Despite their nearly identical names, it’s common knowledge that eggs and eggplant aren’t interchangeable. One is a vegetable, and the other is something a chicken lays. But when it comes to mayonnaise, eggs and eggplants are surprisingly similar in function. According to J. Kenji López-Alt (via Serious Eats), the vegetable is the key to making vegenaise that’s flavorful rather than bland.
Inspired by baba ganoush, which already shares many of the same ingredients with mayonnaise, eggplant is the foundation of López-Alt’s vegan friendly recipe. The main difference is the lack of tahini and the ratio of oil to eggplant. To swap the eggs for eggplant, the celebrity chef first roasts the eggplant, then after removing the skin, he blends it with oil and lemon juice like a regular mayonnaise, before adding whole grain mustard and garlic. The resulting mayonnaise has a uniquely savory flavor that rivals any other vegenaise.