For an easy, all-purpose sauce that only sounds fancy, look no further than the powerhouse that is aioli. The sauce, claimed by both French and Spanish cuisines, is similar to mayonnaise, but there are subtle, but surefire differences. Here, learn more about aioli sauce, including its ingredients, how it is made, and how it can best be used in recipes.
How to Make Aioli
To yield 3/4 cup aioli, follow this method, which includes mustard:
- Using the side of a chefs knife, smash one small clove of peeled garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt to form a paste.
- In a bowl, whisk together this garlic paste with one large egg yolk, and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
- Very slowly whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil in a steady stream until thickened.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Making Aioli at Home
Traditional aioli calls for a mortal and pestle, but most home kitchens today are equipped with a tool that makes the job much easier—the food processor. “The general technique is to emulsify the oil into the egg to make it into a thick suspension,” says Roszkowski.
Mayonnaise vs. Aioli: What’s The Difference? (Recipes and More!)
FAQ
Is aioli just garlic mayonnaise?
What is real aioli made of?
What is the difference between aioli and mayo?
Does aioli always have raw egg?
What is true aioli?
True aioli is an emulsion of just mashed garlic, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Making it is laborious, because you have to add the oil a drop at a time, pounding it together with a mortar and pestle. Aioli is extremely thick and used as an ingredient in traditional Mediterranean dishes.
Where did aioli come from?
Traditionally, aioli is made from only two ingredients whipped together—mashed garlic and olive oil. Done right, it creates a rich, thickened sauce that’s been a staple of Mediterranean cooking. Fun fact: Like many great sauces, the origins of aioli have been traced back to France, and the Provence region in particular.
What is aioli made of?
Aioli is delicious emulsification of olive oil and garlic. It’s very pure tasting and quite intense. But more commonly today, it’s a blend of mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. That said, it can also be made with egg yolks, mustard, garlic, lemon juice or vinegar, oil, and salt.
What is aioli sauce?
What Is Aioli? “Aioli” (pronounced AH-yo-lee, by the way) is a fancy word for emulsified oil with a bit—or a lot, depending on where you are—of garlic. It’s a rich and creamy sauce with both Mediterranean and French roots. The traditional method of making aioli is emulsifying oil into mashed garlic.