I’m not a big fan of mayonnaise. When I still lived in California I avoided mayo, mostly because of the fat content. If I really needed some for a specialty dish, I could run to the store and pick up some Veganaise–something I can’t do here in Guatemala. Since my dad’s favorite late night snack is peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches, I dusted off my tofu-based vegan mayo recipe, which I developed in 2012.

I experimented with a lot of recipes, including some using the traditional method: slowly pouring oil into a running blender with lemon or vinegar to make an emulsion. None of them captured the essence of mayo the way this tofu-based version does. Not only is this version easier, it is far lower in fat than the oil-based recipes. This recipe does use one tablespoon of oil, which gives it a more authentic mayonnaise texture; feel free to omit it if you don’t want added oil.

As a bonus, it’s easy to flavor this mayo in so many ways! The photo with this article shows the chipotle version, but I also make a curry version. Or, add some basil pesto to make a delicious mayo for sandwiches. This recipe calls for firm tofu because that’s what I have available. If you can get silken or soft tofu, adjust the amount of water.

Ingredients

1 lb firm organic tofu, crumbled
1 Tbl vegetable oil (optional)
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbl cider vinegar
2 Tbl rice vinegar
1 Tbl prepared dijon mustard
2 Tbl fresh lemon or lime juice
1-2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
5-6 Tbl water, or until desired consistency is reached
optional spices (any of the following: one or two chipotle peppers with one Tbl of adobo sauce; one Tbl curry powder; one Tbl basil pesto)

Method

Place all ingredients except the spices in a blender, starting with 3 Tbl of water.
Blend until completely smooth and creamy, adding more water one Tbl at a time until you get the consistency you want.
Add optional spices at the end, blending again until smooth.