Vegan Kewpie Mayo (Japanese Mayonnaise without eggs)

Whether you are going to use it in making lemongrass tofu banh mi, or swirl homemade sriracha into it to drizzle onto a vegan sushi bake, or use it as part of a tartar sauce for dipping vegan buffalo wings into, by golly, you will be so damned psyched about not having to purchase overpriced store-bought vegan mayo ever again!

Why this vegan mayonnaise recipe is a gosh darned winner:

• It’s seriously quick and easy to make
• It’s got no tofu, and you can make it completely soy-free, if that’s your thing
• Uses simple, accessible plant-based ingredients
• Has fantastic keeping quality
• Makes regular mayo cry itself to sleep because it's boring and outdated
• Delivers that signature creamy, umami-packed flavor

Go ahead, pinch yourself. You aren’t dreaming, and you are about to experience a homemade vegan mayo that’s smooth, luscious, and packed with the right flavor. Once you try this recipe, you'll never return to store-bought again!

🤷‍♀️ What Is Kewpie Mayo?

I know you have seen those curved squeeze bottles of Kewpie mayonnaise at Asian food stores and wondered, what is so special about this stuff anyway? I mean, the iconic plastic squeeze bottle you are used to seeing Kewpie sold in didn’t even launch until 1958, so here’s the origin story:

After getting turned onto American mayonnaise on a trip to the United States in 1910, Toichiro Nakashima wanted to make a Japanese version. In 1925 (can you believe this is a 100-year-old tradition now?), it sorta revolutionized the way mayonnaise was being made in Japan. Rather than using whole eggs, the manufacturer, who was at the time called Shokuhin Kayo (who later changed their name to Kewpie Corporation), used just the egg yolks in their recipe, which is why kewpie tends to be a wee bit darker than ordinary mayo. The original recipe included MSG (monosodium glutamate) and rice vinegar.

So, if you really want to nail the texture and flavor of Japanese kewpie mayonnaise, you need to use something for that spark of umami. Lots of people avoid using MSG, which is why I use miso or doenjang, to give my recipe saltiness, and umami, and also to color the kewpie that creamy off-white color it normally has in recipes that contain eggs.

🌿 Ingredients for Vegan Kewpie Mayo

Vegan Milk

I have experimented with just about every unsweetened plant-based milk on the market to make this mayo. While it works great with oat milk, almond milk and others, hands down soy milk was the winner in my tests. Aside from it’s neutral flavor, soy milk has naturally occurring soy lecithin, which helps in the process of emulsification (the binding of oils and liquids) that this recipe relies on. That is why I use it in recipes such as my vegan whipped cream and vegan sour cream.

Oil

Neutral oils like canola, sunflower, mild olive oil, and vegetable oil are high in unsaturated fats, making them heart-healthy choices to make dairy-free mayonnaise. I would discourage you from using coconut oil in this recipe, because it will firm too much when you chill the mayo.

Sweetener

A small amount of sugar balances the acidity and saltiness, rounding out the flavors. You can use any type of sugar, but I have had the best results with regular cane sugar, coconut sugar and palm sugar (which I ALWAYS have on hand for making desserts such as klepon, turon, and bubur sumsum).

Dijon Mustard

A little bit of mustard adds a bit of tang and very subtle spice, while also helping curdle the vegan milk which helps with emulsification. If you don’t have Dijon, any smooth mustard can work in its place.

Miso Paste or Doenjang

I am a big fan of using fermented bean paste as a flavor-rich alternative to plain salt in recipes from my vegan chicken, miso glazed eggplant and even vegan drumsticks. While white miso and doenjang (which you can think of as Korea’s version of miso) work best for this, I have also made it and liked my results using taucu, and dark Chinese fermented bean paste. All pack umami and salt without sweeteners, and that’s the main thing we are looking for.

📖 How to make this vegan kewpie mayo recipe

Get ready to slather your dad’s used 1996 Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris from bumper to bumper in this glorious vegan mayonnaise quickly by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.

Step One

Set The Stage:
Pour the unsweetened plant-based milk into a blender.

✅ Soy milk works the best in this recipe due to its naturally occurring lecithin. But don't fret. Other unsweetened plant-based milks work too.

Step Two

Curdle The Milk:

Add the rice vinegar, dulse flakes (if using), sugar, Dijon mustard, and miso to the milk in the blender. Pulse a few times to distribute the vinegar and mustard.

✅ The acid will help to curdle the milk, making the final mayo smoother, and richer.

Step Three

Emulsion:

Over the course of around 90 seconds, while blending on medium speed, gradually add the oil, until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. The slower you drizzle in the oil the better.

Step Four

Taste the mayo and adjust the seasoning if necessary. 

✅ If you want it thinner for drizzling, blend up to two additional tablespoons of vegan milk into it.

Transfer the vegan kewpie mayo to a clean, airtight container or squeeze bottle and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to four weeks.