Move Over, Mayo: These 30 Aioli Recipes Meet All Your Dipping Needs (2024)

Listen – we love ketchup, mayo, mustard, and all your other favorite condiments– by no means are we suggesting that mayo doesn’t have a place in BLTs and potato salad recipes. But, if you haven’t tried aioli — a popular dipping sauce with Mediterranean origins — you’re seriously missing out.

Aioli recipes are traditionally made with garlic, olive oil, and sometimes eggs (the combination of which is, of course, mayonnaise), but modern iterations also throw in lemon juice, garlic, and a whole plethora of other delicious herbs and spices. Here are 25 of our favorite aioli recipes, but be warned: once you dip your French fries in aioli, you’ll never go back.

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Jalapeño Aioli

Let's start things off with a little spice, shall we? This zesty, zingy aioli gets infused with jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice to form the most delicious flavor. (via Vanilla and Bean)

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Super Easy Garlic Aioli

Let’s start off with the most mainstream, common version of aioli you’re likely to find. This easy-to-make recipe contains only five ingredients: mayo, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Like all aioli creations, this sauce is perfect for adding to sandwiches and burgers, and will also take your fries to a *whole* new level. (via Cooking With Curls)

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Cilantro Lime Aioli

This aioli recipe would be *delish* on a quesadilla or another Mexican-inspired meal. The flavors of cilantro and lime pair with all kinds of flavorful (and spicy) foods. (via Goodie Godmother)

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Rosemary Aioli

Paired here with meatballs, rosemary aioli is a bit more herbaceous. The flavors of rosemary go well with meats. We also recommend serving this sauce on the sandwich portion of a hearty soup-and-sammie meal. (via The Iron You)

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Pesto Aioli

Use some store-bought or homemade pesto to mix into thick mayo, and you have yourself an exceptional (and easy!) aioli recipe. (via Hello Little Home)

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Truffle Aioli

One bite of this rich aioli recipe, and you'll be hooked. It's especially tasty alongside some fries! (via Vikalinka)

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Basic Homemade Aioli

This pick is as straightforward as aioli gets. If you're looking to hone your kitchen craft with more homemade dips and sauces, this aioli recipe is a great place to start. (via Feel Good Foodie)

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Roasted Garlic Aioli

Here’s another crowd-pleasing garlic aioli recipe for you. Pro tip: roast the garlic by cutting it in half, placing the middle side down on a piece of foil, drizzling with olive oil, and roasting for about 30 minutes. You’ll unlock a super-rich flavor that you just can’t get with raw garlic. (via The Suburban Soapbox)

The Best Aioli Recipes

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Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

Looking for something a little... tangier? This roasted red pepper aioli will definitely do the trick. It combines the flavors of traditional aioli and red peppers with mustard, lemon juice, and sun-dried tomatoes for a condiment with kick! (via The Wimpy Vegetarian)

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Vegan Caper Aioli

Salty capers meet mellowed-out mayo in this plant-based recipe. (via The Edgy Veg)

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5-Ingredient Chipotle Aioli

This baby is spicy – and it also happens to be totally vegan. The “mayo” is made from soaked and blended cashews, while the flavor itself comes from fresh chipotle peppers. (via Minimalist Baker)

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Magic Aioli Sauce

You'll just have to trust us on this one – this aioli recipe holds pure magic. It's dreamy and bright, meaning it's the perfect pair to hefty, salty potato wedges and the like. Each dip will leave you wanting more and more! (via A Spicy Perspective)

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Gochujang Aioli

Gochujang, a spicy Korean chili and soybean paste, gets the aioli treatment, resulting in a spectacularly spicy spread that can be used across dishes from sandwiches to loaded fries. (via Takes Two Eggs)

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Smoked Paprika Aioli

When shopping for paprika, go for a spice labeled “smoked paprika” or “sweet paprika.” Plain-old paprika tends to be a lot less flavorful. In the case of this pick, though, you’ll combine smoked paprika with a bit of cumin to achieve a rich, spicy flavor in your aioli recipe. (via Fountain Avenue Kitchen)

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Chipotle Lime Aioli

We’ve already covered aioli with lime and aioli with chipotle peppers — but this mouthwatering recipe combines the two. Bonus points for serving these with healthy and delicious sweet potato fries! (via Joyful Healthy Eats)

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Dijon-Thyme Aioli

This rich aioli is a sweet potato's BFF. (via The Real Food Dietitians)

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Lemon-Dill Aioli Sauce

Not so much into the peppery, spicy sauces? Keep things light and fresh with this lemon and dill-flavored creation. When prepping this aioli, be sure to bring your egg yolks to room temperature, or you may have some trouble getting them to mix with the rest of the sauce. (via Savor The Best)

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Vegan Egg-Free Aioli

Here’s another one for the plant-based eaters out there. The secret ingredient in this recipe is aquafaba... that is, chickpea water. You can store this mixture for up to seven days in a covered container, so it’s great for making ahead (meal prep FTW!) and taking to work. (via Healthy Green Kitchen)

More Delicious Aioli Recipes

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Chimichurri Aioli

Chimichurri is often slathered on meats, and this aioli is just as – if not more – versatile. It shares a number of ingredients with traditional chimichurri sauce — a few of the stand-outs are cilantro, onion, lime juice, and jalapeño! (via The Faux Martha)

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Spicy Lemon Aioli

For a dip with more kick, this spicy lemon aioli strikes the ideal balance between tangy and zesty. (via Barley & Sage)

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Roasted Garlic Saffron Aioli

Saffron brings a muted, yet deep flavor to this aioli recipe that was crafted to pair with feta fries. (via Half Baked Harvest)

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Easy Lemon Aioli

When we say this recipe is easy, that’s kind of an understatement. There are literally two steps: whisk everything together, then allow it to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. It’s *that* simple. (via Homemade Interest)

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Creole Aioli

All the best parts of creole cookin' falvor are included in this aioli. Make sure you've got a lot of spices on your hands, or else this spicy pick won't quite hit the same. (via Pink Owl Kitchen)

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Skinny Sriracha Aioli

What makes this Sriracha-infused aioli skinny, exactly? Instead of regular mayonnaise, you’ll sub in light mayo and Greek yogurt for a lower-fat, protein-packed alternative. (via The Skinny Fork)

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Garlic Avocado Aioli

All those classic garlic aioli recipes we’ve shared above are fabulous, but adding some avocado can be a *total* game-changer. With this recipe, you’ll whip some fresh avo right into the mixture, adding creamy texture and stellar flavor. (via Cafe Delites)

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Lemon Parsley Aioli

This lemon-parsley combo is decidedly British-inspired and perfect for dipping. It showcases the flavors of mayo, parsley, lemon, Dijon mustard, and garlic. Bonus points for serving it with fried blue cheese olives, as shown here. (via Dad With A Pan)

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Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

If you’re interested in a red pepper flavor, but want to steer clear of animal products (or dairy in general), try this vegan version. You’ll sub in cashews (processed with water, of course) for mayo, keeping it dairy-free and super healthy. (via Veggie And The Beast)

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Basil Garlic Aioli

If you’re a big pesto fan, you’ll adore this basil-garlic sauce. In addition to being a perfect addition to French fries, it would also go great on any kind of Italian-inspired sammie, such as an eggplant Parm or meatball sub. (via Self Proclaimed Foodie)

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Roasted Garlic Chipotle Aioli

See those eggs in the background? That’s because this recipe has you making mayo from scratch. It doesn’t get more wholesome than that. You’ll bring the eggs to room temperature before processing them with additional yolks, lemon juice, and garlic, and adding olive oil toward the end of the process. (via Ruled.Me)

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Super Garlicky Aioli

We thought we’d round off our list with another classic iteration of aioli. This garlic-infused version is perfect for all your aioli needs, but we *especially* love it with French fries and a glass of white wine. Cheers! (via Tasty Kitchen)

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This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser. This article originally appeared in 2017 as part of our Hit Refresh series.

Header image via Minimalist Baker.

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Maggie is a writer and editor currently based in Chicago. She writes about mindfulness, astrology, nutrition, self-development, and fitness, and has a background in yoga instruction.

Move Over, Mayo: These 30 Aioli Recipes Meet All Your Dipping Needs (2024)

FAQs

What is an aioli sauce made of? ›

Nowadays, aïoli is pretty much synonymous with garlic mayonnaise. What is Aïoli Sauce Made of? The number-one ingredient in aïoli is garlic, plus the standard mayo ingredients for mayo: egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, and olive oil. Additional flavorings are up to you.

What makes aioli different from mayonnaise? ›

Unlike mayonnaise, which is made by emulsifying oil into egg yolks, aioli is made by pounding garlic into a paste and then gradually adding olive oil to the mixture, creating a thick and creamy sauce. The garlic gives aioli its characteristic pungent flavor, while the olive oil adds richness and depth.

Is aioli healthier than mayonnaise? ›

There is an ongoing debate as to whether an aioli is healthier than its cousin mayonnaise. Mayo is essentially any neutral flavored oil, with egg yolk, vinegar and lemon juice, whereas an aioli begins with pounding garlic, which has many health benefits, with a mortar and pestle and using olive oil instead of canola.

Is aioli basically mayonnaise? ›

Although aioli and mayonnaise are both creamy emulsions, aioli is made from garlic and olive oil while mayo is made from egg yolks and canola oil. The final result may look similar but the two sauces have distinctly different flavors.

Is aioli just garlic mayonnaise? ›

Traditional aioli is essentially a garlic oil, and not mayonnaise, nor a garlic flavored mayonnaise. A classic mayonnaise involves the emulsion of egg yolk and oil. Each of these two sauces has many variations. This causes even more confusion for those with little culinary knowledge.

Is aioli always made with garlic? ›

Since about 1990, it has become common in the United States to call all flavored mayonnaises aioli. Purists insist that flavored mayonnaise can contain garlic, but true aioli contains garlic and no other seasoning (except salt).

How do you thicken mayonnaise with aioli? ›

The easiest way to thicken mayonnaise is to add a cooked egg yolk or two. This will give your mayonnaise a richer flavor as well. There are a couple of other ways that involve either adding extra oil or another way is add flour or cornstarch which I have never tired or done myself. I prefer the cooked egg yolk.

Is aioli made with raw eggs? ›

I love aioli, of all types. Though making your own aioli (like mayonnaise) calls for raw egg yolks. Food safety in mind, I prefer to temper my eggs in a double boiler, much like one does when making hollandaise sauce. Alternatively, these days, you can purchase pasteurized eggs in most grocery stores.

Why is my aioli so bitter? ›

Using all olive oil often results in bitter aioli (the ancients may have liked bitter aioli, but I do not), and the oil may contain imperfections that prevent emulsion. The other secret is to add the oil SLOWLY. Soooo slowly that you'll have to marshal your inner zen. But you can do it, and the results are worth it.

Which is worse for cholesterol butter or mayonnaise? ›

There are 5 milligrams of cholesterol in 1 tablespoon of Hellman's regular mayo, 4 milligrams in 1 tablespoon of reduced fat olive oil mayo and no cholesterol in Kraft fat-free mayo. Each tablespoon of regular butter contains 31 milligrams of cholesterol, but light butter has no cholesterol.

What ethnicity is aioli? ›

Aioli is a garlic and olive oil sauce that originated in the Mediterranean. The exact origins of the sauce are disputed, said to be either from the south of France or eastern Spain regions. The name 'aioli' itself is a compound of the words 'garlic and oil' in Catalan and Provencal languages.

Is eating aioli good for you? ›

Overall, aioli offers minimal health benefits but it does enhance the flavor and palatability of the dishes it is added to like meats, vegetables, and sandwiches. There is even some evidence that when a consumer enjoys the taste of their food, they may find it more satiating, which in turn may aid in weight management.

What are the risks of aioli? ›

Food safety implication 1: preparation of aioli from raw eggs, poor food handling. Many outbreaks of salmonellosis have been linked to products using raw eggs.

Does all aioli have raw egg? ›

I love aioli, of all types. Though making your own aioli (like mayonnaise) calls for raw egg yolks. Food safety in mind, I prefer to temper my eggs in a double boiler, much like one does when making hollandaise sauce. Alternatively, these days, you can purchase pasteurized eggs in most grocery stores.

What is the main flavor of aioli? ›

While basically garlic-flavoured mayonnaise, aioli is more of an experience than a food. Our classic aioli recipe uses two cloves of garlic, which is the perfect amount.

What's the difference between garlic sauce and aioli? ›

A thick garlic sauce, aioli is a traditional condiment in the cuisine of Provence, France, and Catalonia, Spain. True aioli is an emulsion created with just garlic and extra virgin olive oil. This makes the common menu item, “garlic aioli,” rather redundant.

What does aioli taste like? ›

Making aioli is easy, and is arguably the greatest cold sauce of all time. It's nothing more than olive oil emulsified into freshly crushed garlic, seasoned simply with salt and lemon. This is pure, fiery, intense garlic flavor like you may have never tasted.

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