Spicy Mayo Recipe
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My spicy mayo recipe is the creamy, spicy sauce I put on almost everything. It takes 5 minutes and 5 simple ingredients to whisk together, and it is the first thing I reach for on sushi night.
I make this homemade spicy mayo so often that I almost always have some in my fridge. If you like having a few good sauces on hand, you should also try my 3 ingredient stir fry sauce, my honey sriracha sauce, and my Big Mac sauce. They are all just as easy as this one!
My Easy 5-Minute Spicy Mayo (And Why Mine Is Different)
My spicy mayo is the creamy, spicy sauce I started making for homemade sushi. You could ask me what I put it on now, but I will level with you, it would take less time to tell you what I DON’T put it on! It is on my rice bowls, my sandwiches, even my fries.
The trick that takes it past a plain mayo and sriracha mix is the toasted sesame oil. It adds a nutty, toasted flavor you really cannot fake. A little lime juice wakes it up, and a little ground ginger pulls it all together. That is the whole difference right there.
Ben and I are big hot sauce people, so a batch of this never lasts long in our house. I make it for sushi night and somehow it is gone before I even get to the leftovers.
Here is the part I love. It is literally just 5 simple ingredients whisked together in one bowl. No specialty sauces and nothing fancy, just stuff I already keep in my kitchen.
And it takes 5 minutes start to finish with no cooking at all. You whisk it and it is done. That is why this easy spicy mayo recipe is one I make over and over. It is almost impossible to mess up, and it is ready before dinner even hits the table.
PS – if you like a sweet and spicy combo too, my hot honey sauce recipe is another easy one I keep on repeat.
Spicy Mayo Ingredients
- Mayonnaise – This is the creamy base of the sauce. I use a good-quality store-bought mayo to keep it quick and easy.
- Sriracha – The main source of heat and flavor! You can add more or less depending on how spicy you want it. (No sriracha? I have an easy swap below.)
- Lime juice – Lime juice brightens the sauce and balances the richness of the mayo. It is what keeps the whole thing from tasting too heavy.
- Toasted sesame oil – This is my secret ingredient. It adds a nutty, toasted flavor that makes the sauce taste more complex than a plain mayo and sriracha mix. It is also what makes it so good on sushi.
- Ground ginger – Just a little adds warmth and ties all the flavors together. I use ground ginger because it blends in smooth with no chopping.
How to Make Spicy Mayo
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Add the mayo, sriracha, lime juice, toasted sesame oil, and ground ginger to a small bowl.
STEP TWO: Whisk everything together until the sauce is smooth and there are no streaks of sriracha left. A whisk works better than a spoon here because it gets rid of any clumps.
STEP THREE: Give it a taste. If you want it spicier, add more sriracha. If you want it milder, add a little more mayo.
STEP FOUR: Use it right away as a spread or dip, or cover it and pop it in the fridge. That is how easy this spicy mayo recipe is!
How to Make Spicy Mayo for Sushi
Once the sauce is whisked together, here is how I make spicy mayo for sushi at home. Same sauce, just two quick ways to use it.
To drizzle it over rolls or a sushi bowl, thin it so it ribbons nicely. I stir in about a teaspoon of water at a time until it pours off the spoon in a thin stream, then spoon it into a squeeze bottle, or a zip bag with the corner snipped off, and drizzle clean lines over the top.
For spicy tuna, I mix a couple of spoonfuls right into chopped sushi-grade tuna or salmon until it is coated. Start with a little and add more until it tastes how you like.
How to Make Spicy Mayo Without Sriracha
Sriracha is the classic heat here, but you can make spicy mayo without sriracha using whatever hot stuff you already have. Just stir it into the same creamy mayo base and start small, since some are hotter than others.
The two I reach for most:
- Hot sauce. Whatever bottle is in your fridge door works, like Frank’s, Tabasco, or Cholula. Start with half the amount, since hot sauce is thinner and sharper than sriracha, then add more to taste.
- Cayenne or red pepper flakes. A pinch of either adds heat without thinning the sauce. Stir it in well and let it sit a few minutes so the flavor blends in.
If you happen to keep chili garlic sauce, sambal oelek, or gochujang around, those work too and are the closest match to sriracha. Use about the same amount, and add a splash of water if it feels thick.
Whatever you grab, start with less and taste as you go. You can always add more heat, but you cannot take it back out.
Recipe Tips
- Chill it to thicken, or add water to thin. If I want it thicker for a sandwich, I let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. If I want it thinner to drizzle over sushi, I stir in a little water.
- A little lime juice goes a long way. The acidity brightens the whole sauce and cuts through the richness of the mayo, so do not skip it.
- Use toasted sesame oil, not regular. The toasted kind has that nutty, slightly smoky flavor that makes this sauce taste so much richer. Regular sesame oil just does not taste the same.
- Mix the sauce thoroughly. The better it is mixed, the smoother the texture. I use a whisk to make sure there are no clumps left behind.
- Adjust the heat to what you like. We LOVE spicy food in my house, so I am not shy with the sriracha. For a milder version, I just use less.
Variations
- Make it garlicky. A little garlic powder stirred in gives it a garlic-spicy kick that is so good on burgers and fries.
- Swap in Greek yogurt. I sometimes replace part or all of the mayo with Greek yogurt when I want a lighter option with a little extra tang.
- Mix in sour cream. I like combining sour cream and mayo for an extra creamy texture that works great as a dip.
- Add pickled jalapeños. I finely chop them and stir them in when I want extra heat and a little texture.
- Use pickled carrots or onions. I love adding these when I am making homemade sushi for more crunch and flavor.
- Add honey or maple syrup for sweet heat. A small drizzle gives you a sweet-spicy combo that is really good on burgers and chicken sandwiches.
What to Serve with Spicy Mayo
Sushi is where this spicy mayo recipe really shines, whether you are drizzling it over homemade rolls or building a quick rice bowl. It is so good spooned over a bowl with my air fryer tofu, my teriyaki bowl, or my air fryer teriyaki chicken.
But I put spicy mayo on way more than sushi. It is one of my go-to sauces for sandwiches and burgers, like my air fryer chicken sandwich, my air fryer hamburgers, my burger bowl, my turkey avocado sandwich, and my chicken bacon wrap. It is great as a dip for fries too, and even stirred into a quick stir fry. Anything you would eat with regular mayo is better with this.
Spicy Mayo Recipe FAQs
My spicy mayo is made of just 5 simple ingredients: mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, toasted sesame oil, and ground ginger. The mayo is the creamy base, the sriracha brings the heat, and the lime, sesame oil, and ginger are what give it that bold flavor.
They are really close, but not always the same. Sriracha mayo is just mayo and sriracha. My spicy mayo starts there and adds lime juice, toasted sesame oil, and ginger, so it has more going on than a plain sriracha mayo. If you only have mayo and sriracha, you can still make a great version. The extras just take it up a notch.
No, yum yum sauce and spicy mayo are not the same thing. Both use mayo as a base, but yum yum sauce also usually has ketchup or tomato paste, sugar, seasonings, and melted butter. My spicy mayo recipe keeps it to just 5 ingredients.
I consider this spicy mayo recipe moderately spicy. The mayo mellows out the sriracha, but it still has enough heat to make most spice lovers happy. When I make it for people who do not love spicy food, I use less sriracha. When it is for Ben and me, I add even more. It is super easy to customize!
I store homemade spicy mayo in an airtight container or a mason jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will separate a little as it sits, so I give it a quick stir or shake before serving again.
More Sauce Recipes
5-Ingredient Spicy Mayo Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 3 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, regular sesame oil will work too
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sriracha, lime juice, sesame oil, and ground ginger until fully blended.
- Serve as a spread or dip with your favorite sandwich, sushi, or chips.
- Cover in an airtight container and keep for up to 5 days. Stir as needed before serving again.
Notes
- For sushi, thin the sauce with a teaspoon of water at a time and use a squeeze bottle to drizzle it over rolls or bowls.
- No sriracha? Use whatever hot sauce is in your fridge (start with half the amount), or a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- A little lime juice brightens the sauce, and make sure your sesame oil is the toasted kind.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The sauce naturally separates a little, so stir before serving.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
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Love your ideas and recipes
Thanks, Ann! I hope you love the spicy mayo!