Oil-Free Vegan Mayo [Nut-Free]

BySireesha
6 Comments
Made with tofu and aquafaba, this Oil-Free Vegan Mayo is much lower in calories and fat than its oil-based counterpart. This vegan mayonnaise is the perfect spread for your favorite sandwiches, wraps and veggie burgers. There's also a thicker version included that works great in potato salad or pasta salad.
Prep Time 8 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 8 minutes
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slight overhead of mayo in a mason jar with knife with some on it next to it

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Oil-Free Vegan Mayo in mason jar with knife with some on it next to it and bread, arugula and tomatoes in background

I'm not gonna lie to you.

I love mayonnaise.

It's not a good problem to have since most mayo (vegan or traditional) is made with oil and therefore, contains quite a bit of fat...and calories.

Now, I am not giving up oils entirely or shutting out store-bought vegan mayo for good, but I figured I could make a suitable replacement that would satisfy my traditional mayonnaise cravings while being healthier at the same time.

But, could it be done?

Hmmmm...I pondered and pondered over how I was going to make an oil-free mayo that would appease the toughest critic...me!

I decided to go with soft silken tofu as the base since it's pretty much a blank canvas and can take on the flavors added to it.

Plus, it blends up nicely. 🙂

view of mayo in mason jar with spreading knife, arugula, tomatoes and bread all on a wooden board

I also wanted to use aquafaba as an emulsifying agent for my homemade mayonnaise.

I've seen egg-free mayonnaise made with aquafaba, but it either had oil or had nuts, and I wanted to keep this one free of both of those things, which is another reason I chose the tofu.

Once I had those two ingredients down, I looked at a jar of store-bought mayo to get some ideas for the rest.

Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt and brown rice syrup were common ingredients.

Being that I don't typically use brown rice syrup, I opted for agave instead.

Of course, if you have brown rice syrup in your pantry, you can definitely give it a try.

You can also leave out the sweetener completely if you wish. There is only a touch of it in the recipe, but to me, it makes it taste more like the store-bought stuff.

mayonnaise in mason jar with spreading knife next to it and arugula, bread and tomatoes partially in view

Why you'll love this homemade mayo

  • Kid and husband approved
  • Enjoy mayo again, guilt-free!
  • Healthier alternative than regular mayonnaise
  • Perfect for sandwich spreads
  • Egg free, gluten free, oil free, plant-based, and vegan
Mayo spread on a piece of gluten-free bread with spreading knife next to it

Ingredients Needed For Oil Free Vegan Mayonnaise

  • Organic silken tofu- you can also use MORI-NU non-GMO soft silken tofu
  • Aquafaba
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Fine sea salt- or kosher salt
  • Ground mustard- or Dijon mustard is a great alternative
  • Agave- or brown rice syrup (optional)
  • kala namak (optional)
mayo spread on bread with two tomatoes on top, spreading knife next to it and rest of mayo, another piece of bread, arugula and more tomatoes on wooden board

Equipment You'll Need

For best results, to make this recipe you will need an immersion blender. You can also use a food processor, standard regular blender, or high-speed blender.

My preference is the immersion blender because it delivers a perfect consistency to the mayo. This is the brand I use.

How to Make Oil-Free Vegan Mayo

Open a 16-oz. package of refrigerated silken tofu and carefully remove the block.

Transfer the block to a plate and cut it in half.

Keep half on the plate and store the other half in an airtight container in the fridge for future use.

Half of a block of silken tofu on a plate to drain

It might not weigh a full 16 ounces once removing it since some of the water will have drained off, but you can use a kitchen scale to weigh it if you'd like to ensure that both "halves" weigh the same or at least close.

For example, my tofu weighed 15.5 ounces when I removed it from the package, so I chose to split it into two blocks of 8 ounces and 7.5 ounces, both of which worked in this recipe.

Weighing tofu on a kitchen scale

You can save the other half to make this recipe again or make something different. Store the unused portion in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Leave the tofu on the plate for 5-10 minutes to remove any excess water. Carefully hold onto the tofu and tilt the plate over the sink to drain the water off the plate.

Add the tofu to the blending cup that came with your immersion blender. If you are using a food processor or standard blender, add the tofu to the bowl of the food processor or to your blender.

Then, add aquafaba, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard powder, salt, agave (optional) and kala namak (optional, gives it a slight "eggy" flavor).

Ingredients added to immersion blender cup

Use the immersion blender to combine the ingredients.

Blending the mayo ingredients with an immersion blender

I start off by quickly pressing and letting go and then holding the button down for longer spurts as things start to incorporate, being sure not to overblend.

If you are using a food processor, start off by pulsing and then blend on low until you've reached your desired consistency, scraping the sides down as needed.

If you are using a standard blender, blend on low until you've reached your desired consistency, scraping the sides down as needed.

Transfer the mayo to an airtight container, such as a mason jar, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to infuse the flavors and firm it up.

Substitutions and Variations

This healthy vegan mayo is a great base to use to add different flavors to. Here are some alternative ideas:

  • Add some chipotle chili powder to make vegan chipotle mayo.
  • Like some heat? Add some cayenne pepper
  • If you don't need a nut-free vegan mayo, you can make cashew mayonnaise using raw cashews.
  • See the tips below for making your mayo thicker using extra firm tofu.
  • Add some fresh garlic for another flavor variation.
Overhead of mayo in mason jar

I can't find silken tofu in the refrigerated section of my grocery store. Can I use a different kind?

Yes, you can use Mori-Nu brand non-GMO soft silken tofu instead. It comes in a 12-ounce aseptic pack, so you'll need to weigh out 8 ounces.

How can I make a thicker version?

For a slightly thicker version of this mayo, use the firm silken tofu by Mori-Nu.

In addition, substitute Dijon mustard in place of the mustard powder.

You can also make it super thick by using the extra firm silken tofu by Mori-Nu.

I don't recommend the super thick version as a spread, but it works nicely as a base for dressings where you'll be adding plant-based milk or other liquids.

The super thick version is also perfect for pasta salads since the noodles tend to soak up liquids like a sponge.

It also works great in potato salads!

Can I use the whole block of tofu?

Yes! If you'd like to make a larger batch of this vegan mayo recipe, you can definitely do that.

If you're using the entire 16-oz. block of refrigerated tofu, multiply all of the remaining recipe ingredients 2.

If you're using the entire block of MORI-NU tofu in the aseptic pack, multiply all of the remaining ingredients by 1.5.

How to Use This Vegan Mayonnaise Recipe

Use this oil-free, egg-free mayo recipeas a spread for your favorite sandwich, wrap or veggie burger. We love it on a vegan BLT made with our tempeh bacon and on our ranch chickpea veggie burger.

Piece of gluten-free bread with vegan mayo, tomatoes and arugula with spreading knife next to it and more of each item in the background

You can use either the regular or thicker version in place of store-bought mayo in our vegan chickpea salad, simple vegan potato salad or vegan dill potato salad.

This mayo also works great as a base for creamy vegan dressings like this oil-free vegan ranch and this oil-free vegan blue cheese.

Storing This Egg-Free Mayonnaise

The mayo can be stored in an airtight small container or glass jars, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

slight overhead of mayo in a mason jar with knife with some on it next to it
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5 from 3 votes

Oil-Free Vegan Mayo

Made with tofu and aquafaba, this Oil-Free Vegan Mayo is much lower in calories and fat than its oil-based counterpart. This vegan mayonnaise is the perfect spread for your favorite sandwiches, wraps and veggie burgers. There's also a thicker version included that works great in potato salad or pasta salad.
Course Condiment
Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Keyword egg free, gluten free, mayo, oil free, plant based, vegan
Prep Time 8 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 8 minutes
Servings 18 (makes approximately 18 tablespoons)
Calories 8kcal
Author Sireesha A.

Ingredients

  • ½ block of a 16 oz. package of refrigerated organic silken tofu, or 8 oz. of MORI-NU non-GMO soft silken tofu, *excess water drained [OR for a slightly thicker version use 8 oz. of MORI-NU brand non-GMO firm silken tofu and for a **super thick version that's best for pasta/potato salads use 8 oz. of MORI-NU brand non-GMO extra firm silken tofu]
  • 2 tablespoon aquafaba plus more if needed (liquid from canned chickpeas)
  • 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground mustard [OR if making the thicker, creamier version use 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard]
  • ¼ teaspoon agave or brown rice syrup, or more to taste (optional)
  • 1 pinch kala namak (optional)

Instructions

  • Add the tofu to the blending cup that came with your immersion blender. If you are using a food processor or standard blender, add the tofu to the bowl or your food processor or to your blender.
  • Add the remaining ingredients. Use the immersion blender, food processor or blender to combine the ingredients. Blend until you've achieved your desired consistency, scraping down the sides as needed. Add more aquafaba if necessary for consistency. See notes below for tips.
  • Transfer to an airtight container, such as a mason jar and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to infuse the flavors and firm up the mayo.

(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

Suggested Equipment/Tools

Immersion Blender

Notes

*To drain the excess water if using the 16-oz. refrigerated tofu: Place the tofu on a plate for 5-10 minutes. Carefully hold onto the tofu and tilt the plate over the sink to drain the water off the plate.
Note that once removed from the package, the tofu might not weigh a full 16 ounces since some of the water will have drained off, but you can use a kitchen scale to weigh it if you'd like to ensure that once you cut it in half, both pieces weigh the same or at least close to the same. 
For example, my tofu weighed 15.5 ounces when I removed it from the package, so I chose to split it into two blocks of 8 ounces and 7.5 ounces, both of which worked to make this recipe. 
If you are using the MORI-NU soft silken tofu, you can also drain using the plate method described above. However, if you are using the MORI-NU firm or extra firm silken tofu, you do not need to drain it on a plate. Instead just drain off the water that surrounded it in the packaging.
Store any unused portions of silken tofu in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.
**I don't recommend the super thick version as a spread, but it works nicely as a base for dressings where you'll be adding plant-based milk or other liquids. The super thick version is also perfect for pasta salads and potato salads.
If you want to use the entire block of tofu, multiply all of the remaining recipe ingredients for the 16-oz. refrigerated tofu by 2 and for the MORI-NU tofu aseptic pack, multiply all of the remaining ingredients by 1.5.
To drain excess water from the tofu, place it on a plate for 5-10 minutes. Carefully hold onto the tofu and tilt the plate over the sink to drain the water off the plate.
When blending using the immersion blender, I start off by quickly pressing and letting go and then hold the button down for longer spurts as things start to incorporate, being sure not to overblend. For me, the entire blending process takes less than 30 seconds.
If you are using a food processor, start off by pulsing and then blend on low until you've reached your desired consistency, scraping the sides down as needed. If you are using a standard blender, blend on low until you've reached your desired consistency, scraping the sides down as needed.
The mayonnaise can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Please note the nutrition calculation for this recipe does not include the aquafaba since there is limited information regarding its nutritional composition. According to this Healthline article, there are approximately 3-5 calories in 1 tablespoon of aquafaba. Additionally, note that tofu brands vary in nutritional content.

Nutrition

Calories: 8kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g

©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

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5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. I could literally drink this stuff!
    I’m low fat and low carb due to pancreatitis and this recipe is the first thing that tastes great and doesn’t cause a flare up.
    Thank you so much!!

    Reply

    1. That's so nice to hear, Dawn! I'm so happy this recipe works for you! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Have a good one! 🙂

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Wowzers!!! I am impressed. I bought the store-brand vegan mayo awhile back and haven't touched "mayo" since. Not today. 🙂 I added more of the aquafaba to get just the right consistency and the agave did help with the taste. THIS recipe oe is going in the cookbook.
    PS: I am going to use this as a base for ranch dip. Will let you know how it goes.

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Very cool! I love this use for tofu and how you made your own delicious mayo! That's really awesome and now I don't need to buy it from the store!

    Reply