History of Mayonnaise: From Belgium to the World [2026 Guide]

The first time I tried proper Belgian mayonnaise was at a frituur in Bruges about five years ago. I'd ordered a cone of frites—double-fried, naturally—and the owner handed me this pot of something that looked like mayonnaise but tasted like nothing I'd ever had from a Hellmann's jar. Richer. More egg-forward. Actually interesting. I ended up going back three times during that trip, not for the frites (though they were excellent), but for that sauce.

That experience sent me down a rabbit hole of condiment history that I'm still climbing out of. And here's what I've discovered: the story of mayonnaise is messier, more contested, and far more interesting than most people realise.

The Origin Story: Who Really Invented Mayonnaise?

Ask ten food historians where mayonnaise comes from, and you'll get eleven different answers. The most popular story—the one you'll find repeated in countless cookbooks—goes something like this:

In 1756, during the Seven Years' War, French forces under the Duke de Richelieu laid siege to Port Mahon on the Mediterranean island of Minorca (now part of Spain). The Duke's chef needed cream for a victory sauce but couldn't find any on the island. So he improvised, whipping together eggs and olive oil into something entirely new. The resulting sauce was dubbed "mahonnaise" after its birthplace.

It's a lovely story. Dramatic, even. But is it true?

Probably not entirely. Some historians argue the chef simply learned the recipe from Minorcan locals, who'd been making oil-and-egg emulsions for generations. Others suggest the name comes from "moyeu," an old French word for egg yolk, or perhaps from "manier," meaning "to handle"—a reference to the technique required to make the sauce properly.

And then there's the aioli question.

The Aioli Connection

Here's where it gets interesting. Long before anyone was calling anything "mayonnaise," cooks across southwestern France and northeastern Spain had been making aioli—a simple emulsion of garlic, oil, and salt—since Roman times. Some food historians believe mayonnaise is simply aioli's more sophisticated, garlic-free cousin.

In 1750, a Valencian friar named Francesc Roger Gomila published a recipe for something called "aioli bo" in his cookbook "Art de la Cuina." The sauce he describes bears a suspicious resemblance to modern mayonnaise. Whether French soldiers "invented" mayonnaise or simply discovered what the Spanish already knew remains a matter of heated debate.

What we do know is that mayonnaise didn't appear in French culinary texts until the mid-18th century. Before that? Nothing. Which suggests that wherever the recipe originated, it took a war to bring it to Paris.

Belgium's Love Affair with Mayonnaise and Frites

But here's the thing about mayonnaise history that often gets overlooked: regardless of who invented it, Belgium perfected it.

Belgians eat more frites per capita than any other nation on earth. And what do they put on those frites? Not ketchup—that's for tourists and children. Mayonnaise. According to Belgium's National Union of Frituristen (yes, there's a union), mayonnaise accompanies frites 40% of the time. Ketchup? A mere 9%.

The reason is simple: mayonnaise enhances the flavour of the frites. Ketchup, with its vinegary sweetness, tends to make chips soggy and compete with the potato's natural flavour. Mayonnaise, with its rich egg yolk and subtle acidity, works with the starch and salt rather than against it.

The Frituur Culture

Walk through any Belgian town and you'll spot a frituur—sometimes called a "friture" in the French-speaking parts—on nearly every corner. These aren't your typical chip shops. Some are Michelin-recommended. Others are converted vans with queues stretching down the street. Belgium has approximately 4,500 frituren, which works out to roughly one for every 2,500 people. That's the highest density of chip shops in Europe.

The frites themselves are made using the double-frying method: first at a lower temperature to cook through, then at a higher temperature to crisp. They're served in paper cones, and choosing your sauce is almost as important as choosing your potatoes.

And about those sauces...

Andalouse, Samurai, and the World of Belgian Sauces

Belgian sauce culture is its own universe. Beyond standard mayonnaise, you'll find dozens of variations, each with its own character. The two most famous are Andalouse and Samurai.

Andalouse sauce has nothing to do with Andalusia in Spain, despite the name. It's a creamy, slightly sweet sauce made from mayonnaise, tomato paste, and roasted peppers. The name supposedly comes from its dark orange colour and mild spiciness, which reminded someone of sunny Andalusia. Belgians have about 30-40 different mayonnaise-based sauces, and their names often reference places or countries they vaguely resemble rather than where they originated. Brasil sauce, for instance, contains pineapple.

Samurai sauce (sometimes spelled "Samourai") is Andalouse's spicier cousin—mayonnaise with harissa or sambal, giving it a proper kick. It's brilliant on burgers but perhaps too aggressive for delicate frites, in my opinion. Though I know plenty of people who'd disagree.

What makes Belgian mayonnaise different from what you'd find in a British supermarket? Two things: fat content and eggs. Belgian mayonnaise traditionally contains more egg yolk and a higher percentage of oil, giving it a richer, more unctuous texture. This quality difference is actually enshrined in Belgian law—decrees signed by the King of Belgium himself regulate what can legally be called "mayonnaise" in the country.

Pauwels: From Antwerp Mustard Maker to European Sauce Giant

Speaking of Belgian sauce excellence, let me tell you about Pauwels.

In 1909, Auguste Pauwels and his wife Henriette De Pauw started making mustard in Borgerhout, a district of Antwerp. Auguste delivered his products by horse and cart around the city, building a reputation for quality. Mustard led to vinegar, vinegar led to pickles, and eventually pickles led to mayonnaise.

The business passed to Auguste's son Henri, who established Pauwels NV in 1949. But the real transformation came in the early 1990s. Pauwels was among the first Belgian sauce makers to sell their products in plastic squeeze bottles to discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl. That decision—which might seem obvious now—was revolutionary at the time. It democratised access to quality Belgian sauces and sent Pauwels' growth trajectory through the roof.

Today, Pauwels produces over 100 million kilograms of sauce annually, making them one of Europe's largest manufacturers of mayonnaise, ketchup, and specialty sauces. Their production facilities remain in Belgium—Antwerp and Leuven—but they operate globally from offices in Antwerp, London, and Paris.

The Cycling Connection

If you follow cycling, you might recognise the Pauwels Sauzen name. Since 2016, the company has been the main sponsor of a professional Flemish cycling team. World champion Wout van Aert rode for Pauwels Sauzen-Vastgoedservice before moving on. In Belgium, sauce sponsorship is serious business.

The company won the Trends Gazellen Award in 2017 as the fastest-growing large company in the Antwerp region, with a turnover of €150 million and 300 employees. Not bad for a business that started with one man, a horse cart, and some mustard.

Fritessaus vs. Mayonnaise: Understanding the Difference

There's often confusion between Belgian mayonnaise and Dutch fritessaus (or frietsaus). They're related but not identical.

Dutch law requires that anything called "mayonnaise" must contain at least 70% fat and 5% egg yolk. Fritessaus, by contrast, is permitted to contain at most 25% fat. This makes fritessaus leaner and usually sweeter than proper mayonnaise—more of a dressing than the rich emulsion you'd find in Belgium.

When shopping for Belgian-style sauces in the UK, check the fat content on the label. If it's below 50%, you're looking at something closer to fritessaus than authentic Belgian mayonnaise. Both have their place—I keep a bottle of each in my fridge—but they're different products for different purposes.

Where to Find Belgian Mayonnaise and Sauces in the UK

This brings us to the practical question: where can you actually buy proper Belgian mayonnaise and sauces in Britain?

The mainstream supermarkets have improved their continental offerings in recent years. Heinz now produces a Belgian-style Andalouse sauce that's available in Tesco and other major retailers. It's not identical to what you'd find in Brussels, but it's a decent introduction. You can explore Heinz products on Grocefully to compare prices across stores.

For authentic Pauwels sauces specifically, you'll need to look at specialist Belgian food shops online. Sites like Belgian Shop (belgianshop.com) stock Pauwels mayonnaise, Andalouse, and Samurai sauces with UK delivery. Shop Belgium (shopbelgium.net) carries over 75 Pauwels products.

If you're browsing the mayonnaise category or looking at condiments generally, you'll find that Belgian options have become easier to source than they were even five years ago. Hellmann's remains the dominant player in the UK market, but European alternatives are gaining ground.

Making Your Own

If you fancy a project, Belgian mayonnaise isn't difficult to make at home. The key is using good-quality eggs (ideally free-range), neutral oil (rapeseed works well), and taking your time with the emulsification. Start with yolks and mustard in a bowl, then add oil literally drop by drop while whisking constantly. Speed up too quickly and you'll get a broken, curdled mess.

I attempted this last year and succeeded on my third try. The first two attempts ended up as scrambled-egg-flavoured oil, which went straight in the bin. The successful batch lasted about four days in the fridge before I'd eaten it all on chips.

The UNESCO Question

Belgium has petitioned UNESCO multiple times to have their frites-and-mayonnaise tradition added to the Intangible Cultural Heritage List. As of January 2026, they haven't succeeded, but the campaign continues. If approved, Belgian frites would join the French baguette, Turkish flatbread, and Korean kimchi on the prestigious list.

There's genuine cultural weight behind this bid. Belgian frite culture isn't just about food—it's about community spaces (the frituur as a gathering point), technique (the double-frying method passed through generations), and identity (few things are more quintessentially Belgian than a paper cone of frites with mayonnaise).

Why Belgian Mayonnaise Tastes Better: The Science

Right, I promised you an explanation, and having tested dozens of mayonnaises over the years—my colleagues think I've lost the plot, honestly—here's what I've learned.

The difference between average mayonnaise and excellent Belgian mayonnaise comes down to three factors:

1. Egg yolk concentration: Belgian-style mayonnaise uses more yolks per volume of oil, creating a richer, more stable emulsion with deeper colour and flavour.
2. Oil quality: While many commercial mayonnaises use cheap soybean or canola oil, better Belgian versions use rapeseed or even a proportion of olive oil. Pauwels, for instance, uses 79% rapeseed oil and free-range egg yolks.
3. Acidity balance: The best Belgian mayonnaises have a more nuanced acid profile—often using a combination of lemon juice and white wine vinegar rather than just one or the other.

The texture matters too. Belgian mayonnaise should be thick enough to hold its shape when dolloped, but not so thick that it's gluey. It should coat a chip evenly without sliding off.

The Global Mayonnaise Map

Belgium might be mayonnaise's spiritual home, but the condiment has evolved differently around the world.

Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, made with rice vinegar and only egg yolks (no whites), has developed a cult following in the UK. It's sweeter and more umami-rich than Western versions. American mayonnaise tends to be tangier and more vinegary—Miracle Whip, technically a "dressing" rather than mayonnaise, is a distinctly American invention. Spanish mahonesa remains close to the original Minorcan style, often featuring a hint of garlic (nodding to its aioli ancestry).

And then there's British mayonnaise, which historically fell somewhere in the bland middle. We've never had the mayonnaise culture of Belgium or the regional variations of Spain. But that's changing. Better products are reaching our shelves, and people are starting to understand that mayonnaise can be more than a sandwich lubricant.

What to Look for When Buying Belgian-Style Mayonnaise

If you're shopping for Belgian mayonnaise in the UK, here's my checklist:

• Fat content: Should be 70%+ for true mayonnaise
• Egg type: Free-range is preferable; some premium Belgian brands specify it
• Oil type: Rapeseed oil delivers the cleanest flavour
• Colour: Should be a rich, pale yellow—not white and not too dark
• Texture: Thick but not gelatinous
• Ingredients list: Shorter is usually better; avoid products with excessive stabilisers or added sugar

For Andalouse sauce specifically, check that it contains actual peppers or pimento rather than just paprika flavouring. Real Samurai should have harissa or sambal listed, not just "chilli flavouring."

You can compare options across the Table Sauces, Condiments & Dressings category on Grocefully to find the best prices on Belgian and European sauces.

Final Thoughts: More Than Just a Condiment

What started with a war in Minorca (possibly), evolved through French kitchens (probably), and found its truest expression in Belgian frituren has become one of the world's most consumed condiments. But for me, the real story isn't about who invented mayonnaise first. It's about who took it seriously.

Belgium took mayonnaise seriously. They regulated it, refined it, built entire cultural institutions around it. Companies like Pauwels didn't just make sauce—they made sauce-making an art form passed through generations, from Auguste's horse cart to 100-million-kilogram-a-year production facilities.

The next time you squeeze mayo onto a chip, consider where that sauce came from. Consider the Minorcan cooks who might have taught French soldiers their grandmother's recipe. Consider the Belgian frituristen maintaining double-frying traditions. Consider the kings who signed decrees about egg yolk percentages.

Or just enjoy your chips. That works too.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who invented mayonnaise?

The most widely accepted story credits a French chef working for the Duke de Richelieu, who allegedly invented mayonnaise in 1756 during the siege of Port Mahon in Minorca, Spain. However, evidence suggests similar oil-and-egg emulsions existed in Mediterranean cooking long before this date, with aioli being a likely ancestor. A Valencian friar published a mayonnaise-like recipe in 1750, six years before the supposed invention.

When was mayonnaise invented?

Mayonnaise first appeared in French culinary texts in the mid-18th century, with the popular origin story dating its invention to 1756. However, the technique of emulsifying eggs and oil was likely known in the Mediterranean region centuries earlier. The first commercial mayonnaise in jars appeared in Philadelphia in 1907, with Hellmann's following in 1912.

Where did mayonnaise come from?

Mayonnaise's origins are disputed between France and Spain. The most common theory points to Mahón on the island of Minorca, then under siege by French forces. Some historians argue mayonnaise evolved from aioli, a garlic-oil emulsion made across the Spain-France border region since Roman times. What's clear is that Belgium, not the country of origin, became mayonnaise's cultural capital.

What country invented mayonnaise?

This remains genuinely contested. Spain (specifically Minorca) is often credited as the birthplace, though France popularised the sauce through its haute cuisine tradition. Some argue mayonnaise is simply a refined version of Spanish aioli, making the question of national origin somewhat meaningless. Belgium perfected mayonnaise rather than inventing it, but has the strongest contemporary mayonnaise culture.

What is Andalouse sauce?

Andalouse sauce is a Belgian condiment made from mayonnaise, tomato paste, and roasted peppers or pimentos. Despite its name suggesting Spanish origins, it was created in Belgium and named for its orange colour and mild spiciness, which reminded someone of sunny Andalusia. It's one of approximately 30-40 mayonnaise-based sauces popular in Belgian frituren.

What is the difference between fritessaus and mayonnaise?

Fritessaus (Dutch fries sauce) contains at most 25% fat, making it leaner and usually sweeter than proper mayonnaise. Dutch law requires true mayonnaise to contain at least 70% fat and 5% egg yolk. Belgian mayonnaise typically exceeds these requirements, making it richer and more flavourful than Dutch fritessaus. Both accompany frites but have distinctly different textures and tastes.

Where can I buy Pauwels sauces in the UK?

Pauwels sauces can be purchased from specialist Belgian food shops online, including Belgian Shop (store.belgianshop.com) and Shop Belgium (shopbelgium.net), which both deliver to the UK. Pauwels has a commercial office in London and supplies various UK retailers, though their products are less commonly found in major supermarkets than brands like Heinz or Hellmann's.