Kewpie, I Think I Love You

Yes, I am late to the party. I’ve always been a Hellmann’s girl. Oh yes—then there was that time I was enamored with Duke’s. 

I think I stubbornly resisted trying Kewpie mayonnaise in protest of it being a social media sensation. I mean, aren’t we all tired of the “best crispy rice salad” and “low-carb, protein-packed” shredded rotisserie chicken wrap recipes? 

Well… as usual, I was only hurting myself.

To all my fellow holdouts out there: grab a bottle of Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise and allow yourself to be romanced. The sensually curved bottle is elegant, creamy white, and soft to the touch.

The plastic bottle is so delicate it must be squeezed ever so gently to avoid leaving an indentationyou’ll be tempted to apologize for.

Kewpie has been popular in Japan for nearly a century. It’s a key component in spicy mayo for sushi, karaage chicken dipping sauce, and the beloved tamago sando—the Japanese egg sandwich.  

What sets Kewpie apart from other white, creamy sandwich spreads is that it’s made with egg yolks only, unlike American mayos that use the whole egg. The yolkiness adds an extra-creamy texture and a luxurious mouthfeel. It also contains a touch of rice vinegar for just the right amount of acid (and what’s better than fat and acid?). Finally, Kewpie includes a dash of MSG tprovide that irresistible umami boost.

Want to level up your burger game this summer? Make this delicious umami burger sauce by combining:

½ cup Kewpie mayo

¼ cup ketchup

1 teaspoon soy sauce

A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

I think you’ll be smitten too.