Mayonnaise substitutes: 6 swaps and how the nutrition changes
To replace 1 cup of mayonnaise in salads and dressings, use 1/2 cup yogurt plus 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup plain yogurt or 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, plus 3 more options below. 1 cup of mayonnaise has 1496 calories, and the swaps come to 189 to 843 calories for the same amount. The biggest change is in fat: 164.7 g in the original, 8.9 g to 87.8 g in the swaps.
Per 1 cup (in salads and dressings)
| Calories | Fat | Saturated fat | Protein | Carbs | Total sugars | Sodium | Cholesterol | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayonnaise (original) | 1496 calories | 164.7 g | 25.7 g | 2.1 g | 1.3 g | 1.3 g | 1397 mg | 92 mg |
| 1/2 cup yogurt plus 1/2 cup mayonnaise | 843 calories (-653) | 87.8 g (-76.8) | 15.7 g (-10.0) | 5.7 g (+3.6) | 7.5 g (+6.2) | 5.6 g (+4.4) | 750 mg (-647) | 64 mg (-29) |
| 1 cup plain yogurt | 189 calories (-1307) | 11 g (-153.7) | 5.7 g (-20.1) | 9.4 g (+7.3) | 13.7 g (+12.4) | 10 g (+8.8) | 102 mg (-1295) | 35 mg (-58) |
| 1 cup plain Greek yogurt | 232 calories (-1264) | 10.8 g (-153.9) | 5.9 g (-19.9) | 21.5 g (+19.4) | 11.6 g (+10.4) | 8 g (+6.7) | 83 mg (-1314) | 41 mg (-51) |
| 1 cup sour cream | 451 calories (-1045) | 41.4 g (-123.3) | 24.6 g (-1.1) | 7.1 g (+4.9) | 12.8 g (+11.5) | 7.8 g (+6.6) | 115 mg (-1282) | 122 mg (+30) |
| 1 cup cottage cheese, pureed | 216 calories (-1280) | 8.9 g (-155.8) | 5.5 g (-20.3) | 24.4 g (+22.3) | 9.7 g (+8.4) | 5.6 g (+4.4) | 735 mg (-662) | 38 mg (-55) |
| 1 cup mayonnaise-type salad dressing | 588 calories (-908) | 50.8 g (-113.9) | 8 g (-17.8) | 1.5 g (-0.6) | 34.7 g (+33.5) | 23.5 g (+22.3) | 1535 mg (+138) | 45 mg (-48) |
Numbers in brackets show the change from the original. USDA FoodData Central.
How to make each swap
- 1/2 cup yogurt plus 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Compared with 1 cup of mayonnaise: -653 calories, -76.8 g fat, +3.6 g protein, +4.4 g sugars, -647 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension.
- 1 cup plain yogurt. Compared with 1 cup of mayonnaise: -1307 calories, -153.7 g fat, +7.3 g protein, +8.8 g sugars, -1295 mg sodium. Source: NDSU Extension, Illinois Extension.
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt. Compared with 1 cup of mayonnaise: -1264 calories, -153.9 g fat, +19.4 g protein, +6.7 g sugars, -1314 mg sodium. Source: Illinois Extension.
- 1 cup sour cream. Compared with 1 cup of mayonnaise: -1045 calories, -123.3 g fat, +4.9 g protein, +6.6 g sugars, -1282 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension, Illinois Extension.
- 1 cup cottage cheese, pureed. Compared with 1 cup of mayonnaise: -1280 calories, -155.8 g fat, +22.3 g protein, +4.4 g sugars, -662 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension, Illinois Extension.
- 1 cup mayonnaise-type salad dressing. Compared with 1 cup of mayonnaise: -908 calories, -113.9 g fat, -0.6 g protein, +22.3 g sugars, +138 mg sodium. Source: NDSU Extension.
Which swap fits what you need
Per 1 cup, among the swaps above.
- Fewest calories: 1 cup plain yogurt, 189 calories (1496 calories in mayonnaise)
- Least saturated fat: 1 cup cottage cheese, pureed, 5.5 g (25.7 g in mayonnaise)
- Most protein: 1 cup cottage cheese, pureed, 24.4 g (2.1 g in mayonnaise)
- Least sodium: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 83 mg (1397 mg in mayonnaise)
Choosing a swap
For chicken, tuna, egg and potato salads, half yogurt and half mayonnaise is the gentlest change. It keeps the flavor and cuts calories from 1496 to 843 a cup.
Plain or Greek yogurt alone takes calories under 240 a cup. Greek yogurt adds protein, 21.5 g a cup. Pureed cottage cheese has a little more, 24.4 g, though it carries 735 mg of sodium.
Sour cream works too, at less than a third of the calories of mayonnaise. Mayonnaise-type salad dressing is sweeter, with 23.5 g of sugar a cup, and saltier.
Written from the extension guidance and USDA numbers on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Who should be careful
- Mayonnaise-type salad dressing is not an egg-free swap. US rules require salad dressing to contain egg yolk.
The yogurt, sour cream and cottage cheese swaps are dairy.
- Level E US rules require salad dressing to contain at least 30% vegetable oil by weight and egg yolk equal to 4% liquid yolk. 21 CFR 169.150 Salad dressing (FDA standard of identity) (checked 2026-09-30)
Keep exploring
Sources
Substitution ratios
- New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension, In a Pinch Ingredient Substitution (Guide E-131, revised May 2016). https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E131/ (accessed 2026-10-12)
- NDSU Extension, Ingredient Substitutions (FN198, J. Garden-Robinson, April 2013 edition). https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HHS/HHS-784-W.pdf (accessed 2026-10-12)
- University of Illinois Extension, Substitutions for Common Ingredients (modified December 2024). https://extension.illinois.edu/media/5732/download (accessed 2026-10-12)
Nutrition numbers: USDA FoodData Central (accessed 2026-10-12)
- Mayonnaise: Salad dressing, mayonnaise, regular, FDC ID 171009 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01)
- Plain whole-milk yogurt: Yogurt, plain, whole milk, FDC ID 2259793 (Foundation Foods, published 2022-04-28) · full profile
- Plain Greek yogurt (whole milk): Yogurt, Greek, plain, whole milk, FDC ID 2259794 (Foundation Foods, published 2022-04-28) · full profile
- Sour cream: Sour cream, regular, FDC ID 2705614 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Cottage cheese: Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd, FDC ID 2705748 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Mayonnaise-type salad dressing: Salad dressing, mayonnaise type, regular, with salt, FDC ID 171403 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01)
How we calculate: each part of a swap is converted from its household measure to grams with the USDA portion weight for that food (1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp), then multiplied by the USDA values per 3.5 oz (100 g). Water counts as zero, and so do pinches under 5 g (salt, baking powder) where USDA lists no value. A dash (—) means USDA reports no value for at least one part. How we verify.