Cooking with Mamma C

  • Recipes
  • Cod
  • Cookbook
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cod Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • About
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cod Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • About
    • Contact
    • Newsletter
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Sauces & Condiments

    Homemade Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise

    Updated: May 6, 2025 by Mamma C · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Flipboard
    Jump to Recipe

    Homemade Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise is easy, soy-free, keto-friendly and delicious! There are no raw eggs. The egg yolk is cooked to a food-safe temperature in the microwave. Grab a bowl and whisk and make this!

    Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise in a jar

    Wow, homemade basil-garlic mayonnaise is easier than I thought it'd be. And ten times more delicious than store-bought mayo.

    I mean, you'd never catch us dipping a spoon into grocery mayo for a taste every time we need something from the fridge.

    But, we can't resist this homemade mayo, with its hint of pesto flavor from the dried basil. (I even spread it on toast!)

    And, it does not require any raw eggs nor fancy equipment - just a microwave, bowl and whisk. Delicious, easy and salmonella free!

    Yes!

    Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise in a jar with whisk, spreading knife, half a lemon and seasonings

    So, what compelled me to make mayonnaise? It was soy, I tell you.

    A member of my household has a sensitivity to it. And if any of you've ever tried to buy soy-free products, you know the stuff is.in.everything.

    It's soy frustrating! Soy annoying!

    I'm soy-ry, I can't help myself...

    And, even though I made mayonnaise out of necessity, I urge you to try this at home. It's so good!

    How to make homemade mayonnaise

    All you have to do is whisk an egg yolk with a bit of water, lemon juice and vinegar and microwave the mixture until it comes to a boiling point. (The acid prevents curdling. Plus, the lemon provides bright, refreshing flavor, and the vinegar adds a nice kick.)

    Whisk a little more, then, chill it for ten minutes. Then, add your salt, basil, garlic...and ever so slowly pour in canola or light olive oil while whisking to make a creamy emulsion.

    Done!

    Recipe tip

    Homemade mayo can sometimes turn into liquid if the emulsion breaks. If this happens, you can fix it by placing ½ tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly whisking in your broken mayo in a thin stream until the mayo comes together again.

    close-up of a jar of Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise with half a lemon and seasonings behind it, whisk and spreading knife

    Soy long, store-bought mayo!

    Soyonara!

    How to use homemade mayo

    Besides eating it straight out of the jar or spreading it on toast, you have lots of options! It's wonderful as a dipping sauce for:

    • Pan-Fried Cod
    • Fried Baccalà
    • Gluten-Free Crab Cakes
    • Italian Zucchini Fritters
    • Italian Chicken Cutlets.

    And definitely try it on sandwiches with Homemade Turkey Lunch Meat!

    More recipes like this

    • Garlic Compound Butter
    • Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
    • Lemon-Flavored Olive Oil
    • Spinach Pesto
    • Gremolata Condiment

    Enjoy!

    (Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C, using a microwave method from Harold McGee in his book The Curious Cook, as described in Cook's Illustrated.)

    Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise in a jar

    Homemade Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise

    So much better tasting than store-bought! Soy free, gluten free, and made with an egg yolk cooked to a food-safe temperature in the microwave!
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Go to Collections
    Course: Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 minute minute
    Total Time: 16 minutes minutes
    Servings: 7 ounces
    Calories: 197kcal
    Author: Mamma C

    Ingredients

    • 1 extra-large or jumbo egg yolk
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
    • ½ tablespoon white vinegar
    • 1 pinch salt
    • â…› teaspoon dried basil
    • â…› teaspoon garlic powder
    • â…” cup canola or light olive oil

    Instructions

    • Place your egg yolk in a small, microwaveable bowl. (Save the egg white for scrambled eggs or another use.)
    • Whisk in the water, lemon juice and vinegar. Cover the bowl with wax paper and heat in the microwave for 25 seconds, or until the mixture starts to boil. Whisk the egg mixture again and heat for another 5 seconds, or until it starts to bubble again.
    • Whisk once more, cover, and chill the egg mixture in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
    • After 10 minutes, whisk in your salt, basil and garlic powder. Then, very slowly pour the oil into your egg mixture in a thin stream, while whisking constantly. The mixture will emulsify and thicken into a creamy mayonnaise. (If you pour the oil in too fast, it will not emulsify.)
    • Store the mayo in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. See notes if your mayo separates into liquid.

    Notes

    Do not use extra-virgin olive oil, because the taste will be too strong. Also, homemade mayo can sometimes liquefy if the emulsion breaks. If that happens, place ½ tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly whisk in the broken mayo in a thin stream, until the mayo comes together again.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 197kcal | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 6mg | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!
    two photos of Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise in a jar separated by the words, \"Homemade Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise\"

    Don't miss my Pasta & Sauces E-Cookbook! Please SUBSCRIBE and follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM!

    More Sauce & Condiment Recipes

    • bowl of bechamel sauce with a whisk
      Béchamel Sauce Recipe for Lasagna
    • braciole roll on a plate with sauce
      Braciole Recipe (Stove or Instant Pot)
    • glass bowl of homemade bbq sauce with a silicone brush
      3-Ingredient BBQ Sauce
    • log of compound butter on a plate garnished with rosemary
      Garlic Compound Butter
    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Flipboard

    Comments

    1. [email protected] says

      June 29, 2016 at 1:57 pm

      5 stars
      I cannot believe how easy this is! I never would guessed! And the addition of basil makes me very happy! Soy, what I'm trying to soy...I mean, say, is, I love it!! (See what you started! Yes, we are cut from the same cloth!) 🙂

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 29, 2016 at 2:36 pm

        Who knew it was so easy? And I'm cracking up over here. We are...wait for it...soy sisters! Love ya, Annie!

        Reply
    2. Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says

      June 28, 2016 at 6:45 pm

      Oh my I am still laughing at soy-ry!!! How true though how much items/products contain soy in some form. Passing this on to Mom she will just love this on many things-right up her alley. We once tried (many years ago) to make homemade mayo lets say I was in a silly mood and the ceiling was adorned with it! Oh I have not thought of that in years. Thanks for the chuckle my friend. Hugs to you. Cheryl xx

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 7:16 pm

        I hope your Mom enjoys this, Cheryl! And, I'm glad I'm not the only one laughing at my jokes. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Suchi @elegantmeraki says

      June 28, 2016 at 5:43 pm

      5 stars
      I have never had homemade mayo let alone a flavored one. Need to try this for burgers this weekend.

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 6:00 pm

        I bet it would be fantastic with burgers!

        Reply
    4. Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      June 28, 2016 at 2:51 pm

      I made mayo from scratch years ago and it was so good...I don't know why I haven't made it again! This looks delicious, and I love your basil/garlic twist 🙂

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 3:51 pm

        I never got excited about mayo, until now! I'd love to try other variations too.

        Reply
    5. Chris @ SimpleFood365 says

      June 28, 2016 at 12:38 pm

      That looks and sounds wonderful and I love that there is no raw egg in it! We also avoid too much soy in our home so this would fit right in! Thanks for sharing it!

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 12:50 pm

        I'm glad this recipe comes in handy, Chris!

        Reply
    6. Jolina - The Unlikely Baker says

      June 28, 2016 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      I'm surprised the method is so simple! We're mayo lovers in our house (think: in the zombie apocalypse, we will have mayo) but we never thought to make our own. I think we can do this though. And no salmonella is always a good thing 🙂

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 12:27 pm

        I was shocked at how simple it is too, Jolina. But the biggest wow factor is the flavor. OMG!

        Reply
    7. Deb says

      June 28, 2016 at 12:03 pm

      How long does this last in the refrigerator?

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 12:26 pm

        Deb, it should last for a week. Just make sure to give it the sniff test and taste it on day seven.

        Reply
    8. Ali @ Home & Plate says

      June 28, 2016 at 11:59 am

      5 stars
      I have never made my own mayo but this recipe would be perfect for the homemade taste without all the additives. It would go great on so many sandwiches too.

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 12:02 pm

        It's wonderful on sandwiches, Ali. I also can't wait to try it with potato salad!

        Reply
    9. Agata says

      June 28, 2016 at 11:44 am

      5 stars
      I love flavored mayo, it is so much better then a plain one, especially if you make it from scratch.

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 12:49 pm

        Yes, and there are so many flavor possibilities. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Shinee says

      June 28, 2016 at 11:37 am

      I've never had homemade mayo, let alone flavored one. Now I'm so tempted to make it, the flavor combo is just amazing!!

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 28, 2016 at 11:56 am

        It really is, Shinee. It blew me away!

        Reply
    Newer Comments »
    5 from 11 votes (6 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Hi, I'm Andrea, also known as Mamma C. I've been sharing family-tested recipes from my Italian-American kitchen for 11 years! I hope you'll visit often!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • slice of cheesecake on plate
      Fluffy Crustless Cheesecake (NY Style)
    • OVEN-FRIED COD RECIPE (CRISPY & DELICIOUS!)
      Oven-Fried Cod Recipe (Crispy & Delicious!)
    • portion of zucchini casserole on plate
      Italian Zucchini Bake
    • plate of sausage, peppers and onions
      Baked Sausage, Peppers and Onions

    Cookie Recipes

    • bowl of homemade chocolate frosting
      Chocolate Frosting for Brownies
    • chocolate-dipped biscotti held up on a platter
      Hazelnut Biscotti with Chocolate
    • platter of italian lemon knot cookies
      Anginetti (Lemon Knot Cookies)
    • platter of italian jam cookies with powdered sugar
      Italian Jam Cookies (Pizzicati)
    • frosted brownies on a plate
      The Best Brownies with Frosting
    • plate of amaretti cookies topped with almonds
      Italian Amaretti Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    RECIPES

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • ACCESSIBILITY
    • Cookbook
    • Web Stories
     

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2014-2026 Cooking with Mamma C®

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.