Creamy and rich yet also light, this Vegan Tofu Mayo is delicious, low fat, inexpensive, and the perfect mayonnaise replacement! We can't believe it's so easy to make and so versatile. It's a great base for an aioli, chipotle mayo, or anything else, and of course it's perfect for sandwiches.
Hey Internet, I've surprised myself with my Vegan Tofu Mayo. Mayonnaise is one of those things I never really liked before I went vegan, which is ironic since traditionally it's made from a non-vegan ingredient: eggs.
Although I will say I now have made several vegan egg-ish recipes, like a vegan omelette, tofu scramble, vegan quiche, vegan hollandaise sauce, tofu eggs benedict, vegan egg muffins (cups), and even mini frittata cups... I guess I'm expanding my palette!!
So yeah, after becoming vegan, I began experimenting with different condiments (like vegan bbq sauce, vegan honey mustard, tofu sour cream, vegan garlic aioli, and more) and happened upon some store-bought vegan mayo. It was delicious, but full of oil, which I try not to consume at home.
I've seen recipes online for cashew mayo, but cashews are expensive and I wanted a lower fat option.
Thus I created this delicious tofu mayo. It's delicious, protein-packed, inexpensive, and super easy to make.
Today we'll learn how to make a very basic tofu mayo recipe. All you'll need is a blender.
This recipe makes about two cups of mayo, and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. If you don't feel you will use it in that time, make a half-batch.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe for vegan mayo with no oil is based on tofu. Tofu is... magical. I create all kinds of things with it such as condiments, cheeses, entrees, and more. Check out my tofu recipes compilation!
This is a nut-free vegan mayo, so it uses no nuts at all. If you want to do half and half you could definitely try that.
But even if you're not a fan of tofu, or you have never tried tofu, I bet you're going to love this recipe.
Does it taste 100% like non-vegan mayo? Nope. It's not whipped eggs.
Does it taste 100% like traditional vegan mayo? Nope. It's not whipped oil.
What it is, is whipped tofu with spices, non-dairy milk, and a little acid in the form of apple cider vinegar.
I know you're gonna ask: Is that good?
Of course I think it's good! I wouldn't post it if I didn't.
Let's put it this way: My husband, who loved mayonnaise before going vegan, and who currently loves store bought vegan mayo, also loves this tofu mayo.
As for why this recipe works... well... it just does. You throw everything in a blender and ta-da! Vegan mayo.
I am gonna say right now that this recipe does technically work with any tofu.
HOWEVER, I have tried this recipe with silken tofu and it is different. Silken tofu is much more liquidy than firm tofu. In fact, I do use silken tofu to make my tofu sour cream.
But honestly, I don't think mayo should be liquidy. It should be thick. Really thick.
And if you blend firm tofu for at least 60 seconds it really does become ultra smooth, especially when you're using a high powered blender like the Vitamix.
Finally, I tested a ton of different combinations of flavors, seasonings, and vinegars/lemon juice and this was the combination I found to taste the most like mayo. You're welcome to adjust the flavors to your own liking.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- ¼ - ⅓ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk: Get one with no flavoring, it's usually called "original" flavor. I like to use soy milk for this recipe because it makes super creamy tofu mayo. I like the kind of soy milk that comes in an unrefrigerated carton and it's just soybeans and water, no other ingredients. But any unsweetened unflavored non-dairy milk will work fine.
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar: Other vinegars or even lemon juice will work. I liked apple cider vinegar for this vegan oil-free mayo because it adds a bit of sweetness.
- 1-16-ounce block (396 grams) FIRM tofu: While other tofus will work (though I would not use vacuum-sealed super firm tofu for this recipe), they will need differing amounts of liquid. I find that silken tofu is too runny for this recipe. I prefer firm tofu to make a nice THICK tofu mayo.
- ¾ - 1 teaspoon sea salt: Use salt to taste. 1 teaspoon makes a decently salty mayo... I'd say it makes it taste like store bought. If you don't use a lot of salt at home or you think most processed food is too salty, start with half a teaspoon and add more if needed.
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- Any other mix-ins, such as chipotle powder or cayenne pepper for a spicy vegan mayo
How to Make Tofu Mayo
- Note: This tofu mayo recipe makes about 2 cups. If you feel you won't use this much in a week, use half of all the ingredient amounts to make about 1 cup.
- Add the apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup of the non-dairy milk (to start, you can add more later) to the blender.
- You do not need to press the tofu, but drain the liquid out of the package before adding it to the blender. Either cut the tofu into a few smaller pieces or crumble it with your hands. Add to the blender.
- Finally, add the spices to the blender as well.
- Blend on the highest setting for about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides with a small spatula. Blend for 30 more seconds or until the tofu mayo looks very smooth. If you need to add more liquid, add non-dairy milk 1 tablespoon at a time. It's easy to add more but if you add too much your nut-free vegan mayo will be kind of runny.
- Use a blender spatula to scrape out every last bit of your nut-free vegan mayo into a jar or other container.
- Refrigerate tofu mayo in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically yes, you can use any kind of tofu to make tofu mayo. However, this recipe calls for firm tofu and has the liquids adjusted for that specific type of tofu. If you use any other type of tofu, you may need a different amount of liquid. For example, soft tofu may require less liquid while extra firm may require more. I do NOT recommend using the vacuum sealed super firm tofu (that kind is great for panko tofu or crispy tofu though!). I also do not recommend silken tofu for this recipe.
Because it's too liquidy. I use silken tofu in my tofu sour cream recipe and while it's very smooth and you don't have to add any non-dairy milk to get it to blend, it can make your mayo too thin and gloopy.
I do not recommend freezing it, no. When tofu freezes it forms ice crystals which make the tofu more chewy. I don't think that would be a good result for tofu mayo. However, frozen tofu itself is great for recipes like my vegan kung pao chicken.
Nope, that's a myth. Soy is actually very healthy for you. Read more about soy nutrition.
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Pro Tips for Success
- Err on the side of less liquid to start. It's easy to add more non-dairy milk but hard to take it away if your tofu mayo is too thin.
- If your vegan mayo IS too thin, you can do a few things: try adding nutritional yeast which is a natural thickener, try refrigerating the mayo since it usually thickens as it cools, or try mixing in a few tablespoons of hemp seeds or soaked raw cashews.
- If you'd prefer a richer flavor, try half a block of tofu and half a cup of soaked cashews, soaked sunflower seeds, or hemp seeds. You may need a little more non-dairy milk with this option.
- Try other flavor mix-ins like more garlic or add a little chipotle powder or sriracha if you like it spicy.
- I was a skeptic at first, but this blender spatula has made getting every last bit of thick liquids like hummus and tofu mayo out of my blender. It works for other blenders too, not just the Vitamix.
What To Do with Tofu Mayo
My FAVORITE thing to use this mayo on is BLT sandwiches (or any sandwich, really) and my newest obsession: BLT pasta!
But also it's great for vegan macaroni salad, vegan chicken salad, vegan Waldorf salad, instead of the tahini in the vegan tuna salad in my vegan tuna melt sandwiches or vegan tuna casserole, or vegan aioli.
You can also use it as the base for salad dressings, in place of cashew cream, or even as stretchy, mozzarella cheese. Curious? Try it.
And if you're looking for more tofu dishes, check out this post I made with all my best tofu recipes.
More Recipes Like This
- Lemon Miso Tahini Dressing
- Vegan Honey
- Tofu Cream Cheese
- Vegan Honey Mustard Dressing
- Tofu Sour Cream
- Vegan Ricotta
- Nut-Free Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Vegan Russian Dressing
- Vegan BBQ Sauce
- Creamy Vegan Italian Dressing
- Vegan Mascarpone
- Vegan Queso
- Maple Mustard Tahini Dressing
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Vegan Tofu Mayo
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you're oilfree and missing mayo, then my Vegan Tofu Mayo is perfect for you! With some tofu, salt, and nondairy milk, you can make yourself a vegan BLT.
Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free, Nut-free, Sugar-free
Ingredients
- ¼ - ⅓ cup unflavored unsweetened non-dairy milk (see note 1 for suggestions)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (see note 2)
- 1-16-ounce block (396 grams) FIRM tofu (see note 3)
- ¾ - 1 teaspoon sea salt, or less, to taste
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- Any other mix-ins, such as chipotle powder or cayenne pepper for a spicy vegan mayo
Instructions
- Note: This tofu mayo recipe makes about 2 cups. If you feel you won't use this much in a week, use half of all the ingredient amounts to make about 1 cup.
- Add the apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup of the non-dairy milk (to start, you can add more later) to the blender.
- Add the tofu: You do not need to press the tofu, but drain the liquid out of the package before adding it to the blender. Either cut the tofu into a few smaller pieces or crumble it with your hands. Add to the blender.
- Add spices: Finally, add the spices to the blender as well.
- Blend on the highest setting for about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides with a small spatula. Blend for 30 more seconds or until the tofu mayo looks very smooth. If you need to add more liquid, add non-dairy milk 1 tablespoon at a time. It's easy to add more but if you add too much your nut-free vegan mayo will be kind of runny.
- Scrape out every last bit: Use a blender spatula to scrape out every last bit of your nut-free vegan mayo into a jar or other container.
- Store:Refrigerate tofu mayo in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Notes
- Note 1: Get a non-dairy milk with no flavoring, it's usually called "original" flavor. I like to use soy milk for this recipe because it makes super creamy tofu mayo. I like the kind of soy milk that comes in an unrefrigerated carton and it's just soybeans and water, no other ingredients. But any unsweetened unflavored non-dairy milk will work fine.
- Note 2: Other vinegars or even lemon juice will work. I liked apple cider vinegar for this vegan oil-free mayo because it adds a bit of sweetness.
- Note 3: While other tofus will work (though I would not use vacuum-sealed super firm tofu for this recipe), they will need differing amounts of liquid. I find that silken tofu is too runny for this recipe. I prefer firm tofu to make a nice THICK tofu mayo.
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Ingredient
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free, Nut-free, Sugar-free, Mayo
Nina
The video shows some sort of liquid jackfruit. The ingredient list does not have it. Was that a blooper ? BTW, printed out the vegan latke recipe and the egg rolls. So happy for a baked version of the Chinese treat !
💚 Liz
Lol thank you for catching the typo. Let me know how the egg rolls and latkes turn out!
J
The video shows apple cider vinegar in the Vegan + GF Nut-Free Mayo, but the recipe doesn't show the vinegar so I don't know how much to add. Thanks.
💚 Liz
I'm so sorry! It's 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. I've fixed it in the recipe info.