Y’all…mayo is hands down my favorite condiment, and there are so many easy recipes that use mayonnaise as the base. Last week I shared my favorite homemade mayonnaise recipe, so now I want to share with you 3 easy recipes that we keep stocked in our fridge pretty much all the time.
Once we started making our own homemade mayonnaise, dressings and dips naturally followed. Making your own easy recipes that use mayonnaise saves so much time and money. This has also become a creative outlet for my kids. They are constantly whipping up their own dressings and dips, and since we’re not paying a boatload per jar, I let them have fun with it.
In this post, you’ll learn how easy it is to take your homemade mayo and turn it into 3 other delicious products—homemade ranch (dip or dressing), homemade French onion dip, and easy garlic aioli.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ranch dressing is a classic, and like most commercial recipes we know and love today, was once made from scratch and didn’t come in a bottle. Of course, you can purchase the signature flavor in a seasoning packet and add in your homemade mayo, or you can get pretty darn close to that unique flavor profile with items you probably already have in your spice cabinet.
The ease of making this at home will keep you from grabbing your keys and heading to the store when you’ve run out or just have a hankering for a creamy dressing. Saving time and money is my FAVORITE!
Not only will you be saving time and money, you’ll also create the exact flavor combo that you can repeat again and again.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup homemade mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or 1/8 cup milk)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 fresh scallion (optional)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (or vinegar)
- 1 tsp dried parsley or Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried or fresh dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Dump everything into a bowl and whisk until smooth. BAM! Ranch dressing at home—you’re welcome. Kinda makes you wonder why no one told you sooner, right?
To make it a dip: Just increase the mayo and sour cream by 2 tablespoons each.
Shelf life: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Homemade French Onion Dip
While ranch may reign supreme in the world of dressings, French onion dip is a crowd pleaser at my house. It’s my husband’s favorite, and if you ever want to make him REAAAAL happy, hand him a bowl of French onion dip and some chips, and he’s happier than a pig in mud on a hot summer day.
Just like the other easy recipes that use mayonnaise, this one is no different—it’s super simple and you probably already have the ingredients. So without further ado…
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
- 2 tsp onion powder (use 3 tsp if you don’t have dried onions or scallions)
- 1 tsp dried onion or 1 fresh scallion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Splash of Worcestershire or soy sauce
Instructions: Stir everything together until smooth. That’s it!
Serving idea: This is great for parties, movie night, or just to please the hubby.
Shelf life: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Homemade Aioli
Isn’t aioli just fancy mayonnaise? Kinda. But at my house, it can be whatever you decide it to be. If you search “homemade aioli” (don’t forget that extra i), there are so many versions, but all of them include these 3 basic elements—garlic, lemon juice, and of course, mayonnaise. What you add after that can be your own journey.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise
- 1–2 cloves freshly grated garlic (or 1 tsp dried if you don’t have fresh)
- 2 tsp lemon juice (other acids can be substituted, but lemon is my favorite)
Flavor tips: Top your burgers with this for extra flavor, or add some ketchup for a fantastic French fry dip. I LOVE smoked paprika for an earthy undertone.
Shelf life: This is best used right away, but you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Creative Variations Using Mayo (You’re the Chef Now)
Now that you know mayo is the base in some of your favorite dips and dressings, go ahead and start experimenting. Chipotle, you say? Heck yeah! Love harissa? Invite her to the party.
You’re the chef here, so don’t let anyone tell you it won’t taste good. Try it! What could it hurt? After all, now that you’re saving millions of dollars on mayonnaise, you can afford to live a little.
Leave a comment with your go-to mayo add-in, or tag me if you try one of these—I’d love to see your twist!
3 Easy Recipes That Use Mayonnaise
Description
When it comes to easy recipes that use mayonnaise, ranch dressing tops the list. Skip the bottle and make your own in five minutes or less using simple, affordable ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a container.
- Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Notes
- Adjust any seasonings to your liking after you mix everything together.
- If the consistency is too thick, add more milk (whatever kind you’re using) 1 tbsp at a time until you reach the desired consistence.
- Make this into a dip. Simply add an additional 2 tbsp of mayo and 2 tbsp of sour cream to thicken it up.
- Add fresh jalapeños for a spicy version.
- When I make a dressing, I mix it right in a jar. It makes it easy to store and less dishes to clean. Just make sure your jar opening is large enough to get a mixing spoon or small whisk into.
French Onion Dip
This quick version of French onion dip delivers all the classic flavor without the harsh ingredients you find in store-bought. It’s a simple, crowd-pleasing favorite—and one of the easiest recipes that use mayonnaise.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together until you have a smooth and creamy consistency.
Garlic Aioli
It may just be mayo with garlic and lemon, but this simple aioli has a way of turning everyday meals into something memorable.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together until you have a smooth and creamy consistency.
If you don’t have fresh garlic feel free to use powdered. Add salt if necessary. If you do not have lemons or bottled lemon juice any acid will do, but add only 1 tsp to begin and adjust according to your preference.
