Martha Stewart's Go-To Store-Bought Mayo

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Celebrity chefs have spent their careers showing consumers how to make good food from scratch. However, even the most popular hosts in the food and lifestyle space are known to purchase store-bought ingredients from time to time — Martha Stewart is no exception. In her 2024 cookbook, "Martha: The Cookbook: 100 Favorite Recipes, with Lessons and Stories from My Kitchen," she revealed her list of pantry staples she always has on hand, and Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise made the cut.

Making homemade mayonnaise (vegan or egg-based) is easy enough, but when you're in a pinch or just don't have the energy, a store-bought version will do. Well, as long as it's Hellman's mayonnaise, as far as Stewart is concerned. Ina Garten also agrees with Stewart's preference, having noted at one point on her personal website that she considers Hellmann's one of the best store-bought brands. It was Julia Child's favorite grocery store mayonnaise, too. On the West Coast, you may see the Hellmann's brand labeled as Best Foods, but the two brands are the same.

While Martha Stewart prefers Hellmann's, other chefs, such as Alton Brown, reach for a different brand. If you've been to the South, you may have seen recipes calling for Duke's, a popular store-bought mayonnaise among professional chefs. The mayonnaise you prefer ultimately comes down to your desired flavor — most grocery store brands generally have the same basic ingredients of eggs, oil, and an acid, but there are slight variations.

For example, Hellmann's mayonnaise is made with soybean oil, eggs, vinegar, and lemon juice, plus a little salt and sugar. While the brand doesn't specify what type of vinegar it uses, Duke's does. Duke's includes both distilled vinegar and cider vinegar in its formula, as well as a little paprika, which Hellmann's doesn't have. However, Duke's leaves out the lemon juice, meaning that these two brands have a slightly different flavor profile. If you're looking for a less vinegar-forward option, Hellman's has a mild, pleasant acidity and creamy texture that make it worthy of a celebrity chef's kitchen.