On the town square in our little town is a tiny local restaurant with quirky food and an equally interesting atmosphere. And it has the best seafood bisque in town. They also have a killer sriracha mayo, but I wasn’t in love with some of the ingredients.
Sriracha Mayo
Mayo can be a wonderful condiment full of healthy fats from eggs and oils. However, most commercial versions use highly processed vegetable oils like canola or soybean and are far from healthy. Thankfully, mayo is a simple condiment to make at home with healthy ingredients and I was able to recreate this spicy mayo relatively easily after a few tries.
What is Sriracha?
Sriracha is an Asian red chili pepper and garlic sauce that has roots in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. It’s quickly become a popular condiment in the US in the last few years. Named after the city where it was originally made, Si Racha, this sauce was brought to the United States in the 1980s. It was still relatively obscure until the last few years when it gained a cult-like following.
It’s spicy like Tabasco sauce but with a different flavor. You can now find this sauce in many local grocery stores and online. Many restaurants have dishes that feature sriracha sauce flavors. If you haven’t tried it, I’d recommend this mayo sauce recipe as a gentle introduction to this sweet and spicy garlic sauce. Some brands have preservatives or lots of sugar, so be sure to check the label.
Here’s a tutorial on how to make Sriracha from scratch (it’s super easy!).
Homemade Mayo
I whipped up a simple homemade mayo as the base for this recipe, but you could also use a pre-made mayo if you can find a high-quality one. I’ve used this Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo to use in recipes before. I’ve found homemade mayo has the best flavor for this recipe, but any mayo will work. If you’re using premade mayo try 1 and 2/3 cup mayonnaise as the base for this sriracha mayo.
Mayonnaise is also one of the easiest condiments to customize. There are endless ways to add fresh or dried herbs and spices to create different flavor combinations. Though ketchup is the condiment of choice for many kids, I’ve found mine actually prefer mayonnaise. Especially when it’s flavored with some of their favorite spice combinations. And it’s an easy way to add some nourishing fats to their meals and avoid sweeteners found in most condiments.
Some of our favorite mayo variations are:
- Homemade honey mustard
- Cumin chili mayo (add cumin powder and chili powder)
- Maple mayo (add garlic powder and maple syrup)
- Adobo mayo (just add adobo seasoning)
These flavored variations can spice up a basic chicken salad or tuna salad recipe. Flavored mayo also makes great dips for appetizers, sweet potato fries, or sauces for baked fish. They also taste great on homemade onion rings (fried or made in the air fryer), fish tacos, and french fries.
How to Make Sriracha Mayo
This recipe really is easy and flavorful (and best of all nutritious!). Of course, premade mayo is even faster, but I find it’s worth the few extra minutes to make my own. I usually put lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in homemade mayo but this version uses lime juice. It complements the flavor of the sriracha sauce nicely and helps cut the fattiness of the oil.
I also use garlic powder because it’s easier, but you could blend in a garlic clove if preferred.
Be sure to pour in the oil very, very slowly when making this though! It really does have to start with a drop at a time and then a very thin stream of oil. Adding it too fast will break the emulsion.
The hardest part though is deciding what to dip in it first!
Sriracha Mayo Recipe
Servings
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks (room temperature)
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 ⅓ cup oil (such as avocado oil, olive oil, or refined/liquid coconut oil)
- ¼ cup sriracha (or more to taste)
- 2 TBSP lime juice
Instructions
- Separate the egg yolks and whites. Refrigerate or freeze the whites for another recipe like coconut macaroons.
- Put the egg yolks in the blender, or a bowl for use with an immersion blender, and blend until completely smooth.
- Add the vinegar, mustard, and spices and blend until smooth.
- Slowly, add the oil one drop at a time while keeping the blender or immersion blender running on low.
- Increase the oil to a drizzle when the mixture emulsifies and thickens.
- When all the oil is added add the sriracha and lime juice.
- Blend on low until smooth.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutrition
Notes
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Do you enjoy Sriracha? Ever tried to make your own condiments? Share below!
We LOVE this sauce! We make it regularly and slather it on all kinds of food. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Add in a few drops of toasted sesame oil and you get the spicy sauce they use in Japanese restaurants on sushi or seared tuna. Yum!
Hi Katie,
I’m new to your blog and enjoying it. I have made sirracha several times and look forward to making the mayo.
Do you have a recipe for making your own chilli sauce? Amazon shipping fees are exorbitant to Australia. Many thanks for all your great ideas.
Try this: https://wellnessmama.com/2170/homemade-chili-seasoning/
Not sure where you guys are from, but in California, the ol Sriracha mayo has been a staple in Japanese restos for a while now. There’s a place in Sacto called Mikuni, and that Sriracha mayo is so amazing on their BBQ white tuna or their “sea steak”, which is seared Ahi tuna. I could eat a pile of that white tuna with the Sriracha mayo dip, a cold beer….. SO GOOD!
I often make my own mayo, but here I am surprised about the amount of eggs you are using – is there a reason for that? I take only one egg and can make a 0,5 l mayo from that or more if needed?
You seem to read my mind sometimes, Katie!
I’ve made this before using wasabi mayo as a base – makes a tasty dipping sauce for (some varieties of) sushi! Thanks for the recipe, I’d like to make mayo from scratch instead of using something I’m not thrilled about from the store. I think I’ll add some wasabi too, though!
Love the siracha mayo – we use part sour cream and add cumin for an outstanding fish taco sauce…
That.sounds quite yummy! But, vegetarian that I am, I would have to alter the taco a wee bit. (No.biggie!)
Where do you buy your Adobe seasoning? Or do you have a recipe to make it preferably? Many thanks!
I make it… I’ll share the recipe soon 🙂
Thank you Katie and congratulations on your new baby. I’ll be patient knowing how full your life is??
Thank you for the recipe!!
for egg free mayo, wouldn’t ground flaxseed with a little water work for an egg free alternative, too? I have to watch using raw egg, as my stomach gets upset.
I saw this recipe for the vegan mayo, uses ground flaxseed. I’m not vegan, but have used ground flaxseed in recipes.
http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2013/03/homemade-vegan-mayonnaise-recipe-flax.html
For more consistent results, I usually use the immersion blender and a wide mouth mason (one pint or 1 1/2 pint) jar to mix it in.
I”ve never tried it, but it is great to know that there is a good alternative for those who can’t have eggs. Thanks for sharing!
I used to make lots of mayo (and sriracha mayo) by hand with a mortar and pestle… Until one of my kiddos developed an egg allergy. 🙁
I am less motivated now…
Have you tried making it egg-free? https://wellnessmama.com/23441/avocado-mayo/
I have made my own olive oil egg yolk mayo for 30 years (typical of people living in Italy) but I do it by hand. you start stirring the yolk slowly, always in the same direction, always room temperature. Add the oil drop by drop, as it thickens you can start to add more at a time. Add flavorings after it has thickened. On its own with just a bit of fresh lemon juice is already fantastic, regularly served with certain “bolito misto” or mixed meats cooked in broth, the broth is served first with tortellini.
Sounds delicious, I’ll have to give it a try!