Making Vegan Mayonnaise from Flax Seeds: Does It Work?

You may know that flax seeds are nutritional powerhouses, and you may know that they can be used as egg substitutes in baking, but did you know they can be used to make homemade vegan mayonnaise? Well, sometimes. We just put a few recipes to the test and here’s what we found.

We were pretty excited when we came across a recipe for vegan, nut-free, soy-free mayonnaise made from flax seeds, oil, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, and a few spices whizzed in a blender or food processor … until the recipe completely flopped and we were left with an oily mess! Undeterred, however, we tried a few more recipes until we found one that worked.

The trick? Well, there are a few. First, make sure your flax seeds are very finely ground for better emulsion and texture. Second, heat the flax and water to form a thick paste. Third, add a small amount of oil at a time, then mix and repeat. The method detailed in the link below worked much better for us than either drizzling the oil in a slow stream or adding it all at once. We had the most success with this recipe from Penniless Parenting:

→ Homemade Vegan Mayonnaise Recipe at Penniless Parenting

The result isn’t pure white like traditional mayo — there will be flecks of flax seed and depending on the color of the oil you use, it may look more like mustard. But as long as you don’t mind that part, the texture and flavor are terrific.

Have you made flax seed mayonnaise, or do you have another favorite vegan mayo?

(Images: Ildi Papp/Shutterstock)