Spicy Mayo Recipe: Easy, Creamy & Ready in 5 Minutes
Creamy, tangy, and just spicy enough, this easy homemade spicy mayo takes only a few minutes to make. Fresh lime juice, hot pepper sauce, garlic, and a touch of paprika transform ordinary mayonnaise into a flavorful condiment for sandwiches, burgers, seafood, fried foods, vegetables, and more.
Best of all, you can easily adjust the heat to make it as mild or as fiery as you like.
Why You’ll Love This Spicy Mayo
Sometimes the simplest sauces are the ones you end up using the most. This spicy mayo requires only a handful of ingredients and no cooking.
It’s a great recipe to keep in your back pocket when a sandwich needs a little more flavor, fried shrimp needs a dipping sauce, eggplant fritters need a smooth kick, or your burger is begging for something more interesting than plain mayonnaise.
You’ll love it because it is:
- Ready in less than 10 minutes
- Easy to adjust from mild to hot
- Made with everyday ingredients
- Creamy, tangy, and flavorful
- Great as a spread, dip, or finishing sauce
- Easy to customize with herbs and seasonings
Ingredients You’ll Need
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise creates the creamy base, so use one you already enjoy eating. Regular, light, or vegan mayonnaise can work depending on your preference.
Fresh Lime or Lemon Juice
Fresh citrus juice cuts through the richness of the mayonnaise and gives the sauce a brighter flavor. Lime is especially good with Caribbean-inspired dishes, seafood, and fried foods.
Hot Pepper Sauce
Use your favorite Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper sauce. Because pepper sauces vary considerably in heat, start with a small amount and add more after tasting.
If you don’t have a Caribbean-style hot pepper sauce, another hot sauce you enjoy can be substituted.
Garlic Powder
A little garlic powder adds savory flavor without overpowering the sauce.
Paprika
Sweet paprika adds flavor and color without significantly increasing the heat. Smoked paprika can be used when you want a slightly smokier spicy mayo.
Black Pepper
Freshly ground black pepper adds another subtle layer of warmth.
How to Make Spicy Mayo
Add the mayonnaise, lime or lemon juice, 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper to a small bowl.
Whisk until completely smooth and well combined.
Taste the mayo before adding additional hot sauce. Add more, a little at a time, until it reaches your preferred level of heat.
Taste again and add a small pinch of salt if needed.
For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate the spicy mayo briefly before serving to give the flavors time to come together.
How Spicy Should Spicy Mayo Be?
That’s entirely up to you.
One of the advantages of making spicy mayo at home is being able to control the heat. Hot pepper sauces made with Scotch bonnet and habanero peppers can vary tremendously, so don’t assume every sauce requires the same amount.
For milder spicy mayo: Start with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce.
For medium heat: Start with 1 teaspoon and gradually add more.
For hotter spicy mayo: Increase the pepper sauce a little at a time, tasting as you go.
Remember: you can always add more heat. Removing it is considerably harder.
Ways to Use Spicy Mayo
Once you have a jar in the refrigerator, you’ll probably find more uses for it than you expected.
Try spicy mayo:
- On burgers and sliders
- On chicken, turkey, or seafood sandwiches
- In wraps
- As a dip for fried shrimp or fish
- With fritters
- With fried or roasted potatoes
- With plantains
- As a dip for raw or roasted vegetables
- On fish tacos
- With crab cakes or fish cakes
- In egg salad
- In potato salad
- In pasta salad
- Drizzled over grain or rice bowls
You can also thin it with a little extra lime juice and use it as a creamy finishing sauce.
Easy Flavor Variations
Once you know the basic recipe, it’s easy to change the flavor.
Herbed Spicy Mayo
Add finely chopped parsley, chives, dill, cilantro, or another fresh herb that complements your meal.
Smoky Spicy Mayo
Use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika.
Extra-Lemony Spicy Mayo
Add a little finely grated lemon zest along with the fresh juice.
Garlic Spicy Mayo
Increase the garlic powder slightly or add a small amount of finely grated fresh garlic.
Dijon Spicy Mayo
Add 1–2 teaspoons Dijon mustard for extra tang and complexity.
Slightly Sweet Spicy Mayo
Add a very small amount of honey or sugar to balance an especially sharp or fiery hot sauce.
Tips for the Best Spicy Mayo
- Use fresh citrus juice whenever possible. Bottled lemon or lime juice won’t give the sauce quite the same fresh flavor.
- Don’t add all the hot sauce at once, especially when using Scotch bonnet or habanero sauce.
- Taste before adding salt. Mayonnaise and bottled pepper sauces can already contain plenty of sodium.
- Give the sauce a little time to rest in the refrigerator if you can. Even 15–30 minutes helps the flavors blend.
And don’t be afraid to customize it. Spicy mayo is less of a strict formula and more of a very useful starting point.
How to Store Spicy Mayo
Transfer homemade spicy mayo to a clean, airtight container and keep it refrigerated.
Because this recipe contains prepared mayonnaise plus additional ingredients, make a reasonably small batch and use it within about one week for best quality. Always discard it sooner if its appearance, smell, or texture changes.
Do not leave spicy mayo sitting at room temperature for extended periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hot sauce is best for spicy mayo?
For a Caribbean-inspired spicy mayo, Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper sauce works especially well. You can also use another hot sauce you already enjoy. Different sauces will change both the heat level and flavor of the finished mayo.
Can I use Sriracha?
Yes. Sriracha makes a sweeter, garlicky spicy mayo and is a good substitute when Caribbean-style hot pepper sauce isn’t available.
Can I make spicy mayo less spicy?
Yes. Start with only 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce and add more after tasting. You can also add additional mayonnaise if you’ve accidentally made the sauce too hot.
Can I make it without hot sauce?
Yes. Try a small amount of cayenne, chili powder, or another ground chile seasoning. The flavor and consistency will be slightly different because you won’t have the vinegar and other seasonings found in hot sauce.
Can I make vegan spicy mayo?
Yes. Use your favorite vegan mayonnaise and follow the recipe as written.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise?
You can, but technically you’ll be making a spicy yogurt sauce rather than spicy mayo. The result will be tangier, lighter, and less rich.
Homemade Spicy Mayo Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 –2 teaspoons Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper sauce or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of salt optional
- 1/2-1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning or Berbere seasoning, optional
Instructions
- Add the mayonnaise, citrus juice, 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper to a small mixing bowl.
- Add Cajun or Berbere seasoning, if using.
- Whisk until smooth and completely combined.
- Taste and add additional hot pepper sauce, a little at a time, until the mayo reaches your preferred heat level.
- Taste before adding salt and season if necessary.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Hot pepper sauces vary significantly in heat. Start small and adjust after tasting.
- Lime juice gives the sauce a particularly good flavor for seafood, plantains, fritters, and Caribbean-inspired dishes.
- For smoky spicy mayo, use smoked paprika.
- Fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, dill, or cilantro can be added.
- Use vegan mayonnaise for a vegan version.
- Store covered in the refrigerator and use within about one week for best quality.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Originally published January 9, 2023. Revided and updated.
