01
Tartar Sauce
10.0best for marinade1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Base ingredient, add relish and lemon
10.0
mayonnaise substitute
for marinade.
Marinades ride on mayo because its 70% oil carries fat-soluble herb compounds onto chicken or fish and its 0.5% salt plus pH 4.1 acid penetrates 3-4 mm in two hours — slow enough that 30-minute marinades won't mush the protein the way straight lemon juice would by hour one. The egg-yolk emulsion also clings to surfaces vertically, so a quarter-cup coats a whole chicken breast. Substitutes are judged on penetration depth, cling, and salt-acid carriage, not coating viscosity at the table.
top substitutes
adjustment for marinade
1:1 by tablespoon. Same penetration depth as mayo (3-4 mm in two hours) since it's mayo-based, with the same 0.5% salt and pH 4.1 acid driving the brining effect. The chopped pickled cucumber adds extra salt and vinegar that pushes savory chicken or fish toward a deli-pickle profile — best when that flavor is welcome.
02
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 marinade
1:1 by cup. The lighter dressing carries 35-50% oil versus mayo's 70%, so fewer fat-soluble herb compounds get carried into the meat — penetration is similar (3-4 mm in two hours) but flavor depth is shallower. Add a tablespoon of oil per cup of swap to recover herb carriage. Sweetness 5% higher pulls toward teriyaki territory.
03
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 marinade
1:1 by cup. Ranch-style dressing's herb load (dill, parsley, garlic, onion) saturates marinades with strong character — best for chicken or pork. Buttermilk's pH 4.5 is slightly above mayo's 4.1 so penetration is a touch slower (3 mm in two hours instead of 3-4). Cling on a vertical surface stays strong thanks to dairy proteins.
show 7 more substitutes
04
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's pH 4.5 acid penetrates 3 mm in two hours — close to mayo's 3-4 mm. The 20% fat versus mayo's 70% means less herb-carrying capacity, so add a tablespoon of olive oil per cup. The dairy enzymes also tenderize chicken thigh visibly after a 4-hour soak, more than mayo's egg-based system.
05
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
1:1 by cup. Yogurt's pH 4.4 plus its live cultures give it stronger tenderizing power than mayo — chicken thigh stays juicy after 4 hours instead of toughening past 6. Penetration around 3 mm in two hours. The 3-5% fat versus mayo's 70% means thinner body; thin clumpy yogurt with a tablespoon of olive oil per cup to coat well.
06
Greek Yogurt
5.01:1
Qualitative substitution — adjust to taste
5.0
adjustment for this dish
1:1 by unit. Greek yogurt's pH 4.3 and double-strength culture profile tenderizes lamb and chicken faster than mayo — protein structure starts loosening at the 2-hour mark. Penetration matches mayo at 3-4 mm in two hours. The thicker strained body clings to vertical surfaces better than thin yogurt does, so a quarter-cup coats a chicken breast evenly.
07
Dijon Mustard
10.01 tsp : 1 tsp
Adds creaminess in dressings; milder flavor
10.0
adjustment for this dish
1:1 by teaspoon as a flavor punch, not a full mayo replacement — too thin and acidic to coat alone. Dijon's pH 3.6 is half a unit lower than mayo's 4.1, so it tenderizes faster but can mush fish past 30 minutes. Stir into a base of oil and acid (1 teaspoon per quarter-cup oil) to make a usable marinade.
08
Cream Cheese
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Soften to room temperature; richer and tangier, works in dips and chicken salads
7.5
adjustment for this dish
Soften to 70°F first, then 1:1 by cup. Cream cheese has a thick body that clings to chicken or pork without dripping — penetration around 2-3 mm in two hours, slightly less than mayo's 3-4 mm because the casein matrix slows acid migration. Tang at pH 4.6 is gentler; salt content varies, so add a quarter-teaspoon per cup.
09
Hummus
6.71 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Creamy spread, very different flavor
6.7
10
Avocado
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Mash ripe avocado; creamy healthy swap in sandwiches and tuna salad, less tangy
5.0