We tested 6 Whole30 store-bought mayo brands so you get to know how they taste without having to try them all yourself. Mayo is such an essential on Whole30 that I couldn’t complete a round without it. You can dip veggies into mayo and it elevates the whole dish. Then you will feel full for hours because of the delicious fat you ate.
Why to Always Have Mayo Around
Mayo is super versatile and can be used in so many sauces. The creaminess of it is a fantastic substitute for dairy, like in this ranch dressing (I prefer using roasted garlic as raw tastes too strong to me):
Ranch Dressing
You’ll never miss the buttermilk; makes about ½ cup. From Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat.
1 clove garlic, minced • ¼ teaspoon paprika • ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, minced • 1 tablespoon dried chives • ½ cup Mayo • 1 teaspoon lemon juice • salt and black pepper
In a small bowl, mix the garlic, paprika, parsley, chives, and mayo with a fork. Drizzle in the lemon juice while continuing to mix, then taste and season with salt and pepper. If your dressing is too thick, add either lemon juice or water — ¼ teaspoon at a time — until it’s the right consistency.
Besides sauces mayo can be used to dip veggies or protein into. Adding mayo to meals is a great way to get your fat in, which is vital to feeling full on Whole30. You can also use mayo on lettuce-wrapped sandwiches.
Check out our guide to the easiest lettuce wrapped sandwich. (It seriously takes less than five minutes). We eat these weekly and it feels refreshing for hours after eating them. So fresh, so filled with flavor, so versatile. These are our go-to for quick meals.
How to Make Mayo Yourself
Although we found delicious store-bought mayo, making your own mayo will be the best experience you can have flavor-wise. Freshly made mayo has the brightness of a freshly squeezed lemon and that’s the flavor missing in store-bought anything. There are definitely times I don’t feel like making mayo and it’s brilliant to have a jar handy as well. When you have the time and the ingredients I definitely recommend making it yourself, even just to prove to yourself you are a badass that can make your own mayo.
To make your own mayo check out our 30-second Whole30 mayo recipe. When making your own you can toss in a few teaspoons of herbs, roasted garlic, or even wasabi powder to personalize it. The herbs can range from basil to thyme, or whatever you love. For wasabi powder just use a tablespoon at first and wait five minutes for it to activate before adding more. For garlic cut off the ends of a whole head and roast it in a muffin tin, or foil in the oven. Add the whole head in once emulsified and process it into your sauce.
For a full recipe on how to roast garlic check out our post here.
What Makes Whole30 Store Bought Mayo Compliant?
Whole30 eliminates dairy and many oils for 30 days. Seed oils, such as grapeseed, canola, sunflower, and safflower are not compliant. Personally, I’ve found canola causes inflammation so I’m happy to say goodbye to that one. If you mostly cook with and use these oils it can be a dramatic switch. Don’t worry though, there’s plenty of alternative options.
High Oleic Sunflower Oil:
Recently I discovered that if the sunflower is high-oleic it can be as healthy as olive oil. It is also Whole30 approved according to this post by Melissa (the founder of Whole30). The taste is neutral and so it is delicious in mayo.
Avocado Oil:
Avocado oil is used often in Whole30 approved mayo brands. While the taste can be overpowering, it does make for a delicious Whole30 mayo. Personally, we prefer the high oleic sunflower oil as it is has a more neutral flavor.
Avocado oil does have epic health properties that make it stand out. The main one is a high smoke point so it is great for frying. Because of its close to neutral flavor, it’s a great oil to have around. We mostly use it in our air fryer and oven-baked things.
Extra Light Olive Oil
When making mayo we go for the olive oil from Costco. I drink olive oil straight from the jug. It’s blissing delicious. There’s a gourmet store that teaches you to taste olive oil like wine. You swirl it, smell it then inhale it. I highly recommend finding an oil store around and trying it. The adventure would make for an excellent self night or date night.
Most people find just olive oil too strong so an alternative to straight-shooting it is going with extra light olive oil. A possibility with olive oil is that it gets mixed with soy so check to see if on the bottle it says contains soy.
A brand I love to use is Pompeian Extra Light Olive Oil. They’re very clear about how it’s made and are NON-GMO verified and NAODA certified in quality. They mix olive oil with refined olive oil so you still get nutrients from the oil.
Watch Us Taste the Mayo
The quotes used below are from the video.
Our Top Whole30 Store Bought Mayo Brands
#1: Tessemae’s Organic Mayo
Aun: “Mmmmmmm. It tastes like acidy citrusy margarita salt. It’s got a nice acidic bite to it I really like.”
Sy: (comparing to avocado oil ones we’d tried) “This one is muuuch better. It’s got more complexity but it’s lighter.
Whole30 Compliant/Whole30 Approved
Ingredients: *High oleic sunflower oil, *Cage-free salted egg yolks, *Lemon juice, *Apple cider vinegar, Water, *Mustard (“Vinegar, Water, *Mustard Seeds, Salt, *Spices), Sea Salt, *Rosemary Extract *Organic Ingredients
Packaging: Glass Jar
Tessemae’s has the most neutral flavor out of all the Whole30 store bought mayo that we tasted. They use high oleic sunflower oil in their mayonnaise, which is delicious.
Texture-wise, Tessemae’s has a very creamy and thick lusciousness that’s similar to homemade mayo. Honestly, their mayo is the closest to homemade that I’ve ever tasted. Creamy, slightly salty, and balanced with a hint of rosemary this is easily our top Whole30 store bought mayo pick.
Best Uses:
Lettuce wrap sandwich: Because of the neutral loveliness of Tessemae’s you can spoon it over a sandwich. Any herbs that you add will sill shine through like chives or basil.
Special Sauce: Special sauce must come from your own creation for true specialness. For ours, we mix mayo with ketchup (play with proportions to find your bliss). We use a 2:1 ratio of ketchup to mayo with a dash of garlic powder, and a dash of onion powder with a splash of coconut aminos.
Protein or Veggie Dip: The main way I use mayo is just taking a spoon (or fork if that’s what I’ll be using for the meal) and take a few spoonfuls onto my plate. While nomming down on squash or green beans or chicken I dip it into the mayo. If you have leftover grease from cooking (like in the pan) pour it into a bowl of mayo. Trust me, it’s amazing and has all the flavors from what you cooked. This is a classic restaurant and BBQ trick. You can spice up the mayo with some Italian herbs or whatever herbs you wish.
Secret time: When you go to a restaurant with a special sauce it’s usually ketchup and mayo swirled together.
Tessemae’s is on a mission to provide clean food to everyone and has an initiative where they create “ Pop-Up Farmer’s Market executed inside the food deserts across the country. Local families receive one week’s worth of fresh organic produce & dressing along with a community celebration complete with cooking demonstrations by local chefs, exercise classes from local sports figures, and recognition awards for the local community garden and nutrition agencies. The event is concluded with a food summit and press conference about what is needed to sustain access to healthier food and lifestyles.”
#2 Mayo: Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo Avocado Oil Mayo
Aun: “Mmmm. It’s got that 5 alarm zing.”
Sy: “Sooooo spicy.”
Whole30 Compliant/Whole30 Approved
Ingredients: Avocado oil, Organic Eggs, Organic Egg Yoks, Organic Vinegar, Water, Sea Salt, Organic Lime Juice Concentrate, Organic Chipotle Powder, Lime Granules, Organic Garlic Powder, Organic Rosemary Extract
Packaging: Glass Jar
Review of Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo:
Immediate spice on the tongue oomph. There’s a delicious smokiness that comes from the chipotle peppers. The lime creates a zing and the mayo balances the spice effect. I’m usually a wimp at spice but this mayo I can handle. The balance of lime’s acidity and the chipotle are perfectly balanced. Out of all the jars of mayo we have this one disappeared the fastest. (We have a whole shelf of mayo and another shelf of ghee from our ghee taste test. We’re drowning in fats right now. It’s awesome.)
You know when you drink milk after daringly biting into a jalapeno and it calms your tongue like a mother’s hug? Mayo also has a high-fat content so you get that same effect. According to Food Network “Capsaicin is oil-soluble, so fatty substances may help dissolve some of the spicy substance.”
Primal Kitchen uses avocado oil in all of their mayos and dressings. They have a large line of Whole30 products from dressings to ketchup. Their motto from the site is ” No processed or artificial ingredients, no added sugars, partially hydrogenated or trans fats, soybean or canola oils. No artificial flavors, colors, dyes, waxes, or chemical preservatives. Just. Real. Food.”
Best Uses for Our Favorite Whole30 Store Bought Mayo:
Dipping Sauce: One of the easiest ways to flavor a meal. For a little spice and different flavors dip veggies into this chipotle mayo. If the spice is too much you can mix it with non-flavored mayo.
Spread onto Protein: Spread this spicy mayo on the top of your chicken or layer it between hamburger patties. To check if you like it, and not take over the rest of the meal, dip a bite of the meat into it first.
Sandwich: If using on a lettuce-wrapped sandwich then only use a little of this as it can overpower the flavor. You can mix it with half of a regular mayo to balance the flavor.
#2 Again: Tessemae’s Habanero Mayo
Aun: “It’s got a depth of flavor to it. It tastes closer to aioli. It’s creamier. It tastes less spicy and is more flavorful than the chipotle lime one.
“If you want something that’s like French aioli mixed with a Texan BBQ thing this is like their marriage.”
Sy: “Oooh creamy and, mmmmmmm.” (In a sing-song voice of happiness)
Whole30 Compliant/ Whole30 Approved
Ingredients: *High oleic sunflower oil, *Cage-free salted egg yolks, *Lemon juice, *Apple cider vinegar, Water, *Mustard (“Vinegar, Water, *Mustard Seeds, Salt, *Spices), *Habanero Pepper Sauce, Sea Salt, *Rosemary Extract *Organic Ingredients
Packaging: Glass Jar
Tessamae’s habanero mayo is really a tie with the Primal Kitchen chipotle lime mayo. For Aun it was the #2 pick and for me it was #3. We’ll rank the other mayos as though this was #3.
While Primal Kitchen chipotle lime mayo is in your mouth explosive with flavor and spice, Tessemae’s habanero mayo has a longer finish. The habanero takes a moment to spice up your tongue and the flavor lasts longer and has a very spicy build-up.
For me, I ranked the chipotle lime higher because chipotle smoke is so incredible. Aun truly enjoyed the creamy depth of flavor that this habanero mayo offered. If you like chipotle smoke flavor and upfront spice go with Primal Kitchen. If you enjoy the slow burn of habanero paired with epic creaminess go with Tessamae’s habanero. Or, of course, the epic option. Why not both?
Best Uses For Tessemae’s Habanero Whole30 Store Bought Mayo:
The same as Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo-
Dipping Sauce: Easy and delicious way to add flavor to your Whole30 round. For a little spice and different flavors dip veggies into this habanero mayo. If the spice is too much you can mix it with non-flavored mayo.
Spread onto Protein: Spread this spicy mayo on the top of your chicken or layer it between hamburger patties. To check if you like it, and not take over the rest of the meal, dip a bite of the meat into it first.
Sandwich: If using on a lettuce-wrapped sandwich then only use a little of this mayo as it can overpower the flavor. You can mix it with half of a regular mayo to balance the flavor.
#4: Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo
Aun: “I Like That! I don’t taste the rosemary but it tastes different and that’s what’s cool.”
Sy: “You taste the avocado oil way less. I actually like that one.”
Whole30 Compliant/Whole30 Approved
Ingredients: Avocado Oil, Organic Eggs, Organic Egg Yolks, Organic Vinegar, Sea Salt, Organic Rosemary Extract
Packaging: Glass Jar
For an avocado oil mayo, this tasted surprisingly delicious. The avo oil was not overpowering but was still more intense than Tessemae’s with the sunflower oil. The flavor is very creamy, slightly salty, and has a little bite at the end. The bite is where you can taste that little bit of avocado oil mixed with salt.
Overall, this is the best avocado oil mayo we tried.
Sidenote: In the video we ranked PK after Sir Kensington. We have compared the two several times since then and have found the PK one to be more neutral and less eggy. I think in the video because we tried the SK first it overpowered the flavor of the PK. I’ve compared the two about five times to be sure of the final verdict.
Best Uses for Primal Kitchen Whole30 Store Bought Mayo:
The same as Tessemae’s Classic uses.
#5: Sir Kensington Avocado Oil Mayonnaise
Aun: “You can never go wrong with Sir Kensington.” “If you don’t like yolks you won’t like it but if you do you’ll really really like this.”
Sy: “I love a twirly mustache.” “What I don’t love is it tastes very eggy.” (which is something Aun loved about it).
Ingredients: Avocado Oil, Certified Humane Free Range Egg Yoks, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Lime Juice Concentrate, Mustard Flour, Mustard Extract, Black Pepper, Lime Oil
Packaging: Glass Jar
Sir Kensington is a classic brand that has been crafting sauces for years. They also have a mustache on the jar which is automatically epic. Their avocado oil mayo is their only Whole30 compliant mayo as the others have that little touch of sugar at the end.
When you think of classic mayo that’s the flavor you’ll get from this Whole30 store bought mayo brand. It is pretty eggy flavored to where you can really taste those yolks. The salty vinegary taste is also intense. If you want a strong mayo flavor this is your brand.
Sir Kensington is a certified B Corp company and is American made.
In the video this was our #4 pick, but after tasting it back to back with the Primal Kitchen mayo I have to scootch it down a notch. The egg flavor is just so strong that it’s like eating a fried egg. While eggs are super delicious I do find the flavor to be strong.
Best Uses for Final Whole30 Store Bought Mayo:
Sandwich: If using on a lettuce wrap sandwich the flavor can get pretty intense so use just a little bit.
Dipping Sauce: Works as a dipping sauce but is runnier than the other brands above so put in a little bowl rather than a plate. Would be more delicious on meat than veggies as it could overpower the veggie flavor.
#6: Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo
Aun: “It’s like a mayo you would have at a vegan shop with lots of sprouts and a sandwich.”
Whole30 Compliant/Whole30 Approved
Ingredients: Avocado Oil, Filtered Water, Egg Yolks, Organic Whole Eggs, Organic Distilled White Vinegar, Organic Mustard, Salt, Organic Rosemary Extract
Packaging: Glass Jar
Chosen Foods is a solid choice mayo that has the flavor of most store-bought mayos. The white vinegar flavor is pretty intense and so is the avocado oil flavor. Although a solid option, I would not purchase this one again. The flavor is similar to popular mayo brands, which is something I’ve never enjoyed because they usually don’t have a flavor balance. If you like that Hellman’s flavor then you might like this one.
Overall, the flavor balance is off compared to the other brands. The Primal Kitchen brand was more neutral-flavored and so was Tessemae’s. Sir Kensington has a strong egg flavor but overall has more balance. Because Sir Kensington has a strong flavor it’s delicious in its own right. Chosen Foods has a flavor clash between the vinegar and the avocado oil.
Pin It For Your Next Whole 30
Now we want to know, what’s your favorite Whole30 store bought mayo? Lettuce 😉 know in the comments below!
Looking for Other Taste Tests?
Check out our Top Ghee Brands Post. We tasted 10 from the jar, on bread, fried, and in coffee.
