Name: 3-Minute Oil-Free Mayo (2 Ways, Vegan, Low Fat)
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Ingredients: 300 g silken tofu; 1 cup cashews (unsalted, raw or roasted); 1/4 cup water (start with 1/4 cup, then add 1 Tablespoon at a time to adjust if necessary); 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar (or sub with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (see recipe notes)); 3/4 teaspoon mustard; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 Tablespoon agave syrup/nectar (or sub with your favorite liquid sweetener)

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This creamy vegan oil-free mayonnaise (with tofu or cashews) is an easy, low-fat, and much healthier no-oil alternative to store-bought vegan mayo!

With this creamy and rich whole-food plant-based mayo, I bet you wouldn’t feel like you’re missing out!

A spoonful of vegan mayo no oil (using tofu or cashews), close-up, on a white marbled background.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Silken tofu: For that creamy and light texture. Do NOT use regular tofu (non-silken tofu) as it will not work for dairy-free mayonnaise.
- Or sub with cashews: Cashews will make for an even creamier mouthfeel so definitely try both versions if you are curious!
Vinegar: A classic ingredient for your mayo to give it that tang. I used rice vinegar but you can also use apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or lemon juice.
Mustard: To give that flavor boost and a rich tanginess.
Agave syrup: Feel free to substitute with any other liquid sweetener.
Salt: A natural flavor enhancer.

Ingredients for oil-free vegan mayo: silken tofu, vinegar, agave syrup, mustard, and salt.

Instructions

Option 1: Using Silken Tofu

Making your homemade vegan mayo is as simple as gathering all the ingredients and blending them. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! 😉

Silken tofu, mustard, vinegar, and salt in a jar.

Overhead photo of silken tofu blended using a hand blender to make mayo.

Option 2: Using Cashews

For a no soy option, you can substitute the silken tofu with cashews!.

If you’re using cashews instead of silken tofu, you first have to soak 1 cup of cashews in hot water for at least 30 minutes. Then just add those cashews, together with an additional 1/4 cup of water to substitute for 1 packet of silken tofu (10.6 oz, or 300 grams).

Cashews and water being soaked in hot water. — Cashews at the start of soaking.

Cashews after 1 hour of soaking in hot water. — Cashews at the start of soaking.

If the consistency is too thick, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

P.S. Cashews are on my ultimate List of 35 Brown Vegetables + Photos. Check it out if you want to see 34 other Brown Vegetables, complete with stunning images! 🤎

How does the taste of Tofu Mayo differ from the Cashew Mayo?

You can see from the picture below how the textures differ. The vegan tofu mayonnaise has a smoother texture as compared to the cashew mayonnaise. However, even if both mayonnaise are oil-free and vegan, they are both super creamy and smooth!

A bowl of no oil silken tofu mayo on top, and another bowl of oil-free cashew mayonnaise below.

Taste-wise, the mayonnaise with cashews has a richer flavor, whereas the tofu mayonnaise tends to have a milder flavor.

I don’t have a hand blender. Can I use a normal blender or a food processor?

Yes you can! If you have a big food processor or blender, just make sure you have enough tofu in there.

If you are not sure that your food processor or blender is too big, I suggest buying two blocks of silken tofu so you can double up the recipe if needed.

Top Tips

You do NOT have to press the silken tofu in this recipe. In fact, you probably can’t as it will probably just break apart.
- Pressing the tofu is often done when you want to squeeze out the moisture inside the tofu, usually done to firm or extra firm regular tofu, such as in making this Marinated Tofu recipe.
If you find that your vegan mayo is too thick, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time to thin it.

Is Vegan Mayo Healthier Than Regular Mayo?

A regular mayonnaise is made by emulsifying eggs and oil. Eggs are high in cholesterol and oil is highly processed. However, since vegan mayo does not use egg, vegan mayo generally has lower calories and fat.

Bonus point if you make this oil-free vegan mayo recipe!

Does vegan mayo contain oil?

Yes, most vegan mayo uses a neutral oil as its main ingredient to produce that creamy texture. However, there are recipes such as this Vegan Oil-Free Mayonnaise, which does not use oil at all. The secret ingredient is using silken tofu or cashews!

A jar of creamy oil-free plant-based mayonnaise (cashew-based) with a spoon.

Jazzing Up Your Low Fat Vegan Mayo

Here are some flavors you can try!

Spicy Mayo: Similar to this Dynamite Sauce, Sambal Chili Aioli, Cayenne Aioli, or Harissa Mayo.
Tandoori Mayo: Add some tandoori spices, following my 5-Minute Tandoori Mayonnaise recipe to spice this dairy-free mayo up!
Smoked Paprika Mayo, Red Pepper Aioli, or Smoky BBQ Mayo
Yuzu Mayo: Add a bit of yuzu juice for that refreshing Japanese flavor as in my Yuzu Kosho Mayo!

Storage, Meal Prep, and Freezing Instructions

Storage and Meal Prep: Store this tofu mayonnaise in the fridge for 1 week, depending on the best-before date of your silken tofu. The water might set when storing but give it a quick stir and you’re all set!

Freezing: This oil-free mayonnaise does not freeze well as the texture will change. It will not be creamy and smooth if you freeze it.

FAQ

Yes, vegan mayo is both dairy-free and egg-free as it is made with plant-based ingredients. However, to be sure, always read the ingredient labels!

Regular mayo typically contains eggs, which is an animal product. Additionally, some brands might include dairy or other non-vegan additives.

Of course this depends on the ingredients used. Some vegan mayo options are healthier than traditional mayo because they are lower in cholesterol, but others may still contain processed ingredients.

Having said that, you can totally make a healthy mayonnaise with this recipe which uses silken tofu instead of oil! You only need 3 minutes and have complete control over what gets into your mayo!

In general, yes. Of course, it depends on the brand or recipe that you are using. However, there have been multiple times when my guests do not even know that this mayo is vegan and they are always surprised to learn that afterwards!

Vegan oil-free mayo (from tofu) with a nice swirl from above on a white marbled background.

Tasty Ways to Eat Your Mayo With

This oil-free vegan mayonnaise is perfect as a sauce for this Vegetarian Poke Bowl and Buddha bowls in general. And speaking of Poké Bowls, of course, it makes it a perfect dipping sauce for sushi rolls too! So check out my sushi recipes such as: