Tofu Mayonnaise

Tofu Mayonnaise

There are different kinds of vegan mayonnaise on the market. In fact, I also make a few kinds by myself, depending on what kind of dishes I want to use it for, or what mood I am in. 

Cashew mayonnaise and tofu mayonnaise are the two vegan mayonnaises I make at most. For a richer flavor, which I use more for the Western style food, I use cashew mayonnaise. Tofu mayonnaise is more for Japanese cooking, or when I want to have a lighter texture and flavor. My tofu mayonnaise has several variations. Each of the flavors are quite different, and all of them are very delicious! So, I am sharing with you here my several vegan mayonnaise recipes. 


Which kind of tofu should I use for making tofu mayonnaise?

For making mayonnaise, I usually use Trader Joe’s organic firm tofu, since you want to get tofu that is not too silky with much water content, but also not too dry and firm. Choosing organic quality is, of course, one of the priorities, since it could well be made with GMO soy otherwise. When I make the tofu mayonnaise in Japan, I use Momen Tofu (the one that is harder than silky tofu) and I have to set some weight on top of the tofu to drain some more water prior to use. But since this organic firm tofu by Trader Joe’s is firmer than Japanese Momen Tofu, I skip this pre-preparation and use it directly.

To summarize, using organic and firm tofu which is not silky, or extra hard, that is usually packed in a vacuum seal, is the way to go!


Basic Tofu Mayonnaise

Blend the following ingredients.

  • Tofu 160g
  • Brown rice vinegar. 2 tsp
  • Mirin 1 tsp
  • Miso 1 tsp
  • Flax oil 2 tsp
  • White pepper

I use flax oil to take more omega-3 into our diet, but EV olive oil is a wonderful alternative which makes the mayonnaise also very delicious.

Using miso and mirin is the key here to make it a little more Japanese in flavor. You can, however, substitute a half amount of maple syrup to mirin, if you don’t have mirin in your kitchen. As miso and mirin are both fermented, it will bring additional probiotics into your meal.

By the way, I actually blend all the above ingredients except the oil in the blender, then I take out the mayonnaise from the blender and mix the oil. In this way, the blender doesn’t have to get oily!


Asian style Tofu Mayonnaise

This recipe is almost the same as the basic mayonnaise. I use here the toasted sesame oil. The aroma of the toasted sesame oil transforms it into Asian flavor. When you add a little bit of soy sauce, it will become also a wonderful sauce!

Blend the following ingredients.

  • Tofu 160g
  • Brown rice vinegar 2 tsp
  • Mirin 1 tsp
  • Miso 1 tsp
  • Toasted sesame oil 2 tsp


Sesame Tofu Mayonnaise

Oh I love this mayonnaise! The base of this mayonnaise is the Asian style Tofu Mayonnaise. You will add here white sesame tahini or grounded white toasted sesame. The combination of toasted sesame oil and the ground sesame (or tahini) makes this mayonnaise truly aromatic and flavorful. Again, when you add some soy sauce here, it becomes another wonderful sauce for many different dishes!

Blend the following ingredients.

  • Tofu 160g
  • Brown rice vinegar 2 tsp
  • Mirin 1 tsp
  • Miso 1 tsp
  • Toasted sesame oil 2 tsp
  • Tahini 2 tsp (or 1 tbsp of ground white toasted sesame)


Ume plum Tofu Mayonnaise

This mayonnaise brings you a beautifully sour flavor. I like making a coleslaw-like salad with this mayonnaise. Its unique and refreshing flavor is one of a kind. It adds a different flavor characteristics to the overall meal when you make a side dish with this mayonnaise.


Western style Tofu Mayonnaise

For the Western flavor, I change the ingredients to the following.

  • Brown rice vinegar to apple cider vinegar
  • Mirin to maple syrup
  • Miso to salt
  • White pepper to Black pepper

Then I add a little mustard and occasionally some herbs or spices (herb des province, dill, or cumin, for instance) according to the flavor I want to realize.

  • Tofu 160g
  • Apple cider vinegar 2 tsp
  • Maple syrup 1/2 tsp
  • Flax oil or Olive oil 2 tsp
  • Salt 1/4 tsp
  • Black pepper


There are many ways to be creative and make different versions of vegan mayonnaise.  I hope you also enjoy making your own version!



1 thought on “Tofu Mayonnaise”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *