Dutch Mayonnaise — Calvé-Style from American Mayo

Dutch mayonnaise is tangier, slightly sweeter, and noticeably lighter in flavor than most American mayonnaises. Brands like Calvé and Remia are designed to complement fries and snack-bar sauces without overwhelming them—especially when paired with shoarmasaus, kerrieketchup, or poestasaus. This simple adjustment transforms standard American mayonnaise (such as Best Foods or Hellmann’s) into a closer approximation of Dutch-style mayo, making it a better match for patat, broodjes, and classic Dutch snackbar dishes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup American mayonnaise (Best Foods / Hellmann’s recommended)
• 1½–2 tsp white wine vinegar or distilled vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1–2 tbsp neutral oil or water (to lighten texture)
• pinch table salt (optional, to taste)

Directions

Adjust the Mayonnaise

In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and 1 tbsp oil or water until smooth. Taste and adjust vinegar or sugar slightly if needed—the mayo should taste brighter and lighter than American-style mayonnaise.

Set the Flavor

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavor to settle. Whisk again before serving.

Notes

Preparation

• Dutch mayonnaise is tangier than American mayo but not sharply acidic.
• The small amount of sugar is important—it softens the acidity and mimics Dutch formulations.
• Lightening with oil or water helps reduce the heavy mouthfeel typical of American mayonnaise.
• Taste the mayo cold, as it will be served.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with fries or patat as a stand-alone sauce.
• Use as the mayonnaise component in patat speciaal with Kerrieketchup – Dutch Curry Ketchup.
• Pair with Shoarmasaus – Dutch Shoarma Red Sauce or Poestasaus – Spicy Dutch Kebab Sauce.
• Use as the base for knoflooksaus or other Dutch-style sauces.

Variations

• Calvé-Leaning: Increase vinegar slightly and keep the texture light.
• Remia-Leaning: Use the full 2 tbsp oil or water for a looser, more pourable mayo.
• Frietsaus-Style: Replace half the mayonnaise with plain yogurt or milk for a lighter Dutch fry sauce.

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• Whisk briefly before serving if the texture thickens.