You may be wondering if mayonnaise can be frozen. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons.
When considering if you can freeze mayonnaise, there are some important factors to take into consideration. We’ll break it down so you can make the best choice.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
If you were to go to your fridge right now, you will probably find an open tub of mayonnaise. This is completely normal!
However, you may have found yourself wondering, “Can you freeze mayonnaise?”
Maybe you found mayo on sale and decided to stock up on the popular condiment, but you want to ensure it lasts long enough to actually be used.
Freezing mayonnaise isn’t as weird as it sounds and you surely wouldn’t be the only person that’s ever frozen it, but there are some things to consider when making the choice.
Can mayo be frozen?
In theory, you can freeze almost anything, right? Well, mayo isn’t any different.
You can freeze mayo, but when it thaws out, it’s texture will likely be a little different.
Because mayonnaise is simply an emulsion of oil, eggs, and an acid, such as vinegar or sometimes lemon juice, these ingredients can separate during the process of thawing out the mayonnaise.
An emulsion is when tiny droplets of a liquid (usually a fat) are disbursed through another liquid, where they normally wouldn’t mix and dissolve.
During the process of preparing mayonnaise, whipping or blending is what creates the emulsion, which is what gives mayo its creamy texture.
So when the mixture is frozen and thawed, the ingredients can come out of emulsion, causing the separation.
Can you freeze Miracle Whip?
There is actually a big divide between those who enjoy Miracle Whip, the popular dressing, and those who love mayonnaise.
Miracle Whip and mayo are made differently, so they aren’t exactly the same thing.
Miracle whip is known to be similar to mayonnaise, but there additional ingredients added to the Miracle Whip.
You’ll find that Miracle Whip, which some people refer to as “salad dressing,” is made with sugar and also includes different spices, like paprika and garlic.
Experts agree that you can also technically freeze Miracle Whip, but the texture will also change over time, though perhaps not as much as mayo does.
Can you freeze homemade mayo?
It doesn’t matter how you make the mayo, it’s the ingredients inside of it that make it a difficult item to freeze and thaw, since the texture changes.
Because mayo is an emulsion, the freezing process can cause the ingredients to change as it defrosts.
In fact, homemade mayonnaise may be more likely to “split” than store-bought mayo, since commercial mayonnaise typically has additives that stabilize the emulsion a bit better.
So while you can freeze homemade mayo, just keep in mind that the texture can change as it thaws out, so it isn’t the best option.
Can you freeze mayonnaise on a sandwich?
Most people can agree that mayonnaise tastes yummy on a sandwich (one of my dad’s favorite sandwiches was a peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich!), but does it taste good when you freeze it on a sandwich?
Just the same as freezing mayo in a jar in the freezer, putting it on a sandwich does make you take the risk of having the ingredients separate when you defrost them!
The biggest issue you face when freezing a sandwich with mayo on it is the bread becoming soggy and the mayo getting runny.
So freezing mayo on sandwiches isn’t really a good idea.
Can you freeze mayonnaise in a casserole?
Yes, you can freeze mayonnaise in a casserole.
Keep in mind that as you defrost the casserole, the ingredients of the casserole could separate, depending on what’s included in the sauce, but this separation is typically less likely if the casserole was baked and then frozen.
Can you freeze mayonnaise in chicken salad?
So we know it isn’t the best idea to freeze plain mayonnaise. But maybe you used up your leftover rotisserie chicken to make some homemade chicken salad, and you don’t want to waste the leftovers.
Unfortunately, it’s not recommended to freeze chicken salad with mayonnaise in it. The quality of your chicken salad will suffer, so it’s really not worth it.
As with plain mayonnaise, the thawing process means you run the risk of the mayo’s ingredients separating. The excess liquid will cause you to end up with a soupy chicken salad.
Chicken salad is one of those foods that is best served fresh (the same is true for egg salad).
How to freeze mayo
Although it isn’t the best method of preserving mayonnaise, if you decide to try freezing mayonnaise, here are some tips.
Step 1: Go ahead and sterilize the freezer-safe glass jars that you plan on using to freeze your mayo. This helps to decrease the risk of contamination. You can simply submerge empty jars in boiling water for about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Once the jars are sterilized, you can fill them with mayo, using clean utensils. Be sure to leave at least a half inch of “head space” at the top of the jar (for pint-size jars), to allow room for expansion during freezing.
Step 3: You’ll want to remove any air from the glass jars. Use a spoon, knife, or small spatula to spread the mayo evenly, avoiding air pockets so there isn’t much air in the jar.
Step 4: Label and freeze.
How to defrost mayo
You will need to take the frozen mayonnaise out of the freezer. Place the frozen mayo inside the refrigerator overnight so it can thaw out slowly.
Once it’s thawed, you may see that the emulsion has “split.”
If that’s the case, and the end result is less than favorable, you can always try to salvage it.
You can try pouring off the watery layer, then mixing the thawed mayonnaise with an electric mixer or blender at high speed to see if it re-emulsifies into a mixture similar to its original form.
Alternatively, you can take an egg yolk and mix it with a small amount of mayonnaise in a mixing bowl, whisking or blending until creamy. Then keep adding more mayo, in small increments, mixing after each addition.
The result won’t be exactly the same as the normal consistency, but it may be usable.
Should You Freeze Mayonnaise?
It’s not complicated to freeze mayonnaise. Just keep in mind that not everything freezes perfectly, so freezing mayo is not the best way to preserve it.
The reality is, store-bought mayonnaise has a pretty long shelf life when stored in an airtight container, and keeps in the fridge for months. So in most cases, freezing is not necessary.
But if it’s the only option, you can always give this mayo freezing thing a try and see if it works for you!
Related Freezing Guides: