Food and Recipes Side Dishes Sauces and Condiments 40 Recipes For People Who Really Love Mayonnaise—And We Mean Really Love It The South's favorite condiment can do anything in the kitchen. By Tara Massouleh McCay Tara Massouleh McCay Tara Massouleh McCay is the Senior Travel and Culture Editor for Southern Living. A writer and editor with nearly 10 years of experience in producing lifestyle content for local, regional, and national publications, she joined the Southern Living team in 2021. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on June 26, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Mayonnaise is a bit of a miracle ingredient. It's the glue that keeps our favorite cold salads together, from chicken and egg salad to pimento cheese, and it can liven up even the most boring of sandwiches. In certain recipes, it's a prerequisite ingredient. After all, there's no tomato sandwich or BLT without a healthy swipe of the South's favorite condiment. And deviled eggs wouldn't grace our Easter (or Thanksgiving!) tables without the spread either. Southerners are fiercely loyal to their favorite brand of mayonnaise, whether that be Duke's, Hellmann's, Blue Plate, or another household name. Whichever brand you prefer, these 40 recipes will help you celebrate the simple joys of egg yolk and oil. Miracle Whip Vs. Mayo: A Comprehensive Comparison 01 of 40 Old-Fashioned Southern Chicken Salad Southern Living Our favorite picnic salad comes together with chicken breast, celery, onion, boiled eggs, and of course, mayonnaise. 02 of 40 Southern Pimiento Cheese Dotdash Meredith Sharp cheddar and white cheddar combine with roasted red peppers in this classic Southern dip, sandwich spread, and all-around staple. 03 of 40 Picnic Egg Salad Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele The secret to this recipe is adding a bit of minced radish for crunch. We promise once you introduce the peppery addition, you'll never go back. 04 of 40 Our Best Deviled Eggs STACY K. ALLEN, FOOD STYLIST: TORIE COX, PROP STYLIST: SHELL ROYSTER You may want to go and double this recipe because we promise your lunch or dinner guests will be begging for seconds. 05 of 40 Creole Mayonnaise Southern Living Kick up regular-old store-bought mayonnaise with the addition of Creole mustard and seasoning. It's the perfect way to liven up your burgers and sandwiches. 06 of 40 Old Bay Mayo Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Who doesn't love Old Bay? Mayonnaise and a Cajun kick are a match made in heaven. 07 of 40 Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Alison Miksch; Prop styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Mary-Claire Britton Your guests may pass out when they hear the secret ingredient to this ultra-moist cake. 08 of 40 Homemade Mayonnaise Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Ever wanted to try your hand at homemade? This easy recipe may make you question your brand loyalties. 09 of 40 Turkey Salad Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Thanksgiving leftovers never tasted so good. Add a topping of cranberry sauce, and you'll find yourself wishing you'd bought a bigger bird. 10 of 40 Southern-Style Potato Salad Southern Living Creamy, salty, and perfectly starchy, this Southern potato salad has the perfect balance of flavors. The sprinkling of bacon over the top doesn't hurt either. 11 of 40 Crab Cakes With Key Lime Mayonnaise Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Nothing spells summer like seafood. A homemade crab cake gets a citrusy glow up with the addition of key lime-infused mayonnaise. 12 of 40 Mini Tomato Sandwiches with Bacon Mayonnaise Victor Protasio Bacon and mayonnaise go together like peanut butter and jelly. This tiny sandwich will be the showstopper of the next baby shower or bridal tea you host. 13 of 40 Alabama White Sauce Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Every Southern state has their own signature barbecue sauce, from tangy eastern North Carolina to smoky St. Louis, but we're slightly partial to the vinegar-and-mayonnaise-based Alabama version. 14 of 40 Shrimp Salad Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Herby, lemony shrimp salad is the perfect answer to a hot summer day. The beach is calling! 15 of 40 Mexican Corn (Elotes) Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke Butter and salt are great on grilled corn, but mayonnaise, lime, and cotija cheese are even better. 16 of 40 Deviled Egg Pasta Salad Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Two already-great recipes combine for one incredible side dish that your friends and family will insist on getting the recipe for. 17 of 40 Classic Southern BLT Monica Farber/Southern Living Sometimes simple is best. When tomatoes are in season, nothing's more satisfying than the juicy summer fruit and a thick swipe of mayonnaise. 18 of 40 Heirloom Tomato- Cracker Salad Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Another summer showstopper, heirloom tomatoes get their moment atop creamy bed of mayonnaise, chives, apple cider vinegar, and garlic salt. 19 of 40 Pork Chop Sandwich Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely You get mayonnaise two ways in this recipe: as a binder for creamy slaw and as a base for an apple butter sauce. 20 of 40 Pork Tenderloin Biscuits with Gochujang Mayo Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen If you've never thought of putting gochujang and mayonnaise together, there's no time like the present. Paired with grilled pork loin and buttery biscuits, the sweet-tangy-spicy sauce shines. 21 of 40 Creamy Cucumber Salad HANNAH ZIMMERMAN/SOUTHERN LIVING Vidalia onion, crunchy cucumber, and fresh dill—we can't imagine a better trio for a fresh summer salad. 22 of 40 Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox The best dip for buffalo wings and the only dressing for a classic wedge salad, this blue cheese dressing beats every store-bought version any day. 23 of 40 Popcorn Salad Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Don't knock it before you try it! Popcorn is the perfect vessel for this mayonnaise, honey mustard, and vinegar dressing. 24 of 40 Classic Coleslaw Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox You only really need two things for coleslaw: a big head of cabbage and mayonnaise. Add in some carrots, sugar, and apple cider vinegar, and you've got yourself a multipurpose side and topping. 25 of 40 Ranch Potato Salad Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox A twist on classic potato salad comes together with bacon, cheddar cheese, and a mayonnaise-sour cream dressing seasoned with fresh herbs and lemon juice. 26 of 40 Heirloom Tomato Pie Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist Christine Keely There's no better way to enjoy summer's bounty than a tomato pie fresh out of the oven. 27 of 40 Million Dollar Dip Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley A cheese ball is a Southern party staple. Million Dollar Dip packs the same flavor without the fuss of putting it into its namesake shape. 28 of 40 Cheesy Mushroom Sliders Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely There's more than one way to serve a summer slider. Chipotle mayonnaise injects extra flavor into this meatless dish. 29 of 40 Creamy Crab Dip Hector Manuel Sanchez The ingredient list is short, but the flavor in this classic crab dip is anything but. 30 of 40 Boom Boom Sauce Southern Living We took a page from our favorite sushi spots with this sweet-spicy sauce that goes great on everything from fried shrimp to steam veggies and grilled meat. 31 of 40 Tartar Sauce Emily Laurae/Southern Living It wouldn't be a fish fry without tartar sauce. When you're planning a proper bash, don't settle for store-bought. Step things up with an easy homemade version. 32 of 40 Persian Salad Olivieh (Persian Chicken Salad) Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Chicken salad, egg salad, and potato salad have each earned their forever places on our potluck tables, but here's a reason to make room for this mashup of the three. 33 of 40 Creamy Broccoli Slaw Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Save time and energy by using store-bought broccoli slaw mix. Golden raisins, chopped pecans, and a creamy dressing bring it all together. 34 of 40 Curry Chicken Salad Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall If chicken salad gets to be a bore, you don't have to shelf the dish. Try this variation that utilizes curry powder for multidimensional flavor. 35 of 40 Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin Mayonnaise is used as a tenderizer and glue to bind breadcrumbs to meat in this updated version of a classic beef roast. 36 of 40 Skillet Spinach-Artichoke Dip Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell; Food Stylist:Ruth Blackburn Spinach-artichoke dip is already a sure-fire party favorite, but throwing it in a skillet and letting it get all bubbly and cheesy in the oven turns it into a party in a pan. 37 of 40 Crawfish Rolls Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell Maine has their lobster rolls, but in the South our favorite crustacean is a little guy called a mudbug, otherwise known as a crawfish. This recipe shows them off in spades with an easy salad and buttery dinner rolls. 38 of 40 Cucumber Tea Sandwiches Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox We all know cream cheese and English cucumbers are the main ingredients in this prim and proper dish, but mayonnaise is just as important to pull the cream cheese spread together. 39 of 40 Seafood Pasta Salad Photographer and props: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall You can mix and match ingredients in this seafood salad recipe. One thing you can't leave out? The mayonnaise to bind everything together. 40 of 40 Skillet Mac and Cheese with Crispy Breadcrumbs Recipe Hector Manuel Sanchez This may be our creamiest mac and cheese recipe yet. And it certainly wouldn't have gotten that way without a generous helping of mayo to create a luscious, never-gritty texture. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit