Mayonnaise is a popular ingredient in many households, and many manufacturers have been creating more variants of mayonnaise to accommodate people’s needs, including vegan mayonnaise.
However, you may be wondering what vegan mayonnaise is made of. I did the research, and here is what I found!
What Is Vegan Mayonnaise Made Of?
Vegan mayonnaise is typically made of emulsified oil with aquafaba or soy milk, and emulsifying these two ingredients allows vegan mayonnaise to mimic real mayonnaise. However, the exact liquid used to mix will oil will depend on the manufacturer and recipe. Moreover, other ingredients may be added, such as mustard, salt, lemon juice, vinegar, etc.
Do you want to learn more about what vegan mayonnaise is made of? Keep reading!
What Ingredients Are In Vegan Mayonnaise?
Generally, vegan mayonnaise is made out of oil and soy milk or aquafaba, which is the starchy liquid you can get from canned chickpeas.
Aquafaba can be whipped to create a fluff and stiff foam, which works well when emulsified with oil to mimic the texture of real mayonnaise.
Soy milk has a somewhat plain flavor and soy milk can be emulsified with oil, helping imitate real mayonnaise’s consistency.
Oil is a must-have ingredient in any mayonnaise recipe because you need to emulsify ingredients that would not normally mix.
Emulsification refers to the act of mixing two liquids that would not normally combine, and using a watery liquid like aquafaba or soy milk with oil is the perfect combination for emulsification.
Additionally, dijon mustard, salt, spices, acids (lemon juice, vinegar, etc.), and more may be added into vegan mayonnaise, but it will mostly depend on the recipe and the manufacturer.
Does Vegan Mayonnaise Taste Like Real Mayo?
Vegan mayonnaise can taste similar to mayonnaise, but vegan mayonnaise will rarely taste exactly like real mayonnaise.
Moreover, vegan mayonnaise tasting like real mayonnaise will heavily depend on what recipe you follow or what vegan mayonnaise brand you buy.
For instance, Veganaise is a vegan mayo that is a good vegan mayo substitute, but many people say Veganaise tastes even better than real mayo.
Another example is Hampton’s Creek’s Just Mayo, which is a vegan mayo that many describe tastes just like homemade mayo.
However, it is more common to find that vegan mayonnaise has the same texture as real mayonnaise instead of tasting the same as real mayonnaise.
Is Vegan Mayonnaise Good?
Vegan mayonnaise can taste good depending on the brand, recipe, and how you like your mayonnaise.
For homemade vegan mayonnaise, adding other ingredients like dijon mustard, vinegar, salt, sweetener, etc. can improve the taste of vegan mayonnaise.
Generally, vegan mayonnaise will be good if you are looking for real mayonnaise’s texture instead of real mayonnaise’s taste.
For instance, many salad dressing recipes will call for mayonnaise as a “base” ingredient for texture, not flavor. Therefore, vegan mayonnaise can be good for replacing the texture of real mayonnaise.
Does Vegan Mayo Separate?
Vegan mayonnaise can still separate like regular mayonnaise because vegan mayonnaise still contains oil.
Any mayonnaise recipe requires emulsifying the mayo, so the mayo can separate when the emulsification is broken or weakened.
Typically, any kind of mayo will separate when the temperatures are too cold or old.
Occasionally, beating the mayonnaise again can fix the separation, but it would be best to throw the mayonnaise if the mixture does not emulsify again.
Some store-bought vegan mayonnaise may be safe to consume when it separates and does not emulsify again, but the vegan mayonnaise will not have the same texture it used to have.
Does Vegan Mayo Spoil?
Like regular mayonnaise, vegan mayonnaise can spoil, but how quick vegan mayonnaise spoils will depend on numerous factors.
For instance, store-bought vegan mayonnaise brands typically have expiration dates on the labels, and most store-bought vegan mayo will stay fresh for up to 6 months after opening the vegan mayo.
On the other hand, homemade vegan mayonnaise typically lasts for 1-2 weeks at most, but homemade vegan mayonnaise needs to be refrigerated to prevent quick spoiling.
If homemade vegan mayo is not refrigerated, homemade vegan mayonnaise can spoil within the day.
Additionally, you should always dispose of vegan mayonnaise if there is an odd smell or taste.
What Is The Difference Between Vegan Mayonnaise And Real Mayonnaise?
A huge difference between vegan mayonnaise and real mayonnaise is their ingredients.
Most vegan mayonnaises are made of oil and aquafaba or soy milk to mimic real mayonnaise.
On the other hand, mayonnaise is made of oil, eggs, and an acid like lemon juice or vinegar, and eggs are not vegan because eggs are animal by-products.
Is Hellman’s Vegan Mayo Vegan?
Hellman’s Vegan Mayo is real vegan mayonnaise because Hellman’s does not add eggs or other animal by-products in Hellman’s Vegan Mayo.
What Is Hellman’s Vegan Mayo Made Of?
Hellman’s Vegan Mayo is made of water, various oils, salt, and distilled vinegar with small amounts of other ingredients like paprika and modified food starch.
Why Did Hellman’s Change Their Vegan Mayo?
Why Hellman’s changed their vegan mayonnaise recipe is unknown, but many people noticed that Hellman’s switched soybean oil for sunflower oil in Hellman’s vegan mayonnaise.
While there is no confirmation why Hellman’s changed what oils they use for vegan mayonnaise, many assume it is because sunflower oil is cheaper than soybean oil.
Can I Make Vegan Mayonnaise?
You can make vegan mayonnaise by using a mixing machine or food processor. You may opt to whip your vegan mayo by hand, but it can take much longer.
Put your soymilk into the food processor or mixing machine’s bowl, processing the soymilk until the soymilk thickens.
In a very slow stream or by small drops, add oil into the food processor or mixing machine bowl while processing the soymilk.
Once you have added all the oil, allow the mixture to process for another 10 seconds, and you should have thick vegan mayonnaise.
If desired, add other ingredients like lemon juice or spices to the soymilk before adding the oil.
Read our related articles to find out what vegan mayonnaise tastes like, if mayonnaise has raw eggs, and if mayonnaise has dairy.
Conclusion
Vegan mayonnaise is typically made by emulsifying oil with soymilk or aquafaba to create a thick and creamy sauce.
However, the ingredients of vegan mayonnaise can greatly vary based on the recipe and manufacturer, and many people can add other ingredients like mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, spices, etc.