29 votes

Five minute oil-free mayo from tofu

48 comments

  1. [9]
    BeanBurrito
    (edited )
    Link
    After about 5 months of procrastination I finally made that recipe. It was mind numbingly quick and easy. No oil. I only spent $3 for the silken tofu, since I already had the other ingredients. An...

    After about 5 months of procrastination I finally made that recipe. It was mind numbingly quick and easy. No oil. I only spent $3 for the silken tofu, since I already had the other ingredients. An equal amount with one of the vegan mayonnaise brands I've used would have cost $9.78 USD.


    Edit:


    I am impressed with the amount of interest this thread has generated. :-)


    13 votes
    1. [8]
      cdb
      Link Parent
      How were the taste and texture? What situations would you want to use it, direct replacement for mayo or do you think there may be some differences?

      How were the taste and texture? What situations would you want to use it, direct replacement for mayo or do you think there may be some differences?

      4 votes
      1. [7]
        BeanBurrito
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Taste: I would like it with a little more zing. Texture: Pretty good Uses of interest: bread for sandwiches, potato salad, coleslaw Direct Replacement: Yes Vegan versions of animal products never...

        Taste: I would like it with a little more zing.
        Texture: Pretty good
        Uses of interest: bread for sandwiches, potato salad, coleslaw
        Direct Replacement: Yes

        1. Vegan versions of animal products never taste exactly the same. I consider them "good" if the texture is similar, if the they can be used in similar ways ( burgers that hold together on a bun ), and if the taste is good, though not exactly the same.
        8 votes
        1. cdb
          Link Parent
          Just based on the ingredients, I'd think it would be really good with coleslaw. Thanks for the suggestion.

          Just based on the ingredients, I'd think it would be really good with coleslaw. Thanks for the suggestion.

          5 votes
        2. [3]
          knocklessmonster
          Link Parent
          Mayonnaise, at least off the shelf, is largely a carrier for flavor anyway in a sandwich, salad, w/e. I would imagine tofu mayonnaise would be similar. Now I want to try this.

          Mayonnaise, at least off the shelf, is largely a carrier for flavor anyway in a sandwich, salad, w/e. I would imagine tofu mayonnaise would be similar.

          Now I want to try this.

          1 vote
          1. BeanBurrito
            Link Parent
            The recipe is easy to make and cheap. No reason not to give it a try.

            The recipe is easy to make and cheap. No reason not to give it a try.

            2 votes
          2. Daedalus_1
            Link Parent
            Depends on where you live I suppose, here in Belgium we're serious about our mayo.

            is largely a carrier for flavor anyway

            Depends on where you live I suppose, here in Belgium we're serious about our mayo.

            1 vote
        3. [2]
          ali
          Link Parent
          I haven't tried this Recipe yet, but Hellmans Vegan Mayonaise has a little zing/vinegary taste and I would not be able to distinguish it from other mayonaise.

          I haven't tried this Recipe yet, but Hellmans Vegan Mayonaise has a little zing/vinegary taste and I would not be able to distinguish it from other mayonaise.

          1 vote
          1. BeanBurrito
            Link Parent
            I haven't priced Hellman's Vegan Mayonnaise yet. One of my interests in the recipe I posted is that it cost me $3 to make, about $7 cheaper than the brands of vegan mayonnaise available where I shop.

            I haven't priced Hellman's Vegan Mayonnaise yet.

            One of my interests in the recipe I posted is that it cost me $3 to make, about $7 cheaper than the brands of vegan mayonnaise available where I shop.

            2 votes
  2. [22]
    Promonk
    Link
    Ok, but why? Cutting out the eggs I could understand, if a person was trying to go vegan. Cutting out oil just seems unnecessary.

    Ok, but why? Cutting out the eggs I could understand, if a person was trying to go vegan. Cutting out oil just seems unnecessary.

    10 votes
    1. [15]
      BeanBurrito
      Link Parent
      Why consume calories without much nutrition when you can get the same thing with a lot of nutrition?

      Why consume calories without much nutrition when you can get the same thing with a lot of nutrition?

      16 votes
      1. [14]
        DrStone
        Link Parent
        Because some oils can be a healthy part of your diet. You also can enhance the absorption of fat-solvable nutrients with the addition of fats/oils to a low-fat meal.

        Because some oils can be a healthy part of your diet. You also can enhance the absorption of fat-solvable nutrients with the addition of fats/oils to a low-fat meal.

        21 votes
        1. [3]
          post_below
          Link Parent
          I'd change it a little from "some oils can" to "some oils are required". Your body can synthesize some lipids from glucose but not all. I think the estimate is that most people would survive a...

          I'd change it a little from "some oils can" to "some oils are required". Your body can synthesize some lipids from glucose but not all. I think the estimate is that most people would survive a couple months on a no fat diet.

          Fat is a nutrient. Which is not to say that the oils they use in most mayo are a great choice.

          13 votes
          1. Promonk
            Link Parent
            Since we're talking about making mayo at home, I don't think this is really relevant. You can use whichever oil the most recent poorly researched headline has told you is best for you, if it matters.

            Fat is a nutrient. Which is not to say that the oils they use in most mayo are a great choice.

            Since we're talking about making mayo at home, I don't think this is really relevant. You can use whichever oil the most recent poorly researched headline has told you is best for you, if it matters.

            5 votes
          2. teaearlgraycold
            Link Parent
            You can get avocado oil mayo at the grocery store. Presumably that’s a good oil to have in you.

            You can get avocado oil mayo at the grocery store. Presumably that’s a good oil to have in you.

            1 vote
        2. [9]
          BeanBurrito
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          Not the oils used in off the shelf mayonnaise. If you pick up a bottle of the same oil, and read the back label you can see the nutrition (lack of). Almost 100% pure calories. Tofu has fat in it.

          Not the oils used in off the shelf mayonnaise. If you pick up a bottle of the same oil, and read the back label you can see the nutrition (lack of). Almost 100% pure calories.

          Tofu has fat in it.

          7 votes
          1. [2]
            sparksbet
            Link Parent
            Homemade (non-vegan) mayo also contains fats because it contains eggs. This recipe seems cool and like a good way to get similar fats into a vegan mayo, but hand-wringing about normal mayo being...

            Homemade (non-vegan) mayo also contains fats because it contains eggs. This recipe seems cool and like a good way to get similar fats into a vegan mayo, but hand-wringing about normal mayo being "100% pure calories" seems unnecessary.

            11 votes
            1. BeanBurrito
              Link Parent
              I don't believe I wrote that.

              but hand-wringing about normal mayo being "100% pure calories"

              I don't believe I wrote that.

              7 votes
          2. [6]
            DrStone
            Link Parent
            There’s a lot more to nutrition than the few things listed on a short grocery store nutrition label. I don’t just mean secondary effects like solubility. Compare the number of things listed on a...

            There’s a lot more to nutrition than the few things listed on a short grocery store nutrition label. I don’t just mean secondary effects like solubility. Compare the number of things listed on a product nutrition label, which usually only ha macros and maybe a few others, with the number of things listed in sources like the NCCDB (Nutrition Coordinating Center Food & Nutrient Database) or USDA SR28 (United States Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference).

            3 votes
            1. [5]
              BeanBurrito
              Link Parent
              You can get a free account on cronometer.com. Compare the nutrition in 100 calories of canola oil to 100 calories silken tofu.

              You can get a free account on cronometer.com.

              Compare the nutrition in 100 calories of canola oil to 100 calories silken tofu.

              1 vote
              1. [4]
                DrStone
                (edited )
                Link Parent
                EDIT: mixed up requested units for the comparison

                EDIT: mixed up requested units for the comparison

                I was specifically responding to

                read the back label you can see the nutrition (lack of). Almost 100% pure calories.

                Funny you mention Cronometer. I’m a long time user tracking both macro and micronutrient goals within a calorie target, and that’s exactly where I learned how limited the manufacturer nutrition labels are compared to the NCCDB and similarly rigorous sources.

                I know you said canola, but if we’re going for “healthier” home made mayo, we can do olive. For 100g of olive oil, it contains 14.3mg vitamin E, 60mg vitamin K, 0.6mg iron, 0.8g omega 3, 9.8g omega 6, in addition to the 73g monounsaturated fat and 14g or so saturated.

                Silken tofu does have a broader range of nutrients, but for those specific ones it has less, often by quite a margin: 0.2mg E (much less), 2mg K (much less), 1g iron (more), 0.2g omega 3 (less), 1.3g omega 6 (less), with less than 3g fat total (really stretching “tofu has fat in it”).

                Edit: for fun, 100g canola compared on the same to tofu:
                17.4mg E (much more), 71mg K (much more), 0 iron (much less), 9.1g omega 3 (much more), 18.6g omega 6 (much more)

                1. [2]
                  PleasantlyAverage
                  (edited )
                  Link Parent
                  Firstly, I don't think comparing pure canola oil with tofu makes sense in the context of mayonnaise since it also contains egg yolks, affecting its composition. Secondly, comparing both on a...

                  Firstly, I don't think comparing pure canola oil with tofu makes sense in the context of mayonnaise since it also contains egg yolks, affecting its composition. Secondly, comparing both on a weight basis and not calorie adjusted also doesn't make sense since we care about how rich of a nutrition source they are. And lastly, from what I've heard, making mayonnaise out of olive oil is not a good idea because the flavor of it becomes overpowering.

                  With that out of the way, regular mayonnaise compared to one based on tofu seems to contain fewer micronutrients. So at least from a nutritional perspective it seems inferior.

                  9 votes
                  1. DrStone
                    Link Parent
                    Ah, you know what, I completely misread the units BeanBurrito asked for. I’m so used to “100g” in the context of nutrition labels that my brain saw the number and missed “calories”. I’ll edit the...

                    Ah, you know what, I completely misread the units BeanBurrito asked for. I’m so used to “100g” in the context of nutrition labels that my brain saw the number and missed “calories”.

                    I’ll edit the earlier comment with a note and strike things out.

                    3 votes
                2. ButteredToast
                  Link Parent
                  The other thing is that if you’re selecting the oils used, you can work to ensure that the oil you’re getting is high quality, not mixed or rancid, etc as is often the case with various oils. For...

                  The other thing is that if you’re selecting the oils used, you can work to ensure that the oil you’re getting is high quality, not mixed or rancid, etc as is often the case with various oils. For storebought, you never really know for sure, and with supply chain hijinks sometimes not even the manufacturer is aware.

                  So I think if I were to make mayo it’d be with verified high quality olive oil, as suggested. That said I’m sure this tofu mayo is fine too and could be a good alternative for when quality olive oil isn’t available.

                  1 vote
        3. Akir
          Link Parent
          The fact that some vitamins are fat soluble tends to be extremely overblown. It’s extremely unlikely that a meal will be served with zero fat; even vegan meals made without oil are likely to have...

          The fact that some vitamins are fat soluble tends to be extremely overblown. It’s extremely unlikely that a meal will be served with zero fat; even vegan meals made without oil are likely to have some fatty ingredient, and in the case of the recipe in question, it’s already there in the tofu.

          Yes, oil can be part of a balanced diet, but it is something that can also be part of an unbalanced diet. The problem with oil is that it is basically only fat. It may have some vitamins in it, but it’s not going to include the fiber, proteins, or carbohydrates of the food it was extracted from.

          Tofu is also an extracted product, admittedly, but it contains more of the whole than oil does, which is why it is common in whole food plant based diets which attempt to eschew such products.

          2 votes
    2. [6]
      zenon
      Link Parent
      I have a stupid health condition that prevents me from eating any significant amount of oil, so I'm quite exited to try this recipe :)

      I have a stupid health condition that prevents me from eating any significant amount of oil, so I'm quite exited to try this recipe :)

      8 votes
      1. [5]
        sparksbet
        Link Parent
        If it's not too forward to ask, what about oil means you can't eat a significant amount of it? I'm curious what there could be in oil that is a problem that wouldn't be a problem in something like...

        If it's not too forward to ask, what about oil means you can't eat a significant amount of it? I'm curious what there could be in oil that is a problem that wouldn't be a problem in something like tofu.

        1 vote
        1. [4]
          zenon
          Link Parent
          It's any fat actually. I have a bunch of cardiac arrythmias (PACs, PVCs, SVT and afib) that get triggered I eat much more than around 10% calories from fat. So now I'm on a very low fat mostly...

          It's any fat actually. I have a bunch of cardiac arrythmias (PACs, PVCs, SVT and afib) that get triggered I eat much more than around 10% calories from fat. So now I'm on a very low fat mostly plant based diet straight out of the 80s. No idea why it works. I'd give a lot to know.

          4 votes
          1. sparksbet
            Link Parent
            Ah, that makes sense. Tofu does have some fat, but this recipe probably has somewhere around 1/20th the fat per volume than normal mayo.

            Ah, that makes sense. Tofu does have some fat, but this recipe probably has somewhere around 1/20th the fat per volume than normal mayo.

            4 votes
          2. [2]
            paris
            Link Parent
            I know someone with a similar reaction to a similar proportion. He says his is because of an overactive vagus nerve. I’m not nearly educated enough to know what that means, but it might be...

            I know someone with a similar reaction to a similar proportion. He says his is because of an overactive vagus nerve. I’m not nearly educated enough to know what that means, but it might be something to look into?

            3 votes
            1. zenon
              Link Parent
              Thanks. My #1 hypothesis is actually something in that area, maybe eating fat somehow (possibly via the Vagus nerve, which connects to both the heart and digestive system) makes the cardiac...

              Thanks. My #1 hypothesis is actually something in that area, maybe eating fat somehow (possibly via the Vagus nerve, which connects to both the heart and digestive system) makes the cardiac nervous system overactive.

              2 votes
  3. [8]
    chocobean
    Link
    Stores near me hardly even carry tofu, and I've never seen silken tofu in 4 years here in rural Canada. I wonder if the same can be achieved with just straight up soy milk, which I do make.

    Stores near me hardly even carry tofu, and I've never seen silken tofu in 4 years here in rural Canada. I wonder if the same can be achieved with just straight up soy milk, which I do make.

    5 votes
    1. [4]
      BeanBurrito
      Link Parent
      The same author as a recipe using aquafaba (canned chickpea brine ) and oil https://tastythriftytimely.com/quick-easy-mayo-with-chickpea-aquafaba/

      The same author as a recipe using aquafaba (canned chickpea brine ) and oil

      https://tastythriftytimely.com/quick-easy-mayo-with-chickpea-aquafaba/

      3 votes
      1. [3]
        chocobean
        Link Parent
        Cool thanks! I can't quite get over the mental hurdle of using can brine. But I can imagine using the water after I pressure cook chick peas.

        Cool thanks! I can't quite get over the mental hurdle of using can brine. But I can imagine using the water after I pressure cook chick peas.

        3 votes
        1. BeanBurrito
          Link Parent
          I think "brine" is a strong word, I used it because the author does. It is just the liquid you get with canned chickpeas. You can make aquafaba from cooking dried chickpeas too....

          I think "brine" is a strong word, I used it because the author does. It is just the liquid you get with canned chickpeas. You can make aquafaba from cooking dried chickpeas too.

          https://www.alphafoodie.com/how-to-make-aquafaba/

          3 votes
        2. El_Capitan
          Link Parent
          It sounds weird to me too, but I believe it's very commonly used as a replacement for eggs in things like vegan cake recipes.

          It sounds weird to me too, but I believe it's very commonly used as a replacement for eggs in things like vegan cake recipes.

          2 votes
    2. [3]
      knocklessmonster
      Link Parent
      Soy milk is the first step of making tofu. Follow the rest of the tofu process and then you can make yofu mayo!

      Soy milk is the first step of making tofu. Follow the rest of the tofu process and then you can make yofu mayo!

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        Akir
        Link Parent
        You can do that, but most soy milk sold has added stuff that is not good for making tofu (most frequently, sugar). I think that Westsoy brand is just soybeans, though I don’t buy their stuff.

        You can do that, but most soy milk sold has added stuff that is not good for making tofu (most frequently, sugar). I think that Westsoy brand is just soybeans, though I don’t buy their stuff.

        4 votes
        1. sparksbet
          Link Parent
          @chocobean did mention they make soy milk, so presumably they don't have to rely on the storebought options.

          @chocobean did mention they make soy milk, so presumably they don't have to rely on the storebought options.

          4 votes
  4. [9]
    Comment removed by site admin
    Link
    1. [2]
      stu2b50
      Link Parent
      No, it does not taste remotely like mayo. The texture is completely different, and it doesn’t have any of the actual component tastes of mayo - just the acidity… which is added to mayo via lemon...

      No, it does not taste remotely like mayo. The texture is completely different, and it doesn’t have any of the actual component tastes of mayo - just the acidity… which is added to mayo via lemon juice anyway.

      8 votes
      1. Requirement
        Link Parent
        Yeah, I've made a similar sauce/dressing in the past. It's not mayo. It's also not bad. But, since it has none of the same ingredients, especially oil, it's really not mayo-esque im my experience....

        Yeah, I've made a similar sauce/dressing in the past. It's not mayo. It's also not bad. But, since it has none of the same ingredients, especially oil, it's really not mayo-esque im my experience.

        That being said, it's not a bad base sauce for adding different seasonings to. At the end of the text article linked in a different comment, it suggests a "Like Lobster Roll" and a slaw for a bbq sandwich, both of which I can see being decent uses of this sauce. And more sauces is generally a good thing for a cook; another tool in the arsenal.

        Anywhere you would want it to replace mayo and be notable as mayo, you will find the central ingredient of mayo missing: OIL. And really, why bother making oil free mayo when oil is like most of mayo. To make it healthier? Certainly, you shouldn't be eating buckets of mayo but replacing a tablespoon of mayo with not mayo would make a minuscule difference.

        6 votes
    2. [6]
      sparksbet
      Link Parent
      OP's top comment describes it positively, but it seems like they're vegan as a rule so it may have been some time since they've tried non-vegan mayo. I'd try myself but despite not being vegan I'm...

      OP's top comment describes it positively, but it seems like they're vegan as a rule so it may have been some time since they've tried non-vegan mayo. I'd try myself but despite not being vegan I'm not a huge mayo fan, so I think I'd be a poor source for the comparison. What I will say is that the only exotic ingredient here is the silken tofu, which can be prepared in other delicious ways if you're displeased with the results of this recipe, so between that and the other ingredients being pretty useful household staples it's probably pretty low-risk to try making it yourself.

      5 votes
      1. [5]
        Akir
        Link Parent
        You can actually make silken tofu at home fairly easily, actually, if you have access to soybeans. Just soak the beans overnight, blend it with some water, strain it with muslin (a nutmilk bag...

        You can actually make silken tofu at home fairly easily, actually, if you have access to soybeans.

        Just soak the beans overnight, blend it with some water, strain it with muslin (a nutmilk bag will make this much easier), boil the mixture for a little bit, then add a coagulant (lemon juice works) and wait a little; pour out the liquid and you've got silken tofu. put that silken tofu in a press to squeeze out the liquid and you've got firm tofu.

        3 votes
        1. [4]
          sparksbet
          Link Parent
          To be fair though, I think someone who's able to get soybeans themselves is probably also gonna have access to packaged silken tofu. Making your own silken tofu adds a bit to the complexity of...

          To be fair though, I think someone who's able to get soybeans themselves is probably also gonna have access to packaged silken tofu. Making your own silken tofu adds a bit to the complexity of this recipe lol.. though I can see it being a fun kitchen project to embark on.

          2 votes
          1. Akir
            Link Parent
            It is just a fun project. Soybeans are also a lot easier to buy online because they are sold as dry goods.

            It is just a fun project. Soybeans are also a lot easier to buy online because they are sold as dry goods.

            4 votes
          2. [2]
            paris
            Link Parent
            Not necessarily! Soybeans are a staple here 🇧🇷but tofu isn’t really accessible (or priced affordable, when it is).

            Not necessarily! Soybeans are a staple here 🇧🇷but tofu isn’t really accessible (or priced affordable, when it is).

            1 vote
            1. sparksbet
              Link Parent
              Ah, fair enough! That's my US-centrism showing ig lol

              Ah, fair enough! That's my US-centrism showing ig lol

              1 vote