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Mayonnaise substitute

Dairy, cream and fats · Checked against 3 sources · Updated November 4, 2026

Quick answer

In salads and dressings, swap 1 cup of mayonnaise for 1 cup of sour cream, plain yogurt or cottage cheese blended smooth. You can also replace only half: half a cup of yogurt with half a cup of mayonnaise. These are for cold dishes. Do not use them where mayonnaise carries the dish, such as in a sandwich spread.

How much do you need?

Fractions work: 1 1/2, ¾, 0.5. The amounts below update as you type.

Show only options that are

What to use

  1. Sour cream

    • Gluten-free
    • Nut-free
    • Egg-free
    • 1 cup 230 g sour cream
    Best for
    Potato salad, coleslaw, dips.
    What changes
    Tangier, less fat-slick.

  2. Plain yogurt

    • Gluten-free
    • Nut-free
    • Egg-free
    • 1 cup 245 g plain yogurt
    Best for
    Chicken, tuna and egg salad.
    What changes
    Tangy and thinner.
    Skip it when
    Anything cooked at high heat.

  3. Cottage cheese, blended smooth

    • Gluten-free
    • Nut-free
    • Egg-free
    • 1 cup 235 ml cottage cheese
    How
    Blend until completely smooth.
    Best for
    Dips and creamy dressings.
    What changes
    Mild and thick.

  4. Half yogurt, half mayonnaise

    • Gluten-free
    • Nut-free
    • Egg-free
    • ½ cup 125 g plain yogurt
    • ½ cup 120 ml mayonnaise
    Best for
    Salads, when you want less mayonnaise but the same feel.
    What changes
    Barely noticeable.

Diet labels describe the ingredients as normally made. Check packages for gluten and allergens. Some refined sugar is filtered with bone char, which matters if you eat vegan.

Which swap for which job

UsePickWhy
Salads and dressingsYogurt and mayonnaise, half and halfKeeps the creamy body while cutting fat.

Do not substitute here

  • Baking and frying. These swaps. Mayonnaise there is an egg-and-oil binder, not a dressing.

Questions

Is there a vegan option?

None of these. Vegan mayonnaise from a jar is the direct swap.

Sources

Ratios come from these sources, in our words. Where they disagree, we say so or pick the amount that matches tested results. Ratios are a starting point. Taste and adjust.