bowl of aioli with two spoons on the side

QUICK & SIMPLE AIOLI RECIPE

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All you need are 6 simple ingredients to make this easy Aioli Recipe! It’s fresh, super tasty and comes together in under 5 minutes. It’s packed with garlic flavour and the perfect addition to so many dishes!

I’m secretly laughing inside. Why, you ask? Because I want to begin this Aioli Recipe post the exact same way I’ve unconsciously begun SO many others. Like this post for Honey Garlic Chicken Wings, it’s not uncommon for me to go ranting and raving about my sauce addiction. And, if you’ve been here a while, you know exactly that. I mean, can you blame me?! Don’t sauces just make everything better?! This Aioli Recipe is so good, so flavourful, so simple, so quick to make, SO GOOD ON EVERYTHING that you need to make it ASAP.

bowl of aioli, lemon, garlic and spoons in the background

Yes, it’s true. I adore my sauces. And something tells me that the more this blog grows, the more delicious, mouth-watering, flavourful, irresistible, gonna wanna put that sh*t on everything sauces I’m going to have on here. Hence the whole recipe category made specifically for sauces – Dip Dip Gourmet. Next to my favourite Tzatziki Sauce Recipe or my all purpose Thai Peanut Sauce, there’s always room for some more. Trust me. And today seems a good of a day as any to introduce the first ever Aioli Recipe to the blog.

This Aioli Recipe has a garlic base so you’ll for sure taste some garlic notes in there, although not overpowering. It’s easy to make with no blender or food processor required and all you need is 5 minutes of your time. I like to keep it hanging out in my fridge at all times as it makes it super easy to add dollops of creamy, garlicky deliciousness to just about any meal. And it’ll soon become the best friend of anything from burgers, sandwiches and wraps to pizza, chicken wings and salads (it makes a killer dressing!). You’ll seriously want to put this thing on everything!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS AIOLI RECIPE

ingredients for aioli recipe - mayonnaise, olive oil, garlic, cayenne, salt, lemon juice
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

6 simple ingredients we can even go ahead and call pantry staples is all you’re going to need to whip up this Simple Aioli Recipe. Not only is it quick and easy to make but you don’t need anything fancy to do it! Here are the ingredients in a little bit more detail:

  • Mayonnaise: Thick, creamy and delicious. These days, there’s nothing mayo can’t do… am I right?! Store bought or homemade works in this recipe. See the FAQs section down below for information on the different shelf lives depending on which mayo you choose to use*
  • Olive Oil: Adds flavour and freshness to this aioli recipe. In the case of aioli, the oil actually helps to thicken the sauce. As always, good quality and extra virgin is best. However, since there are so few ingredients in this aioli recipe, you will taste some of the oil shining through. Depending on what you’re serving it with or how much you personally like the taste of olive oil, you can always use light olive oil or a different neutral tasting oil instead (such as avocado). PRO TIP: Whisking the oil in slowly will help preserve it’s freshness.
  • Lemon Juice: Adds flavour and acidity to this aioli recipe. Also helps to thin out the sauce a bit so if you want to turn it into a dressing or a thinner version, just add more lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice works best in this recipe.
  • Garlic: Since one of the only classic ingredients in a traditional aioli recipe is garlic pounded in a mortar and pestle, there’s no surprise it found its way into this recipe. Garlic adds freshness and flavour and just makes everything taste that much better. Fresh garlic cloves are what you’re going to want to use for the best tasting results.
  • Salt: Balances out the rest of the flavours and brings this aioli recipe together.
  • Cayenne Pepper: For a touch of heat. And when I say touch, I mean verrrrry minimal. Add more for extra spicy and omit completely for none at all.
hand with a spoon in a bowl of aioli, lemon and garlic in the background

HOW TO MAKE AIOLI (KEY TIPS)

bowl of aioli with a spoon, half a lemon in the background, plate of grilled burgers in the front
  • Crush the garlic before mincing. All you have to do is simply press each clove down on a firm surface using the back of a knife. This will release it’s full flavour and make it easier to mince.
  • Add salt directly to the smashed garlic cloves on the cutting board before mincing. This will extract moisture, resulting in softening the garlic up a bit and making it easier to mince. More so, adding salt to the garlic at this point will help garlic’s fibres to start pulverizing and breaking down.
  • Chop the garlic finely. We’re talkin’ about a nice, fine mince here, people. Although the garlic flavour is lovely in this aioli recipe, we don’t want to end up with big chunks of it which can throw the whole thing off and make it taste overpowering. You want the garlic and salt to kind of be a paste when you’re done with it (and yes, a mortar and pestle, if you have one, would be key for this step).
  • Pour the olive oil into the mayonnaise in a slow and steady stream. This helps preserve it’s flavour and freshness and allows you to control the overall thickness of the aioli. Therefore, if you pour it in too quick and you’ll end up with a thin, watery, olive oil tasting mess.
  • Make sure you’re constantly stirring well, especially after each additional ingredient is added, to ensure that the flavours are evenly distributed and everything is well combined.
  • If you have a mortar and pestle, feel free to use it. I don’t and didn’t use one for this recipe so not to worry if you also don’t have one. But I would imagine using that handy vessel would make this aioli recipe even easier!
  • This aioli recipe tastes best if you allow it to chill in the fridge before serving. The flavours develop over time and therefore, you’ll notice the garlic flavours beginning to shine through more, the longer it sits.
spoon of aioli up in front of the camera over a bowl of it, garlic and lemon in the background

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW LONG DOES AIOLI LAST IN THE FRIDGE?

This depends on the kind of mayo you use but the good news is that either way, it’ll last a whilllle. I love making a big batch to keep in the fridge for easy additions to any meal. If you use store bought mayo, your aioli will have a longer shelf life (up to 2 weeks). And if you use homemade mayo, you should consume your aioli within 7-10 days. Give it a quick stir before serving to redistribute the flavours. Always use your judgement (the look and smell test) to ensure that nothing has spoiled before consuming.

HOW SHOULD I STORE AIOLI?

The best way to store aioli is in an airtight container or mason jar. Keep it in the fridge at all times and give it a good stir before serving. RECIPE NOTE: The longer the aioli sits in the fridge, the more profound (and delicious) the flavours will become!

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH AIOLI?

The options here are endless as this stuff is good on so many things! Anywhere you’d use mayonnaise or a thick and creamy sauce (which, let’s be real, for me is almost everything!) this aioli could step in for. Use it as a spread for sandwiches, wraps or burgers. As a dipping sauce for french fries, pizza, chicken wings or these Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts. Turn it into a salad dressing by adding some balsamic, more olive oil or lemon juice to thin it out. It would be great on this Butternut Squash Salad or this Kale Caesar Salad. In addition, it’s amazing for crab cakes, calamari, fish and chips, tacos, quesadillas and bowls (such as this Burger Bowl) to name a few.

bowl of aioli, two spoons in the front, plate of burgers in the back
bowl of aioli with two spoons on the side

EASY AIOLI RECIPE

Yield: ~1 Cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

All you need are 6 simple ingredients to make this easy Aioli Recipe! It's fresh, super tasty and comes together in under 5 minutes. It's packed with garlic flavour and the perfect addition to so many dishes!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Mayonnaise, homemade or store bought*
  • 2 large Garlic Cloves
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Generous Pinch of Sea Salt
  • Generous Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

  1. Crush the garlic on a cutting board with the back of a knife. Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle, if you have one.
    2 crushed garlic cloves on a cutting board
  2. Add the salt then finely mince or pound the garlic into a smooth of a 'paste' as you can get it.
    minced garlic on a cutting board
  3. Add the mayonnaise to a bowl, then add the garlic on top (no need to transfer it out of the mortar and pestle, if that's what you're using). Stir until smooth.
    bowl of mayo with minced garlic on top
    bowl of creamy aioli and a spoon
  4. Add the oil in a slooooow and steady stream, stirring (or pounding) until the mixture is thick and creamy.
    hand holding a ramekin of olive oil over a bowl of aioli with a spoon
    bowl of a creamy sauce with olive oil on top, hand with a spoon
    thick creamy aioli in a bowl with a spoon
  5. Stir in the lemon juice.
    hand holding a ramekin of lemon juice over a bowl of aioli
    bowl with white sauce and a spoon
  6. Add the cayenne pepper and more salt, if needed. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate, until chilled, before serving.
    bowl of aioli with cayenne pepper on top, spoon in the bowl
    bowl with white sauce with red speckles in it and a spoon

Notes

Try this Garlic Aioli using my Homemade 1 Minute Mayonnaise Recipe.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1612Total Fat: 178gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 147gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 1182mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g

Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.

Did you make this recipe? I love seeing your creations!

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