you might never guess!

Prep Time: 25 minutes       Cook time: 5 minutes         Yield: ½ jar

Ingredients

• Aquafaba, 1 tin of liquid
• 1 tablespoon lecithin 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 x nutritional yeast
• ¼ teaspoon black salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 4 chickpeas
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 clove garlic
• 100 ml sunflower oil
• 30 ml rapeseed oil

Method

1. Drain the aquafaba from 1 tin of chickpeas, set peas aside.
2. In a small pan, heat the aquafaba gently and reduce the liquid, around 5 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat to cool.
4. When the liquid is warm, stir in lecithin and set aside to cool completely.
5. In a glass jar or bowl, add mustard, yeast, cider vinegar, black salt, pepper, lemon juice and xanthan gum.
6. Grate in the clove of garlic and add the 4 chickpeas. 
7. Add the cooled aquafaba to the jar.
8. Using a handheld stick blender, blitz the mixture until it is well mixed and frothy.
9. This is the point where another set of hands is helpful! While blending, slowly pour the sunflower oil into the mixture, incorporating the oil. The mayonnaise should be thickening nicely.
10. In the same slow and steady stream, add the rapeseed oil and blend until the consistency is light, whipped and mirrors shop bought mayonnaise.
11.  Set the mayonnaise in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

This recipe yields only half a jar of mayonnaise so use it as a base to try out the procedure and get it right. Then you can add your own flavors and your own flair!

Try adding extra garlic, fresh or dried herbs or a teaspoon of tomato paste to make a rich pink sauce.

Use your homemade mayonnaise wherever you would the dairy version: mixed through cold pasta salad, dolloped on a warm baked potato, smoothed on sandwich bread or as an ingredient in our eggless egg salad!

Making your own delicious vegan condiments like this are what makes home-cooked meals really special.

Any unused homemade mayo will stay fresh in a lidded glass jar and in the fridge for up to a week but once you see how easy it is to make that creamy, tangy taste, we doubt it will last that long!

Yield: 1/2 jar

Easy Vegan Aquafaba Mayo

Print

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• Aquafaba, 1 tin of liquid
• 1 tablespoon lecithin
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 x nutritional yeast
• ¼ teaspoon black salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 4 chickpeas
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 clove garlic
• 100 ml sunflower oil
• 30 ml rapeseed oil

Instructions

Drain the aquafaba from 1 tin of chickpeas, set peas aside.

In a small pan, heat the aquafaba gently and reduce the liquid, around 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat to cool.

When the liquid is warm, stir in lecithin and set aside to cool completely.

In a glass jar or bowl, add mustard, yeast, cider vinegar, black salt, pepper, lemon juice and xanthan gum.

Grate in the clove of garlic and add the 4 chickpeas. 

Add the cooled aquafaba to the jar.

Using a handheld stick blender, blitz the mixture until it is well mixed and frothy.

This is where another set of hands comes in handy! While blending, slowly pour the sunflower oil into the mixture, incorporating the oil. The mayonnaise should be thickening nicely.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 2351Total Fat: 139gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 119gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 867mgCarbohydrates: 224gFiber: 56gSugar: 61gProtein: 67g

Please note these calculations are estimates and provided for informational purposes only. Consult a professional for tailored advice.