Easy Garlic-Basil Mayo

Easy Garlic-Basil Mayo is ready in 15 minutes! This homemade mayonnaise is so delicious, you'll want to spread it on everything! It doesn't contain raw eggs, sugar or soy and uses dried basil instead of fresh.

We never thought we'd be eating spoonfuls of mayonnaise from the jar. But we can't resist this DIY mayo, with its hint of basil pesto flavor. We even spread it on toast!

"It's great with a garden tomato sandwich
on fresh Italian bread."

-- Bob

Mayonnaise ingredients

Egg Yolk: You'll need the yolk of one extra-large or jumbo egg. You can save the egg white and use it to make scrambled eggs or an omelet.

Oil: Canola oil or light olive oil works best because of their mild flavor. Don't use extra-virgin olive oil, because its taste will be too strong. Use light olive oil for a keto-friendly mayo.

Lemon Juice & White Vinegar: These provide acid, which helps stabilize the emulsion. They also bring flavor, and the lemon adds a bright taste.

Garlic Powder & Dried Basil: For convenience, we're using garlic powder and dried basil instead of fresh garlic and basil. It's easier, plus the basil-garlic mayo will last longer than if it contained fresh aromatics and herbs.

How to make it

See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.

1. Whisk together an egg yolk, water, lemon juice and white vinegar.
2. Microwave the mixture until it starts to boil, then whisk some more and heat it in the microwave for another five seconds
3. Whisk again, then refrigerate the mayo mixture for 10 minutes. Whisk in the dried basil and seasonings.
4. Slowly pour in the oil while whisking to create an emulsion.

Recipe tips:

• It's important to drizzle the oil in very slowly while whisking. Otherwise, the mayonnaise won't emulsify.
• Homemade mayo can sometimes turn into liquid if the emulsion breaks. You can fix it by placing ½ tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly whisking in the broken mayo in a thin stream until the mayo comes together again.
• You can experiment with different flavors, as long as you keep the lemon juice and vinegar. You can try smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder, for example.

How to use garlic-basil 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 Fillets
• Italian-Style Salted Cod
• Crab Cakes Without Bread Crumbs
• Battered Fried Zucchini
• The Best Chicken Cutlet Recipe

And definitely try it on tomato sandwiches with homemade deli turkey!

Is this homemade mayo safe?

This is a safe mayo recipe without raw eggs. We're cooking the egg yolk in the microwave until it reaches a safe temperature of at least 160 degrees F. Raw egg yolks carry the risk of salmonella.

How long does basil mayo last in the fridge?

Since we're not using fresh garlic or fresh herbs, this basil-garlic mayo keeps for up to one week in the refrigerator. Store it in a sealed jar or container.

If we had used fresh garlic and basil, the mayo would only last for two or three days in the refrigerator.

More recipes like this

• Garlic Compound Butter
• Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
• Lemon-Flavored Olive Oil
• Dipping Oil for Bread
• Gremolata Condiment

If you try this Garlic Basil-Mayo Recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!

(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.) Originally published on June 28, 2016. Updated in July 2026 with new photos and additional information.)