Give Your Mayonnaise a Makeover

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but do you think that applies to condiments? You have your go-to pairings, like ketchup with your fries and mayonnaise on your deli turkey sandwich. By nature, condiments are not meant to be the star, but rather, the supporting cast to bring out the flavor of the main entrée. However, there are times when condiments take the main stage and get credit for making the difference in a meal. Sure, you never can replace the originals, but every once in a while, condiments have a moment in the spotlight.

Changing up your condiments can help picky eaters in your family try different foods. If your kids are not too keen on their greens, a custom dressing may be the answer to encourage them to expand their food palate. Condiments and sauces are not only used for dips for food, but also as mixes for other meals like pasta dishes. For example, you can give your potato salad a makeover by changing up your mayonnaise. Mix in different spices and fresh ingredients into your mayonnaise, and you got yourself a whole new meal.

The best part about making your own condiments is that it doesn’t take hours to make. After all, it just takes mixing a couple of sauces or mixing in other fresh ingredients to make the perfect match. So let’s take a look at two classic condiments—mayonnaise and ketchup—and how you can change them up a tasty twist:

Mix Up Your Mayonnaise

For your burgers, deli sandwiches, lobster roll, or even your fries, mayonnaise is a spread that not only provides an essential layer of flavor, but also it’s the binding that keeps the ingredients together. The base ingredients of mayonnaise—egg yolk and oil—hasn’t strayed too far since it was invented in 1756. The recipe works, so you shouldn’t mess with, right? But mixing up your store-bought mayonnaise with other sauces or fresh ingredients adds an extra flavor to not only the sauce itself, but also to the main dish. The primary function for mayonnaise is not just the binding to keep together your tuna mix for your sandwiches or the potatoes for your potato salad. Instead, flavored mayonnaise elevates the dish and the sauce itself.

Here are some ideas of ingredients to mix in with your mayonnaise spread:

• Wasabi: This side is not just for sushi. Mix it in with mayonnaise, and you got yourself a tangy spread with a spicy kick.
• Citrus juice: A squirt of lemon juice goes a long way with giving your mayonnaise a whole new flavor.
• Mustard: You may already mix mustard with mayonnaise to create your deviled eggs, so try out mustard-flavored mayonnaise on your sandwiches.

If you’re allergic to eggs or following an eggless diet, mayonnaise isn’t out of your reach. Try Just Mayo from hampton creek. It derives its creaminess from a yellow pea protein instead of egg yolks. If you’re a little nervous about mixing in other ingredients to the store-bought sauce, you can choose from other premade flavored Just Mayo spreads like Siracha and garlic.

Try this Spinach Artichoke Pepper Poppers that make a great appetizer made with Just Mayo!

Kick up Your Ketchup

Look in any refrigerator in the United States, you’re sure to find a bottle of ketchup. It’s the classic topping or side to the classic American dish of hamburgers and fries. While ketchup is such a staple in American culinary, it’s interesting to find out that the sauce’s origin is not from America, but from China. The tomato-based ketchup, however, is believed to have originated in the United States. Your kids may already love ketchup just the way it is, so maybe you feel there’s no need to change it up. But try expanding their taste buds by adding the following extra ingredients to store-bought ketchup. Start off with at least a half-cup of ketchup and mix the ingredients according to taste.

• Garlic: Start with a finely chopped one clove of garlic, and season to taste with lime juice.
• Teriyaki sauce: Adding teriyaki sauce makes for a great spread for burgers with Asian flavors.
• Cumin-Chipotle: For an earthy and nutty taste with a kick, try mixing your ketchup with ground cumin spice and chipotle chili pepper powder.

Condiments are often used for spicing up a dish, but when made with extra flavor, condiments can make the meal. These mix-in ideas are a great way to start breaking out of your condiment comfort zone.