This creamy, dreamy vegan mayonnaise recipe is a cashew-based version that’s rich, tangy, and blended to fluffy perfection. It’s plant-based, egg-free, and soy-free, with no added oil, and super easy to make.
Who doesn’t love mayo? It’s the ultimate spread for quick chickpea burgers, tofu bacon sandwiches, or creamy chickpea salad.
Even if you avoid traditional mayo with sugar and other additives, some vegan recipes contain loads of ultra-processed oil. Plus, the neutral flavor of creamy blended cashews means there’s no weird flavor.
If you’re into more creamy spreads, be sure to check out my vegan garlic aioli, spicy sriracha mayo, or 4-ingredient vegan sour cream recipes.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tangy and balanced. Lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and a splash of white balsamic give it just the right zing.
- Full control. Homemade means you control the thickness and flavor levels (including salt).
- Tested and perfected. After several trials, I developed a unique combination of prepared mustard and white balsamic vinegar for a standout, plant-based mayonnaise flavor.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Raw cashews. Don’t compromise, use raw cashews, which are barely roasted during processing. The best nut-free alternative I’ve found is sunflower seeds (see my sunflower seed sour cream).
- White balsamic vinegar. Also known as white vinegar condiment, it’s my favorite ingredient for everything from green tahini sauce to vegan carrot pineapple salad.
- Mustard. I used regular American-style prepared mustard. Dijon or English mustard are good, slightly spicier options.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
How to Make Vegan Mayo
Step 1: Cover raw cashews with boiling water and soak for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Blend the ingredients until smooth, adding water as needed.
Pro Tips
- Soak your cashews first. Even if you have a high-speed blender, I recommend always soaking cashews first. Just cover them with boiling water and let them sit and soften for 15 minutes.
- Soaking alternatives. Soak cashews in water overnight, but not longer than 12 hours. You can also steam them for 10 minutes.
- Use a blender or mini food processor. Real estate counts. The ingredients need to be compressed for the smoothest texture.
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Why is My Cashew Mayonnaise Gritty?
You’ve started with soaked cashews and used a blender, and your mayo is gritty. All is not lost! Add more liquid, practice patience by blending for longer, and scrape the sides and lid of the container.
Serving Ideas
- Spread it. I probably don’t need to elaborate, but it’s a fantastic condiment for vegan burger recipes like kale and mushroom burgers, meaty tempeh burgers, and easy prep tofu burgers.
- In salads. Add it to raw broccoli and cranberry salad, quick cucumber beetroot salad, and any pasta salad, including curried macaroni salad.
- Dip it. I discovered dipping fries in mayo when I lived in the Netherlands, and I’ve never looked back. It’s also great with sweet potato fries, and yep, smoked tofu cubes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store vegan mayonnaise in a sealed container in the fridge for a week. Stir in a little water, lemon juice, or white balsamic to thin it out if needed.
I don’t recommend freezing vegan mayo. The texture ends up too thin, and the flavor dilutes after thawing.
Rinsing soaked cashews freshens them and gets rid of phytic acid (natural to cashews) that can cause indigestion.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Mayonnaise Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews - (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar - also known as white balsamic condiment
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard - American-style or Dijon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ - ⅔ cup water
Instructions
- Add the cashews to a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Soak them for at least 15 minutes.
- After soaking, rinse and drain the cashews, then add them to a blender with the remaining ingredients, plus ¼ cup water.
- Start blending at slow speed, gradually increasing the speed and adding water 2 tablespoons at a time until the mayo is smooth and creamy.
- Scrape the sides of the blender a few times to ensure all the cashews are blended.
- Store the mayo in a jar or sealed container in the refrigerator for a week.
Notes
- Use raw cashews, which are minimally roasted during processing. Cashews labeled as ‘roasted’ or containing added oil or salt won’t work for this recipe.
- To avoid gritty mayo or other cashew-based dressings, use a blender or a mini food processor. If the mayo is still gritty, scrape the sides, add more water, and continue processing.
- Cashews can be soaked overnight for up to 8 hours. You can also steam them for 10 minutes to soften them.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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Pam
Hi Denise,
I am going to make this tomorrow.
I loved your chickpea burger recipe and I want to try some of this mayo on!!
Keep the recipes coming PLEASE
Denise
Pam, that's a great call! We love this mayo recipe and you can even add a touch of sriracha or extra garlic. You've really inspired me too. Thank you!
Denise
Hi, I appreciate your concerns. Oil-free refers to the fact that there is no added processed oil. Cashews contain natural oil (as does tahini) and are considered part of whole food, plant-based diet (in moderation). That's not the same as fat-free, which they aren't. If you want a lower-fat mayo, consider using white beans to replace all or part of the cashews. Or use sunflower seeds which have more polyunsaturated fats than cashews. Hope this helps.
SuzieQue63
Great mayo and use it for everything
Denise Perrault
Yahoo! It's our favorite too - the best way to top a burger 🙂