Kewpie Mayo is one of the most popular Japanese condiment that is loved by people all over the world. Kewpie Mayonnaise is known for its umami, sweet and rich creamy texture which is perfect for the world famous Japanese tamago sando. You need a handful of ingredients like egg yolks, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and seasonings.
Kewpie Mayo Recipe
If there is one condiment that you find in my fridge all the time is this kewpie mayonnaise. I brought back nearly 10 bottles of kewpie from our trip to Japan. There is something about this mayonnaise that totally unique.
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Every time I make either chicken karaage or katsu, this is the staple side dish I serve with it. It is totally different from regular mayonnaise.
About Kewpie Mayonnaise Recipe
First of all what is kewpie mayo? Kewpie mayonnaise is Japanese iconic condiment known for its umami-rich, tangy-sweet taste. Kewpie mayo is made with only egg yolks, as opposed to American mayonnaise which is made with whole egg, giving it the iconic creamy texture and a deeper yellow colour.
Now you must be curious why kewpie got its name. Kewpie has a fascination history that dates back to 20th century. The brand is founded by Toichiro Nakashima, he travelled to America and found the love for mayo among the people.
So he wanted to invent a mayonnaise that is healthier. So he created a recipe using only egg yolks. He also added some MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) to give the mayo its distinctive umami taste. Thats how kewpie mayo is born. Now it is one of the most loved mayonnaise by home cooks and professional chefs.
It is bottled in a squeezy speciality soft bottles and has an iconic swirl lid on top.The brand is named after the famous Kewpie doll, a cherubic character created by American illustrator Rose O’Neill in the early 1900s. The smiling baby mascot has remained part of the brand’s identity for nearly a century.
Similar Recipes
Okay now coming back to this recipe. I have tried making kewpie at home multiple times with different ratios and found the perfect measurement for creamy, slightly thick, yellow coloured, perfectly sweet, umami packed kewpie mayo. You have to check my other mayo recipes like, homemade mayo, eggless mayo.
Did you know, you can make this in less than 5 minutes. You need one special equipment which is the most common kitchen staple immersion blender. Just follow the recipe to the ‘T’ and you will have a jar of the most amazing kewpie mayo.
Balancing the taste in the mayo is very important. you need to achieve the perfect balance of tangy and sweet taste. I used a combination of lemon juice and rice vinegar. You can use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice. But I love the addition of fresh lemon juice.
Also talking about MSG, it is called as monosodium glucomate. It is one of the important ingredient in this kewpie to get the umami taste. Instead of MSG, you can use dashi powder as well.
Ingredients
- Egg yolks – The difference between kewpie mayo and regular mayo is kewpie uses egg yolks for richer and creamy texture. Also it makes the mayonnaise more yellow.
- Mustard – dijon mustard is preferred in kewpie mayonnaise. I use English mustard powder in my mayonnaise, it adds yellow colour and flavour.
- Flavourless Oil – For mayonnaise, use a neutral, refined oil such as avocado oil, grape seed oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, light olive oil, or blended oil (a mix of olive and vegetable oils).
- Vinegar and Lemon – you need a good amount of acidic ingredients to make mayo taste fresh and zingy. I used rice vinegar and lemon juice to balance the taste.
- Seasoning – salt, sugar is used to season the kewpie.
- MSG – one of the unique taste in kewpie mayonnaise is umami. it comes from the addition of MSG. Some recipe uses a small bit of dashi powder to achieve the umami taste.
Step by Step Pictures
1)Take a jar slightly larger than the immersion blender you are using or 1 cup measuring cup. add in 2 egg yolks and ground mustard. You can use dijon mustard instead of ground mustard.
2)Now place the immersion blender over the egg yolks making sure it covers the egg yolk.
3)Now slowly pour in the oil on top of the immersion blender. Make sure you pour all the oil in one go.
4)Now turn on the immersion blender. Don’t move the immersion blender yet. You will see the egg yolk emulsifying with the oil and form a creamy thick mixture on top.
5)When you see that forming, slowly move the immersion blender up and down in slow motion. This emulsifies the egg yolks and oil even more.
6)Now you can see the egg yolk has combined with the oil.
7)Once you see a creamy mayonnaise form, add in lemon juice, vinegar, salt, sugar and MSG.
8)Move the immersion blender up and down to combine the lemon juice and other ingredients into the mayo.
9)Once it is combined, remove the immersion blender and use a spatula to remove any mayo stuck in the blender. Taste at this point and adjust it to your liking.
10)Store this in fridge for few hours before using in egg salad or sandwich.
Expert Tips
- You have to use room temperature egg yolks to get perfect emulsification. Fridge cold eggs won’t emulsify easily.
- You can use MSG or a small bit of dashi powder for umami taste.
- For acidic taste, you can use rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Or use combination of these.
- Always taste and adjust salt and sugar in your mayo.
- When blending using immersion blender, you have to be careful on how you blend. So you get perfect emulsification and your mayo doesn’t break.
Serving and Storage
Homemade Kewpie mayo can be stored in fridge for upto a week or longer. You can use it sandwich, salad, burgers, dips or sauces.
FAQ
Q: Is Japanese Kewpie mayo healthy?
Because of the presence of MSG, Japanese mayonnaise, like most mayonnaise sauces and condiments, is not considered a health food, and one tablespoon of Japanese mayo contains around 100 calories, which is quite high.
Q: What does kewpie mayo taste like?
It is rich, thick and very creamier. This mayonnaise is little acidic and has a slight sweet taste to it as well. Normally dashi is added in the mayonnaise which adds a umami taste.
Q: What is the difference between kewpie mayo and normal mayo?
Kewpie mayo is made using egg yolk and MSG so it is richer, umami packed and little acidic. Regular mayo has whole egg.
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Homemade Kewpie Mayo Recipe (Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise)
Kewpie Mayo is one of the most popular Japanese condiment that is loved by people all over the world. Kewpie Mayonnaise is known for its umami, sweet and rich creamy texture which is perfect for the world famous Japanese tamago sando. You need a handful of ingredients like egg yolks, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and seasonings.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Kewpie Mayo Recipe (Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise)
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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