This Spicy Mayo recipe is a tangy, creamy sauce that adds a spicy kick to sushi, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, or wraps. It’s simple to make in minutes with only 3 ingredients!
If there’s one condiment that you can always find in The Busy Baker fridge, it’s spicy mayo. We love a little drizzle of spicy mayo on just about everything from our eggs in the morning, to our lunch wrap or salad, to our grilled chicken at dinner, and even for sushi. And the best part? When you make it yourself at home you can control the heat to your liking, making it possible to add just the right amount of spice to all your favourite foods!
Spicy mayo is a very versatile condiment that’s so easy to make at home with only 3 basic ingredients. It can be served in many dishes – we love it on sushi, in sandwiches, wraps, or tacos, on burgers and salads, or even on top of grilled or roasted veggies or meat. It adds a super tangy, creamy, and spicy flavour, and it’s easy and inexpensive to make at home.
All you’ll need to make this recipe at home is some measuring cups and spoons, a whisk, and a mixing bowl.
We also like to store it in the fridge in a plastic squeeze bottle for easy use throughout the day (all affiliate links).
To make this recipe you’ll need:
- mayonnaise (use one that’s good quality – we love Hellman’s Real Light Mayonnaise for this recipe)
- Sriracha hot sauce (or use your favourite hot sauce)
- fresh lime
- Optional: liquid honey
- Wasabi: Instead of Sriracha and lime, add some wasabi paste and a splash of soy sauce for a Japanese-style sauce.
- Chipotle: Skip the Sriracha and blend some chopped chipotle peppers with the mayo and lime juice. This version is extra smoky, and you can even add garlic for extra flavour!
- Cajun: Mix together mayonnaise and Cajun seasoning for a spicy sauce that’s great on burgers!
- Habanero: For an extra hot sauce, blend together mayonnaise, habanero peppers, lime juice, and garlic.
- Thai Chili: For a milder version, add some Thai sweet chili sauce to the mayonnaise instead of the Sriracha.
Time needed: 15 minutes
Follow these steps for the perfect spicy mayo every time!
- Add the hot sauce slowly.
Start with the mayo and lime, and add the hot sauce a little at a time. This will make sure the spicy mayo is exactly as spicy as you prefer.
- Add the lime.
The lime zest and juice adds a brightness and tangy flavour. Don’t skip this ingredient!
- Mix everything together.
Use a whisk to mix everything together well.
- Taste as you go.
Tasting means you can add more hot sauce or more mayonnaise to balance out the flavours.
- Chill before serving, if you wish.
Chill for about an hour to give the flavours a chance to blend and for the sauce to thicken. Or if you’re in a hurry, serve immediately.
If you’re making a spicy mayo recipe for the first time, here are some tips and tricks that will help you avoid common mistakes:
- Start with a small batch: Starting with a small batch will help you avoid wasting ingredients if it doesn’t turn out as expected. It can also give you a good starting point so there’s room to add more of one ingredient to adjust it to your tastes.
- Use high-quality mayonnaise: Skip the Miracle Whip here. Choose high-quality mayonnaise that’s creamy and smooth.
- Use fresh lime: Adding fresh lime juice and zest adds SO much flavour. Skip the bottled lime juice and go for fresh.
- Add the hot sauce gradually: Start with a small amount of hot sauce and gradually add more to make it as spicy as you want. Taste it as you whisk and adjust as needed.
- Adjust as you go: If your spicy mayo turns out too spicy or not spicy enough, adjust the ratios of mayonnaise to hot sauce until it’s exactly how you want it.
- Add more lime: If your spicy mayo is too thick or heavy, add an extra splash of lime juice to lighten the texture and brighten the flavour.
- Chill before serving: Chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavours to blend together and for the mixture to thicken up. This step isn’t totally necessary, but it helps.
What is spicy mayo made of?
Spicy mayo is made of good-quality mayonnaise, hot sauce, and lime.
How long does spicy mayo last?
Spicy mayo should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container and will stay fresh for about 3 months if stored properly.
How do you store spicy mayo?
Spicy mayo should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, jar or bottle.
Is spicy mayo gluten-free?
Yes, spicy mayo is gluten-free as long as the mayonnaise and hot sauce you’re using is free of gluten (almost all brands are).
Is spicy mayo vegan?
Spicy mayo can be made vegan with a base of vegan mayonnaise.
How do you make spicy mayo less spicy?
To make spicy mayo less spicy, add more mayonnaise and less hot sauce.
We hope you love this spicy mayo recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite homemade condiment? We’d love to know!
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Spicy Mayo
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise we prefer Hellman's Real Light Mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Sriracha
- juice of one lime optionally you can add the zest too
- 2 tbsp honey optional
Recipe: Instructions
- In a bowl add the mayo, Sriracha, lime juice (and lime zest and honey if using).
- Mix well with a whisk until everything is well combined.
- Taste, adapt it to your own preference if necessary, and enjoy!
- Chill it in the fridge before serving, if desired.
Recipe: Notes
How to store spicy mayo
You can keep this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
My husband wanted a spicy mayo for some salmon burgers I had made so I decided to try this sauce. First, I do not like very spicy things so, I used half of the amount of siracha and then tasted. Then I gradually added more for my husband and of course he loved the taste. To be honest the store was out of my normal choice of Siracha so I had a different brand and maybe that brand had more heat.