Kewpie Mayo Recipe

Whether you call it Japanese Mayonnaise or Kewpie Mayo, once you try it, you’ll never go back. Japanese Mayonnaise has a rich egg flavor, a tangy and sweet taste, and is creamier in both color and texture than regular mayonnaise. And just like any other Japanese creation, it scores high on the umami factor.

Japanese mayonnaise (マヨネーズ)—or better known as Kewpie mayo—is a pantry staple in almost every Japanese household. Known for its richer egg flavor and umami goodness, Japanese mayo has become a cult-favorite by foodies around the world in recent years. David Chang, the famous chef and founder of the Momofuku restaurant group, even calls it “the best mayonnaise in the world”. I have to agree!

Thanks to its popularity, you can easily find Japanese mayonnaise outside of Japan these days. However, if you wish to make a homemade version without MSG, I have two recipes for you: one is made from scratch and the other is an easy version using the ready-made mayonnaise.

When most people mention Japanese mayonnaise, they are referring to the most popular brand known as Kewpie Mayo. It was invented in 1924 by Toichiro Nakashima who first discovered mayonnaise on his visit to the US and decided to introduce his own mayonnaise so good that all Japanese people would enjoy.

Today, Kewpie mayo has become synonymous with Japanese mayonnaise. Everyone recognizes it for its signature squeeze plastic bottle with a Kewpie doll logo and a red cap.

The Japanese is certainly obsessed with this condiment as we use it on our sandwiches, savory pancakes, rice bowls, sushi, salad dressings, and even on pizza. In fact, when I was growing up, there were limited choices of dressings so we used to eat our salad with a dollop of Kewpie mayo (oh, the good old days!).

Many JOC readers told me they were never into American mayo, but they would only use Kewpie mayo as they are enamored by its slightly tangy, creamy, light yet umami flavor.

Kewpie mayo recipe

Make this easy hack version of classic Kewpie mayo if you’re in a bind, but it’s better to get the real thing

Prep: 2min

Total: 2min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 93 kcal, Carbohydrate 0.5 g, Protein 0.01 g, Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 90 mg, Fiber 0.01 g, Sugar 0.5 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise (Hellmann’s/Best Foods preferred)
• 3/4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 tsp sugar

Instruction:

1. Mix everything together until smooth and eat on everything.

Japanese Mayonnaise (Kewpie Mayo)

Whether you call it Japanese Mayonnaise or Kewpie Mayo, once you try it, you’ll never go back. Japanese Mayonnaise has a rich egg flavor, a tangy and sweet taste, and is creamier in both color and texture than standard mayonnaise. And just like any other Japanese creation, it scores high on the umami factor.

Prep: 10min

Total: 10min

Yield: 2

Serving Size: 1 cup

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 cup, calories 1495 kcal, Carbohydrate 6 g, Protein 3 g, Fat 169 g, Saturated Fat 135 g, Cholesterol 195 mg, Sodium 695 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 5 g, unSaturated Fat 24 g

Ingredients:

• 2 pasteurized egg yolks
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard ((mustard adds flavor and helps to emulsify the mixture, reducing the risk of the mayonnaise breaking))
• 1½ cups neutral-flavored oil (avocado, rice bran, vegetable, canola, etc.)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• 2 tsp sugar ((I added 2 more tsp at the end, but it depends on your preference))
• ½ tsp dashi powder
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
• 4 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instruction:

1. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Gather all the ingredients. Tip: If you reduce the recipe ingredients, there won’t be enough volume for the food processor or blender to do its work, so you may need to hand whisk the ingredients (or use a hand mixer or immersion blender). Make sure the egg yolks are at room temperature.’, ‘name’: ‘Gather all the ingredients. Tip: If you reduce the recipe ingredients, there won’t be enough volume for the food processor or blender to do its work, so you may need to hand whisk the ingredients (or use a hand mixer or immersion blender). Make sure the egg yolks are at room temperature.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-mayonnaise/#wprm-recipe-65472-step-0-0’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Japanese-Mayonnaise-Ingredients.jpg’}
2. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Put the egg yolks and mustard into the bowl of a food processor or a blender (my food processor has a 3-cup bowl) and process for 20 seconds.’, ‘name’: ‘Put the egg yolks and mustard into the bowl of a food processor or a blender (my food processor has a 3-cup bowl) and process for 20 seconds.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-mayonnaise/#wprm-recipe-65472-step-0-1’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Japanese-Mayonnaise-1.jpg’}
3. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘With the food processor running, SLOWLY drizzle the canola oil in a thin, steady stream until you’ve added about ½ cup of the oil. The mixture will begin to thicken and emulsify. If you add the oil too fast, it won’t emulsify.’, ‘name’: ‘With the food processor running, SLOWLY drizzle the canola oil in a thin, steady stream until you’ve added about ½ cup of the oil. The mixture will begin to thicken and emulsify. If you add the oil too fast, it won’t emulsify.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-mayonnaise/#wprm-recipe-65472-step-0-2’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Japanese-Mayonnaise-2.jpg’}
4. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Add the kosher salt, granulated sugar, and dashi powder and give everything a whirl again.’, ‘name’: ‘Add the kosher salt, granulated sugar, and dashi powder and give everything a whirl again.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-mayonnaise/#wprm-recipe-65472-step-0-3’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Japanese-Mayonnaise-3.jpg’}
5. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Continue to add the oil in a thin, steady stream until you’ve added another ½ cup of oil. I use the Stir setting while adding the oil.’, ‘name’: ‘Continue to add the oil in a thin, steady stream until you’ve added another ½ cup of oil. I use the Stir setting while adding the oil.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-mayonnaise/#wprm-recipe-65472-step-0-4’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Japanese-Mayonnaise-4.jpg’}
6. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Finally, add the rice vinegar, lemon juice, and remaining oil and process for an extra 10 seconds, just until the ingredients are combined and emulsified. Don’t blend the mayonnaise too long, as homemade mayonnaise comes together pretty quickly in the food processor or blender. When blended too long, the emulsion that brought the spread together is more likely to break, either from overprocessing or overheating.’, ‘name’: ‘Finally, add the rice vinegar, lemon juice, and remaining oil and process for an extra 10 seconds, just until the ingredients are combined and emulsified. Don’t blend the mayonnaise too long, as homemade mayonnaise comes together pretty quickly in the food processor or blender. When blended too long, the emulsion that brought the spread together is more likely to break, either from overprocessing or overheating.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-mayonnaise/#wprm-recipe-65472-step-0-5’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Japanese-Mayonnaise-5.jpg’}
7. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Taste the mayonnaise and adjust with salt, sugar, or lemon juice to your liking. I personally added 2 more teaspoons of sugar for a total of 4 teaspoons.’, ‘name’: ‘Taste the mayonnaise and adjust with salt, sugar, or lemon juice to your liking. I personally added 2 more teaspoons of sugar for a total of 4 teaspoons.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-mayonnaise/#wprm-recipe-65472-step-0-6’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Japanese-Mayonnaise-6.jpg’}
8. {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘To Store’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘You can keep the mayonnaise in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for about 4 days.’, ‘name’: ‘You can keep the mayonnaise in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for about 4 days.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-mayonnaise/#wprm-recipe-65472-step-1-0’}]}

How To Make Japanese Mayo(Kewpie Mayonnaise) at Home

FAQ

What is the difference between mayo and Kewpie mayo?

What is a substitute for Kewpie mayo?

Does Kewpie mayo taste like Miracle Whip?

Is Kewpie Mayo healthier than regular?