From dressing to dip, salads to sandwiches, mayonnaise makes its way onto the table in so many ways. Its taste adds a wonderfully rich creaminess to tuna salad and turkey sandwiches alike; its composition ensures the perfect crisp on toasted bread or moisture in cakes.
But one trip down the condiment aisle showcases a recognizable blue and white label in identical packaging to the mayonnaise boasting “the tangy zip of Miracle Whip.” And apparently, Miracle Whip is categorized as a “dressing” when it clearly hangs out in the condiment section and looks just like mayo. So, what exactly is the difference? Why will some people only eat potato salad if it’s made with Miracle Whip?
What’s the Difference Between Mayo and Miracle Whip?
Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip are extremely similar in composition. They're used in nearly identical applications, yet people seem to be firmly in one camp or the other. Why is this?
First, let’s look at classic mayonnaise. As far as we know, this combination of egg yolks and acid emulsified by oil was thought up by a French chef looking to celebrate a duke's naval triumph over the British in the 1750s. When he ran out of cream, he reckoned that oil and eggs would do the trick for whatever he was making. What he invented was a genius feat of science, where the egg acts as a glue between oil and liquid, creating a permanently blended, spreadable, and stable product.
Miracle Whip is a much more recent invention, a product of KraftHeinz from 1933, developed as an inexpensive alternative to mayo. So, what’s the difference, exactly?
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It comes down to a few different ingredients and taste. Mayonnaise is made of oil, eggs, and vinegar (or lemon juice). Miracle Whip has the same basic ingredients but with less oil, and the addition of water, sugar, and spices like mustard, paprika, and garlic. Even with these additions, Miracle Whip has almost half the calories of mayo and half the fat. You can purchase Miracle Whip in original, light, and fat-free versions.
Today, commercially, anything labeled “mayonnaise” must be comprised of 65% vegetable oil by weight. The added water and other elements in Miracle Whip take that oil content down, meaning it can’t be classified as mayonnaise and must instead be labeled “dressing”.
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Some commercial mayonnaise, like Hellmann’s for example, contain sugar in addition to the oil, eggs, and vinegar, but not enough to make the condiment seem “sweet” as much as Miracle Whip might. Duke’s, a Southern favorite and staple, contains no added sugar.
The gap between the two condiments comes down to taste. Miracle Whip is simultaneously sweeter and spicier than mayo. Mayonnaise is richer, with a distinct eggy smell and a lightly tangy taste.
Can I Substitute Miracle Whip for Mayonnaise?
The similarities between Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip are vast, especially in color and texture. But can you just swap one for the other?
The short answer is yes, but the long answer is it depends.
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Is what you’re making an uncooked recipe that calls for mayo? Go ahead and reach for that trusty white and blue. But if you’re baking, or using mayonnaise to make a grilled cheese, don’t switch it out. The full-fat content of mayonnaise is crucial here. Save the reduced-fat or fat-free mayo or Miracle Whip for chicken salad. Using one of those in these applications will ensure separation and lead to a greasy situation when heated. Unless you’re dying to go viral for an epic baking fail, just stick to the original.
Miracle Whip does have a sweeter flavor due to the added processed sugar, so substituting it for traditional mayonnaise often comes down to personal preference more than anything else.
What Is Miracle Whip Best For?
Uncooked, chilled recipes that call for mayonnaise are the perfect place to let Miracle Whip have its moment. Tuna, chicken, Waldorf salad, cole slaw, dressings, and dips are where it thrives.
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Mayonnaise is made of oil, eggs, and vinegar (or lemon juice). Miracle Whip has the same basic ingredients but with less oil, and the addition of water, sugar, and spices like mustard, paprika, and garlic. Even with these additions, Miracle Whip has almost half the calories of mayo and half the fat.
The sugar used to make Miracle Whip accounts for why it tastes noticeably sweeter than regular mayonnaise. Some store-bought mayonnaise, such as Hellmann's, contains sugar in its ingredient list, but not enough to detect a sweet taste like Miracle Whip.
Miracle Whip was developed in 1933 as a cheaper alternative to mayonnaise. It has the same basic ingredients—eggs, oil and vinegar—but it also contains water, sugar and spices.
Which one is healthier? Although Miracle Whip is lower in fat and calories, mayonnaise is less highly refined and may be the healthier choice. However, you should seek out mayo that's made with healthy oils, such as olive or avocado oil, instead of inflammatory seed oils like soybean, canola, or corn oil.
Mayonnaise is made of oil, eggs, and vinegar (or lemon juice). Miracle Whip has the same basic ingredients but with less oil, and the addition of water, sugar, and spices like mustard, paprika, and garlic. Even with these additions, Miracle Whip has almost half the calories of mayo and half the fat.
A light-colored vinegar, like the white-wine vinegar we use in these creamy deviled eggs, brings a touch of acidity to the filling and balances the richness of the yolks and the mayonnaise.
Ultimately, the decision to swap mayonnaise and Miracle Whip comes down to personal taste. If it's the classic, eggy taste of mayonnaise you crave, stick with real mayo. If you don't mind extra sweetness and a bit of thinner consistency, you might join the devoted group of die-hard Miracle Whip fans.
If you add too much mayo, it may overpower the filling and make it runny. For a dozen eggs, ½ cup mayonnaise will make a smooth, creamy filling that can sit up high when spooned into the egg. One way to ensure you get a good yolk-to-mayo ratio is to cook a few extra eggs.
Latest News. Kraft Miracle Whip is a household staple full of less-than wholesome ingredients produced in ways that put people, animals, pollinators, and the planet at risk. Half of the ingredients are likely produced from GE crops.
What Is Miracle Whip? Launched in 1933 at the World's Fair in Chicago, Miracle Whip was lauded as a cheaper alternative to mayonnaise during the Depression. Miracle Whip is made with eggs, oil, vinegar, spices, sugar, and water.
The water, high fructose corn syrup, and soybean oil are responsible for the sweeter flavor of the Miracle Whip in contrast to the richer and often tangier taste of mayonnaise. Miracle Whip also contains a unique blend of spices that include mustard, paprika, and garlic, adding to the taste difference.
Mayonnaise in its most basic form has vegetable oil, eggs, water and lemon juice or vinegar. Other seasonings and additives or preservatives are sometimes included. Miracle Whip is a mayonnaise-like product first created in 1933 as a cheaper option than mayo.
Hellmann's — a brand owned by Unilever, like Best Foods — is essentially the Best Foods of the eastern United States. More specifically, Best Foods and Hellmann's are brand names for the very same line of mayonnaise products. They've simply retained separate branding since 1932, when Best Foods Inc.
You are adding vinegar and sugar and paprika and garlic powder and mustard powder to that mayo. It's a complete makeover. This recipe makes a faux Miracle Whip that is even brighter than the real one. I suppose I could just continue to make this when a Miracle is demanded.
Miracle Whip is a condiment manufactured by Kraft Heinz and sold throughout the United States and Canada. It is also sold by Mondelēz International (formerly also Kraft Foods) as "Miracel Whip" throughout Germany. It was developed as a less expensive alternative to mayonnaise in 1933.
“Miracle Whip is lower in fat and calories than mayonnaise,” Edwards explains. Edwards notes that while you can "almost always" use mayonnaise and Miracle Whip interchangeably, you might notice a difference in flavor of the finished product.
Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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