I’ve been trying to incorporate more fermented and probiotic foods into my diet, and probiotic mayonnaise is probably one of the easiest ways I’ve found.
And it tastes just like regular mayonnaise, so it’s a sneaky way to introduce probiotic foods into your kids’ diet (or your husband’s, in my case).
Now, the thing about mayonnaise is it has a bad rep because it’s usually made with heavy oils, and if you’re conscious about what goes into your body, it’s something you might avoid.
So, to make this probiotic mayonnaise a little healthier (and easier for you if you’ve never made mayo before), I swapped the traditional olive oil for healthier grape seed oil.
Probiotic mayonnaise is fairly straight forward to make, although you do have to pay attention when combining the oil with the other ingredients to ensure your mayo emulsifies correctly.
But the end result is worth it, and probiotic mayonnaise has a tangy, sparkling taste you’ll love.
So, the first question:
What goes into probiotic mayonnaise anyway?
Let’s take a look!
So, here’s the ingredients for probiotic mayonnaise:
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whey
(You can also buy these at Thrive Market. See why I love Thrive here.)
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk a bit about these ingredients…
Whey, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Grape Seed Oil – Oh My!
For this recipe, I used whey leftover from cheese making to turn regular mayonnaise into a probiotic powerhouse.
It’s a great way to use it up and make a healthy addition to your meal (incidentally, it’s also great in pizza dough!).
If you want to use whey to add probiotics to this or any meal, avoid the whey powders you see in health food stores; it’s not the same thing, and you won’t get any beneficial bacteria from it.
Just…no.
If you don’t have whey, you can just omit it from the recipe or use fermented pickle juice to make the mayonnaise into a probiotic feast.
All you need to do is simply use an equal amount of fermented pickle juice instead of the whey.
You can also use extra raw apple cider vinegar in place of the whey.
Speaking of apple cider vinegar…
In addition to the whey, to make probiotic mayonnaise, I also used raw, organic apple cider vinegar to add an extra amount of beneficial bacteria.
Just like the whey, you want to make sure the vinegar you use is homemade and raw, and contains part of the mother – the collection of beneficial bacterias that naturally occur as you make apple cider vinegar.
I generally recommend people use only vinegar they’ve made in their own home when making this probiotic mayonnaise – you can be sure of exactly what you’re getting.
If making apple cider vinegar is new to you…
Read my step-by-step apple cider vinegar tutorial. It’s so simple to make you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life.
Ah…grapeseed oil. We meet again.
Mayonnaise is traditionally made with olive oil, but I use grapeseed oil when making probiotic mayonnaise because the oil has a lot of antioxidants in it.
It’s also popular for cooking because it’s known to reduce cholesterol.
It’s filled with healthy fats, making it ideal for a condiment like mayonnaise, which traditionally has been full of unhealthy fats, and definitely not probiotic.
But most importantly….
It emulsifies easier than olive oil.
The success of any mayonnaise recipe rests on the cook’s ability to properly emulsify the ingredients, and I need all the help I can get!
Nothing is worse than trying hard to make mayonnaise, and completely flopping!
But here’s the deal:
When using grapeseed oil for probiotic mayonnaise, or any cooking really, be sure to use food grade – some oils are sold for cosmetic use.
Because the oil is extracted from the seed using a chemical process, it’s possible a cosmetic-grade oil will be harmful if consumed.
But if you find your grapeseed oil in the food aisle at your local store, you’re probably okay!
How to make Probiotic Mayonnaise
The difference between probiotic mayonnaise and regular ol’ mayo comes down to two things:
- Raw apple cider vinegar
- Whey
When you use both of these ingredients, the beneficial bacteria in both are added to your mayo.
And it transforms from something ordinary into something that you’re used to eating but is filled with more nutrients, easier to digest, and more nourishing.
And if you have picky eaters (read: stubborn eaters who don’t want to try something new), it’s an easy way to introduce probiotic foods into their diet.
So, here’s the ingredients for probiotic mayonnaise again
Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whey
½ tsp Himalayan salt (or any salt)
1 cup grapeseed oil
Let’s talk Directions
I like to use an immersion blender to make this mayonnaise, but a table top blender works great too.
In a wide-mouth jar (or blender if using), combine the egg yolks, mustard, apple cider vinegar, whey, and salt.
Blend the ingredients together as you very slowly drizzle the oil into the mixture, keeping the blender running the entire time.
And I mean very slowly.
It took me a good 3 minutes to drizzle the grapeseed oil into the egg yolk mixture, and it’s important to not stop when blending the ingredients together to make sure it emulsifies.
This is where the rubber hits the road – dump the oil in too fast, and it might not emulsify. Patience is key to successful probiotic mayonnaise.
Once you’ve added all the oil, you will know your mayonnaise is ready when the mixture becomes thick, coats your blender, and is more difficult to mix.
Transfer your completed probiotic mayonnaise into a clean plastic container or glass jar, and keep in the fridge. Use as you would any other mayonnaise.
That’s it!
The steps to make probiotic mayonnaise are pretty straight forward, and the only tricky part is emulsifying the ingredients.
With an immersion blender, even I can do it!
I’d like to hear from you!
Does probiotic mayonnaise sound like something you’d try? Why or why not? Email me at [email protected] or comment below!
