Instead · 1
greek yogurt
one for one
- What it gets you
- The creamy body and the coating power, with acid already in it.
- What it costs you
- Fat and richness. A potato salad made with it is a lighter, tangier dish rather than the same one.
Substitutions · 31 dishes here use it
Out of mayo
An emulsion, which means it is a delivery system for fat and acid at once. It also browns beautifully — spread thin on the outside of a sandwich it toasts better than butter does.
Everything below is judged against that job. A swap that covers it is a swap; one that only looks similar is not.
10 of the 31 dishes here that mention mayo list it as optional — 32% of them. In those, the correct substitution is nothing.
Functional substitution system
Replace the job, then correct the side effects
For mayo, the page's working definition is: An emulsion, which means it is a delivery system for fat and acid at once. It also browns beautifully — spread thin on the outside of a sandwich it toasts better than butter does. The swap cards below are judged against that job rather than visual resemblance.
1 · Job
What is the missing ingredient doing?
2 · Candidate
Choose the shelf item that replaces that function.
3 · Side effects
Check water, fat, salt, acid, sweetness, and texture.
4 · Small test
Change a spoonful or small portion first when possible.
5 · Correct
Taste again and move only the axis that is still wrong.
What to reach for
Instead · 2
an egg yolk whisked with oil and lemon
one yolk, three quarters of a cup of oil, a teaspoon of juice
- What it gets you
- Mayonnaise, because that is what mayonnaise is, and it takes four minutes.
- What it costs you
- Shelf life and the raw egg, which is a decision for some tables.
Instead · 3
mashed avocado with lemon and salt
half an avocado per quarter cup
- What it gets you
- A rich, spreadable, emulsified fat for a sandwich or a slaw.
- What it costs you
- Neutrality, and it browns. This is a good idea for lunch and a bad one for a buffet.
Where you can just leave it out · 10
These dishes list mayo as optional. They were written to work without it, so no ratio is needed and nothing has to be bought.
Where the swap will be tasted · 7
These need it and are short enough that nothing hides: 4 required ingredients or fewer. Make the swap a decision rather than a repair.
Check what else is in the pan
The company mayo keeps in this library, counted off required ingredients. A swap that argues with the top two is the wrong swap, whatever a chart says.