Pantry Staples
Best Mayonnaise Substitutes
Out of Mayonnaise? Here are 1 real substitutes, ranked and ratio-backed.
1. Greek yogurt
Ratio: 1:1
Much lower in fat with a tangier flavor — works well in dips and dressings, less rich as a sandwich spread.
Best for: dips, dressings, sandwich spread (lighter)
Mayonnaise is an emulsion — oil suspended in tiny droplets throughout egg yolk and an acid (vinegar or lemon juice), held together by the yolk's lecithin acting as an emulsifier — which is exactly why it's trickier to substitute cleanly than a simpler ingredient like milk: a replacement needs to bring something with real fat content and some binding structure, not just a similar spoonable texture.
Greek yogurt is the most commonly reached-for substitute specifically because it shares mayonnaise's thick, spoonable consistency and a similar tang from its own culturing, even though its fat content is considerably lower — a genuinely different nutritional profile, not just a flavor tweak, which is part of why it's popular in health-conscious recipe adaptations.
Because mayonnaise is used both as a binder (in tuna salad, deviled eggs) and as a moisture-adding spread (on a sandwich), the right substitute genuinely depends on which job it's doing in a given recipe — a binder role tolerates a thicker, less fatty substitute better than a spread role, where mayonnaise's rich mouthfeel is often the entire point.
Sour cream is worth knowing about as a second option beyond Greek yogurt, particularly in a cold dip or a dressing, since its fat content sits a bit closer to mayonnaise's than yogurt's does, even if it lacks mayonnaise's distinct oil-and-egg richness entirely — it splits the difference between yogurt's leanness and mayonnaise's fattiness rather than landing squarely on either side.
Mashed avocado is a less orthodox substitute worth mentioning for a sandwich spread specifically, since it brings genuine fat and a creamy mouthfeel closer to mayonnaise's than yogurt manages, though its flavor is distinctly its own (grassy, mild) rather than mayonnaise's egg-and-vinegar tang, and it browns and softens within a day or two in a way a jar of mayonnaise never does.
Need to convert Mayonnaise first? Use the Ingredient Converter.
Frequently asked questions
Does Greek yogurt taste like mayonnaise once substituted?
Not identically — Greek yogurt's tang is more purely sour/tangy than mayonnaise's rounder, richer flavor (which comes from egg yolk and oil, not just acidity), so the substitution changes a dish's flavor balance somewhat even though the texture is comparably thick and spoonable.
Is Greek yogurt a good substitute for mayo in a sandwich?
It works, though the mouthfeel is noticeably leaner since Greek yogurt lacks mayonnaise's oil content — better suited to a dip or a dressing recipe where tang is welcome than to a sandwich where mayo's richness is often specifically what's wanted.
Can homemade mayonnaise be made without raw eggs?
Most homemade mayonnaise recipes do rely on raw or lightly cooked egg yolk for the emulsion, which is a genuine food-safety consideration for anyone avoiding raw egg — pasteurized eggs are a safer option if making mayonnaise from scratch matters for a particular use.
Is there a vegan substitute that emulsifies like real mayonnaise?
Commercial vegan mayonnaise typically uses aquafaba (chickpea liquid) or soy protein in place of egg yolk as the emulsifier, and can achieve a genuinely similar texture, though flavor varies more by brand than traditional mayo does.
Why does Greek yogurt work better than plain yogurt as a mayo substitute?
Greek yogurt is strained to remove much of its whey, giving it a thicker, denser texture closer to mayonnaise's consistency, while plain yogurt is thinner and would make a dip or spread noticeably runnier.