Can You Make Mayo With Only Egg Whites?

Love it or hate it, mayo is a popular condiment that adds creaminess to devilled eggs, flavor to tuna salad sandwiches, and it's the base for things like homemade ranch dressing. Like almost everything else, mayonnaise is better when it's made from scratch at home versus purchasing it off the store shelves. It might seem like a lot of work, but as most mayo lovers believe, the homemade version is worth it because it's better for you and has a much better consistency (via Organic Authority).

If you're unsure what's all involved in making mayo at home, it's important to understand what's in it. The classic mayonnaise recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients — whole eggs or just the yolks, mustard, salt, vinegar (or lemon juice), oil, and sometimes sugar. Those ingredients are transformed into creamy mayo via the emulsification process, according to Britannica. The emulsion happens by blending oil, egg yolks, and vinegar with the help of a food processor, immersion blender, or regular blender.

You can use egg whites in scrambles or in a cocktail, but putting them in a batch of mayo is also a viable option, according to Serious Eats. If you'd like to make a lighter version of mayonnaise or you simply have egg whites leftover that you want to use up, luckily there's a way to make mayonnaise from scratch using only egg whites. The article explains that egg whites offer a lower amount of weight and volume than a whole egg or egg yolk, and will require less oil. So, it's important to use a recipe that specifically calls for using the whites of the eggs only. 

Another tip mentioned in the Serious Eats article is that egg white mayo takes considerably less time to make, and is finished in just 20 seconds when using an immersion blender. The next time you find yourself with some extra egg whites and not a lot of time, try whipping up a batch of egg white mayo. It might be your new favorite version.