This easy vegan Cashew Mayo recipe is creamy, tangy, and rich! It's a healthier alternative to traditional mayo made with whole food plant-based ingredients. Simple to prepare and customizable! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This easy vegan mayonnaise is so creamy, tangy, and wonderfully rich! Use it on sandwiches, wraps, potato salads, dips, or anywhere you'd like a little creamy indulgence.
Making your own sauces and condiments at home is a great way to control the ingredients. Plus you can fine-tune the flavors just the way you like it!
This cashew mayonnaise recipe leaves out the raw eggs and vegetable oil for a healthier whole food plant-based version that's oil-free.
You can enjoy it creamy and plain, or browse some ideas below for making it spicy, smoky, or herby!
Ingredients for Cashew Mayo
For this recipe you'll blend in a small high-speed blender or food processor:
- Raw cashews: Protein-rich cashew nuts create a thick, creamy texture. We'll use soaked cashews so they're softer and easier to blend. (You can do this ahead of time and let them soak for several hours, or use my hot water "quick soak" method in the recipe notes.)
- Dairy-free milk: Be sure your milk is plain and unsweetened. I use homemade cashew milk, but soy milk, almond, milk, or coconut milk work great. You could also substitute with water or aquafaba if desired.
- Fresh lemon juice: We'll use two tablespoons which is about a half lemon.
- Apple cider vinegar: This adds nice tangy flavor. You could use white distilled vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar instead however.
- Dijon mustard
- Onion powder: You could also include a quarter teaspoon dried garlic powder (or more) if you enjoy the flavor.
- Kala namak: Classic mayonnaise includes egg or egg yolks, so we replace that with kala namak (black salt) for eggy flavor. I do recommend adding this, but if you don't have it on hand simply leave it out.
- Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe, and somewhere between a quarter teaspoon and a half teaspoon. Adjust as desired to bring out the flavors.
Cashew-free: You could try substituting silken tofu for the cashews, which should work fine. (I haven't tested this however.)
Customizing
Herb mayo: Stir in finely chopped herbs such as fresh parsley, basil, dill, chives, tarragon, oregano, thyme, or cilantro. Or make a "green mayo" with various fresh herb blends. I suggest adding these after blending or pulse a couple times to incorporate.
Spicy mayo: Add a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, a dash of dry chipotle powder, sriracha, wasabi, hot sauce, fresh jalapeno (or roasted), ancho chili powder, or cayenne pepper to taste.
Roasted garlic: Blend in about 4-6 roasted garlic cloves crushed into a paste.
Curried: Add a teaspoon of curry powder, or more to taste. You can also include lime juice (or lime zest) and a drizzle of maple syrup to sweeten.
Other flavors: Stir in capers, minced shallots, vegan Walnut Pesto, olives, za'atar spice, smoked paprika, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red pepper, fresh garlic cloves, black pepper, etc.
Get creative! This mayo recipe is a blank canvas for exploring other flavors from spicy, smoky, savory, and beyond. I'd love to hear if you try your own flavored version!
Serving
Condiment: Spread it on burgers, sandwiches, veggie wraps, or anywhere you'd normally enjoy store-bought vegan mayo. (I enjoy this Black Bean Walnut Burger!)
Dressing: Swap in this vegan mayo as a healthier salad dressing! Try it in this Curried Chickpea Salad, Vegan Macaroni Salad, or Vegan Potato Salad. It's also great in this Vegan Coleslaw Dressing or a vegan "tuna" salad with mashed chickpeas, etc.
Fry sauce: Enjoy it as a dipping sauce for French fries, sweet potato fries, homemade oven fries, etc. Mix it with BBQ sauce or ketchup for an even more flavorful dip.
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container or glass mason jar in the refrigerator. I find it keeps well for about 1-2 weeks, but use your best judgement.
The mayo will thicken after chilling in the fridge for a few hours. So you can enjoy it right away, or store for later.
Love cashews? Check out more easy vegan cashew recipes!
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan sauce & seasoning recipes.
Cashew Mayo (Oil-Free!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked*
- 1/2 cup plant milk (plain, unsweetened)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/8 tsp. kala namak (optional, but recommended)
- 1/4 tsp. salt (or up to 1/2 tsp.)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high speed blender. Blend for 20-30 seconds until smooth. (I use a small NutriBullet which works great.)
- Taste and adjust flavors if desired. Add a splash more liquid if needed to blend.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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Wendy Holcombe says
Do you have suggestions for someone who can't eat cashews?
Kaitlin says
Hello, Wendy! I haven't tested this recipe without cashews, but you could perhaps substitute cannellini beans or pumpkin seeds instead (if seeds are okay in your diet). I'm not sure how these would turn out since I haven't tried it. Otherwise I'd suggest searching for a tofu mayo instead. (I don't have a posted recipe for this yet, but it's on my list to provide a nut-free version!)
Claudette Hawkins says
I made this for the Mexican macaroni salad. I was licking my fingers. I could eat it by the spoonful! Delicious!😋
Kaitlin says
Hello, Claudette! So wonderful to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for coming back to leave such kind feedback!
Jennifer says
Very tasty and quick to make. Did just a quick soak of the cashews because I trust the power of my Vitamix 😁. Used this with your Mexican Macaroni Salad and it was great! Look forward to using this mayo for C.L.T. sandwiches! I did include the kala namak, as suggested. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Kaitlin says
Excellent! Kala namak is such a fun, unique ingredient. It really does give it that classic mayo flavor. I hope you enjoy it spread on your sandwiches too! (My daughter has been making her own school lunches this year and requested this for her tofu & veggie sandwiches, so we keep a batch in the fridge as well!)
Jennifer says
Tofu and veggie sandwiches sound great! Do you prep the tofu in advance (like in a marinade and baked?)
Kaitlin says
Sometimes I make this Baked Tofu but cut it in slabs instead of cubes which keeps in the fridge for a few days. Otherwise I take the easy route and purchase small packs of flavored baked tofu found near the produce section. Wildwood organic makes savory & teriyaki varieties which are pretty good. But I do prefer the freshness of making it at home when possible!
Debra says
Hello Kaitlyn, do you know the sodium amount in a serving? Thank you.
Kaitlin says
Hello Debra! I completely understand people's concern with sodium, which is why I purposely omit stating the numbers on my site as I feel it’s not an accurate enough calculation. Many of my recipes say “salt to taste” or in this case, give a range of salt to let people cater directly to their own needs. So I encourage everyone to calculate their own nutritional stats to provide a more accurate reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts they're using. (Different brands can vary, or if you're using low-sodium products for example.) So it hasn't been something I've been comfortable stating. I hope this makes sense! 🙂
Colleen says
This is a great recipe. We added the black salt too. Tasty and healthy!
Kaitlin says
Wonderful to hear! Thanks so much for sharing.