01
Tartar Sauce
10.0best for cooking1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Base ingredient, add relish and lemon
10.0
mayonnaise substitute
for cooking.
On the stovetop mayo is fragile — its emulsion breaks above 165°F because the egg yolks coagulate and release oil, which is why you spread it on the outside of a grilled cheese (it browns at 320°F like clarified butter) but never stir it into a hot pan sauce. Substitutes here are judged on heat tolerance: how high you can push them before the fat phase separates and the protein phase scrambles. Pick by smoke-point and curdle-point, not by flavor.
top substitutes
adjustment for cooking
1:1 by tablespoon for stovetop heat tolerance up to 165°F — same emulsion-break point as mayo, since it's mayo-based. The relish releases water above 140°F and can pool, so fold it in off-heat at the end of cooking rather than simmering. The lemon-and-pickle notes shine alongside fish but flatten under heavy spice.
02
Cream Cheese
7.5best for cooking1 cup : 1 cup
Soften to room temperature; richer and tangier, works in dips and chicken salads
7.5
adjustment for cooking
Soften to 70°F and stir in off-heat at the end. Cream cheese tolerates heat up to 200°F before the casein curdles — about 35°F higher than mayo — so it suits warm dips and queso. Use 1:1 by cup, but expect a thicker, tangier finish since its 33% fat is bound by milk protein, not egg lecithin.
03
Hummus
6.7best for cooking1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Creamy spread, very different flavor
6.7
adjustment for cooking
1:1 by tablespoon. Hummus tolerates simmering up to about 180°F because its chickpea protein doesn't break like an egg emulsion does — but its tahini browns above 200°F into bitter notes. Use it warm-stirred into pasta or grain bowls, never reduced. Adds 4-6g of protein per quarter-cup over mayo.
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04
Mayonnaise Dressing
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Lighter commercial mayo-style dressing; 1:1 swap in sandwiches and salads, slightly sweeter
10.0
adjustment for this dish
1:1 by cup. The lighter dressing carries 35-50% oil versus mayo's 70%, which means it breaks at a slightly lower 155°F because the diluted lecithin can't hold thinner emulsions as long under heat. Stir in below 150°F. The added sugar caramelizes if pushed past 200°F, browning faster than mayo does.
05
Creamy Dressing
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Ranch-style creamy dressing; 1:1 swap in sandwiches and chicken salad, adds herb flavor
10.0
adjustment for this dish
1:1 by cup. Ranch-style creamy dressing breaks at about 150°F — buttermilk solids curdle at lower temperatures than mayo's egg yolk does. Use it off-heat as a finisher for warm pasta or chicken, where the herb flavor (dill, parsley, garlic) gets a chance to bloom in residual warmth without the emulsion separating into a greasy slick.
06
Sour Cream
7.51:1
Tangy and thick; works 1:1 in dips and baked potatoes, less rich than mayo
7.5
adjustment for this dish
1:1 by unit. Sour cream curdles at about 180°F — 15°F higher than mayo — but separates into whey-and-fat above that, so temper it with a few spoons of hot liquid before stirring into stovetop sauces. Its 20% fat versus mayo's 70% means the finished dish reads thinner; add a teaspoon of butter per cup to recover body.
07
Plain Yogurt
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Thin with milk if needed; tangy and mild, lower fat swap in dressings and dips
5.0
adjustment for this dish
Stir in off-heat below 160°F, where the casein hasn't yet broken. Use 1:1 by cup, thinned with a tablespoon of milk if too thick to pour. Yogurt's 3-5% fat versus mayo's 70% gives a thinner, brighter finish; whisk in a teaspoon of cornstarch slurry per cup to stabilize the protein against curdling.
08
Greek Yogurt
5.01:1
Qualitative substitution — adjust to taste
5.0
adjustment for this dish
1:1 by unit. Greek yogurt is strained — about 10% fat and 10% protein — so it tolerates heat up to 180°F before whey-and-fat separation. Temper with a few spoons of warm liquid first to avoid shock-curdling. Brings a tang at pH 4.3 that needs an extra pinch of salt and a half-teaspoon of honey to balance.
09
Avocado
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Mash ripe avocado; creamy healthy swap in sandwiches and tuna salad, less tangy
5.0
10
Dijon Mustard
10.01 tsp : 1 tsp
Adds creaminess in dressings; milder flavor
10.0