​​The Easy Ingredient That Makes Store-Bought Mayo Taste Expensive

Whether slathered on a deli sandwich, dripping off the perfect burger, or used as a coating on the exterior of a grilled cheese for a magazine-worthy golden brown finish, mayonnaise has a unique ability to meld flavors and make the whole taste better than the sum of its parts. To take your emulsion of eggs and oil to the next level, with just enough interest to make your guests wonder exactly how you achieved such depth of flavor, try adding truffle oil to this staple condiment workhorse.

Truffles are a super premium ingredient, and although truffle oil doesn't contain any actual truffles, it does contain synthetic truffle flavor. Make sure to look for truffle oil labels that indicate it contains natural truffle extract, rather than chemicals created to mimic the flavor of truffles, which make truffle oil a product that famed cooking maven Martha Stewart abhors. What's more, don't bother splashing out on more expensive white truffle oil, as its delicate flavors can get lost in the richness of the mayo. Instead, opt for black truffle oil, whose meaty richness will stand up to the fats in the spread.

Spiking your mayo with truffle oil is as quick and easy as adding a tiny bit to taste. Simply drizzle a scant amount directly into a bowl of your favorite mayonnaise and whisk until the scent of truffles begins to perfume the air. You can always add more, as needed. Or, go the homemade route and make a truffle aioli, which largely only differs from mayonnaise in its inclusion of garlic. The addition of the mushroom-adjacent truffle component ups the complexity of these enticing spreads and livens up just about anything you care to douse it on — from an addictive dip for french fries to a way to make ho-hum store-bought chicken tenders sing a different tune.

To keep the truffle train going, consider incorporating truffle-accented mayo into other dishes that rely on mayonnaise, like deviled truffle eggs, homemade dips, or even a good old-fashioned chicken casserole. If you are vibing on the truffle oil and would like to make use of your purchase, consider tossing some in with freshly popped popcorn for your next movie night. Just a hint changes the convo to savory, enticing, and oh so satisfying.