Miracle Whip Vs Mayo – The Complete Guide

Salads, spreads, sandwiches, skincare, cleaning, and more. These are just a few of the things that you’ve been told you can use Miracle Whip for. Or was it mayo? It really doesn’t matter right, aren’t these two things essentially the same? 

Miracle Whip vs. mayo is quite the debate. Most people tend to choose one over the other and some people adamantly refuse to use or eat the one that is not their top choice. Some people can tell a significant difference while others just know they’re both an off-white color. 

So what is the difference between Miracle Whip and mayo? Miracle Whip is sweeter than mayo as there is added sugar and artificial sweetening in it. However, Miracle Whip also contains less fat. These things can affect the overall flavor and might determine which one you prefer. 

In this guide, we will be discussing Miracle Whip vs. mayo and share with you everything that you need to know to understand and differentiate between these two condiment products. They are very similar and yet very unique in their own rights. We have a lot of ground to cover here so let’s get started. 

Keep reading to learn about the differences between Miracle Whip and mayo. 

Understanding The Differences Between Miracle Whip and Mayo

Are you team mayo or team Miracle Whip? Or maybe you’re one of those people who really doesn’t care as long as you have that creamy white goodness on your sandwich. Both of these condiments are used for the same types of things. 

Despite their identical appearances, they are not quite the same. The ingredients and the tastes do vary. While they are designed with similar concepts, don’t be fooled. The label and the titles are there for a reason! 

As we progress through this guide, we will talk about each of these items individually. We will first cover Miracle Whip and share with you the information you need to know and then we will cover mayo in a very similar manner.

Once we’ve covered them both, we will wrap up with a quick summary that you can easily reference to understand these two products. 

Shall we get going?

What Is Miracle Whip?

One of the most identifying features of Miracle Whip is that it is manufactured expressly by Kraft Foods.

There are some generic brands but they don’t use the term Miracle Whip and they are not allowed to use the term mayonnaise based on FDA requirements. You will see these items labeled as whipped dressing or something similar. 

In order to be accepted as a mayonnaise product, the mixture has to contain a minimum of 65% vegetable oil by weight.

This was a standard established by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). The mayo look-alikes that don’t meet this requirement are actually categorized as a salad dressing. 

Miracle Whip is considered a condiment or sauce. It was created to be an alternative choice to the popular mayonnaise. It was originally designed to provide a more affordable option as mayonnaise used to be quite costly. 

Miracle Whip has been popular from the very beginning. It’s used for sandwiches, salads, fruits, vegetables, dips, and more.

In fact, Miracle Whip has quickly outdone its mayonnaise counterpart and in some areas, outsells it routinely. 

How Miracle Whip is Made

Miracle Whip contains the following ingredients:

• Water
• Soybean oil
• Vinegar
• Modified corn starch
• Eggs
• Salt
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Natural flavors
• Mustard flour
• Potassium sorbate
• Spice
• Dried garlic

Obviously, the high-fructose corn syrup, modified corn starch, and such, this is a processed condiment. The name Miracle Whip actually came from the machine that was used to mix it because it whipped and blended the ingredients together thoroughly. 

You can make your own home version of Miracle Whip but it won’t be exactly like the store-bought version from Kraft since it is processed with high-fructose corn syrup. 

Most homemade recipes of Miracle Whip use egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, sugar, oil, cornstarch, dry mustard, water, and vinegar. 

It’s the sugar and sweetened additives that really set Miracle Whip apart. It also contains a reduced level of oil. While Miracle Whip is processed and contains sugar, it’s still lower in fat than its mayo counterpart

Uses for Miracle Whip

You will quickly find that Miracle Whip and mayonnaise are used interchangeably. In fact, Miracle Whip is often called mayonnaise because of their similarities. You can use Miracle Whip for just about anything you would use mayo for and that really works both ways. 

Here are some great ideas for using Miracle Whip. Some of them are food-related while others are actually health-related. 

• Salads and sandwiches
• Fruit or vegetable dip
• Cakes and cupcakes
• Deviled eggs
• Coleslaw
• Macaroni salad or potato salad
• Tuna salad and chicken salad
• Hair conditioner
• Face mask for acne treatment
• Homemade salad dressing
• Add to casseroles
• Whip into mashed potatoes

As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do with Miracle Whip. If you’re not a huge fan of mayonnaise, you might want to give Miracle Whip a try as an alternative.

There are many who dislike mayo but really like Miracle Whip. 

Of course, it all boils down to a matter of preference but it’s certainly something to consider now that you know that Miracle Whip and mayo have distinct differences that set them apart. 

What Is Mayonnaise?

Mayonnaise has been a long-standing condiment. It’s been around far longer than Miracle Whip.

Initially, mayonnaise was somewhat expensive to purchase because of the process required in order to safely make and distribute mayonnaise. 

Mayonnaise is considered a condiment, not a dressing. It’s thick and creamy and served cold. It shouldn’t be served or left at room temperature once it’s opened.

Homemade mayonnaise shouldn’t be stored at room temperature at all. 

Mayonnaise is used all over the world on sandwiches and burgers, it’s also used as a base to many other types of sauces, like tartar sauce.

Mayonnaise consists of oil, egg yolk, and either vinegar or lemon juice. Mayonnaise is made through an emulsion process that basically forces the oil and acid to mix together. 

Mayonnaise can be thick and creamy or it can have more of a gel consistency. It just depends on how it is made and the types of ingredients that are used.

The same goes for color, it can be a light off-white or a pale yellow and everything in between. 

You might also see dressings and condiments referred to as aioli. These are not mayonnaise but they are very similar to mayo. They were around before mayo was created in places like France or Spain. 

How Mayo is Made

You can make your own mayonnaise at home but it won’t be exactly the same. The emulsification process is similar but the primary difference is the pasteurization of the eggs that are used in processing.

This is why homemade mayo needs to be refrigerated and probably won’t stay fresh as long either. 

Mayonnaise is made using egg yolks, oil, and an acid like lemon juice or vinegar. We already touched on the emulsification process.

Normally, acid and oil would not combine but the egg yolks added to the compound actually hold everything together and bind them to be mixed. 

It’s an interesting process. Mayonnaise never has sugar added to it and rarely will contain things like high-fructose corn syrup.

Also, keep in mind that the oil weight has to make up at least 65% in order for the mixture to qualify as mayonnaise. Otherwise, it must be referred to as a dressing. 

Mayonnaise could potentially contain other seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, dry mustard, or anything else. Seasoning is the final step after everything else has been thoroughly mixed and blended.

Remember that homemade mayonnaise is uncooked, which is why it may not last for more than a few days. 

If you decide to make mayo at home, your process won’t take all that long. One of the positive aspects of making your own is you can adjust the texture, consistency, and seasoning to your own tastes. 

Obviously, when made in bulk, there are machines and processors that go through the motions to create mayonnaise.

If you make it at home, you just need eggs, vinegar or lemon juice, dry mustard, salt, other seasonings of your preference, and oil. The oil is added very slowly to the mixture. 

This process is best completed using a food processor to get everything mixed together accordingly. 

Uses for Mayo

Much like Miracle Whip, there are a lot of great uses for mayo. In fact, some of the uses are actually probably better done with mayo than with Miracle Whip but many people use them interchangeably. 

Let’s start by talking about some of the most unexpected uses of mayo that you might have heard about or even want to consider trying for yourself. 

• Cleaning and shining houseplants
• Lubricant to remove tight rings or devices stuck on a finger
• Shine your stainless steel
• Treat head lice
• Use to remove sticky residue from surfaces
• Treat your fingers to a manicure
• Deep condition your hair
• Moisturize your skin
• Use to treat against acne and breakouts
• Clean challenging stains – crayon, water stains, tar, etc. 
• Get gum out of hair

Isn’t it interesting just how useful this product can be, and these uses have nothing to do with food! Of course, mayo also has plenty of food-related uses as well. 

Here are a few things you can do with your food dishes that contain mayo. 

• Make various dips
• Make homemade dressing
• Tuna or chicken salad
• Potato salad or macaroni salad
• Deviled eggs
• Grilled cheese (use instead of butter on your bread!)
• Condiment for sandwiches, burgers, and wraps
• Mexican street corn
• Tomato pie
• Pimiento cheese dip
• Cheesy bread
• Coleslaw
• Add to casseroles
• Cake batter for moistness
• Biscuits
• Mashed potatoes
• Use for breading or rubbing chicken 

This list really could go on and on. You will notice that there are many similar uses to what you saw on the Miracle Whip list but then there are several more.

While you could probably use Miracle Whip for many of these same things, mayo tends to be the preference for cooking purposes for many of these items. 

Summary Review

Now that we’ve covered both Miracle Whip and mayo on an individual level, let’s summarize to give you a quick reference where you can easily come back to note the similarities and differences in these two products. 

In terms of Miracle Whip vs. mayo, which one wins for you? 

Right away, we notice that Miracle Whip and mayo are often used interchangeably but they are not really the same.

Miracle Whip has sugar and a lot more processing additives in the mix. It cannot be classified as a condiment but rather as a dressing because of how it is made. 

Both of these are made with the same base ingredients of oil, eggs, and vinegar or lemon juice. From there, the mixtures can vary.

Mayo is far heavier on the oil than Miracle Whip is.

The uses for each one are also very similar. When it comes to cooking, they can be used in many ways. It seems like mayo is often the preference for many of these but both actually work. 

When it comes to health uses, mayo is more natural and therefore has more benefits. There are people who use Miracle Whip in place of mayo for many of these things but the known and trusted results typically come from mayo. 

Ultimately, which one you use boils down to personal preference. 

Related Questions

We hope that you find this guide to Miracle Whip vs. mayo to be a valuable and informative resource. There are many interesting similarities and differences between the two that one should be aware of. 

We invite you to review the following question and answer section for some additional information that may be helpful for you. 

Which is Really Healthier? Mayo or Miracle Whip?

If you read the nutrition label, Miracle Whip has fewer calories and lower fat content. However, mayo has fewer processed ingredients. This again would relate back to personal preference and your definition of healthy. 

Can You Get Salmonella from Miracle Whip or Mayo?

You are not likely to get salmonella from a manufactured Miracle Whip or mayo product. These products go through specific processes to avoid this potential.

However, if you make your own product, you need to be careful of the eggs you use and your storage in order to prevent the risk of salmonella. 

Which Type of Oil Works Best to Make These Homemade?

You can use whatever oil you have on hand and generally have good results. Most recipes recommend using safflower, peanut, grapeseed, or canola oil. 

If I Substitute Miracle Whip for Mayo Will Anyone Notice?

For the most part, people will not notice when it is mixed into things. However, the flavors are distinctly different so it is possible that your swap will not go unnoticed. 

Up Next: Can You Freeze Miracle Whip?