Garlic aioli
Creamy garlic aioli with a bright lemon lift — silky, glossy and quick to make. Lovely as a dip, sandwich spread or sauce for grilled veg and fish.
Proper aioli is a simple thing — garlic, egg and oil coaxed into a silky emulsion. This Mediterranean-style garlic aioli is brightened with lemon and stabilised with a touch of Dijon so it behaves itself on sandwiches, with grilled vegetables or alongside fish.
It looks fancy but is straightforward once you master the emulsifying rhythm. Use a stick blender if you want speed; whisking by hand gives you bragging rights.
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves — peeled
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- 2 free-range egg yolks — room temperature
- 5 ml Dijon mustard
- 30 ml lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- 200 ml light olive oil
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil — for finishing and flavour
- 0 ml white pepper — freshly ground
- 15 ml cold water — optional, to loosen
Equipment
- pestle and mortar (or microplane)
- stick blender or food processor
- measuring jug
Instructions
Crush the garlic into a smooth paste with the sea salt using a pestle and mortar, or grate finely on a microplane and scrape to a paste.
In a clean bowl whisk the free-range egg yolks with the Dijon mustard and lemon juice until smooth, then beat in the garlic paste.
Critical emulsifying step: with a steady hand, begin adding the light olive oil drop by drop while whisking vigorously. After the sauce starts to thicken (2–3 minutes), you can add the oil in a very thin, steady stream. If using a stick blender or food processor, start the motor and pour the oil in a slow steady stream until the mixture emulsifies; finish with the extra virgin olive oil for flavour.
Season with white pepper and a little more sea salt or lemon juice to taste. Stir in the reserved extra virgin olive oil (if you reserved some) using the back of a spoon to create a glossy finish.
Transfer the aioli to a covered container and chill for the flavours to mellow and the texture to firm slightly.
Before serving, if the aioli is too thick, whisk in up to 15 ml cold water to loosen to your preferred consistency. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
Tips
- Use room-temperature egg yolks — they emulsify more easily than cold ones.
- If you don't have a pestle and mortar, finely grate the garlic on a microplane and mix with the salt to make a paste.
- When whisking by hand, start with the tiniest amount of oil and only increase the stream once the mixture is thick and glossy — patience prevents splitting.
- Make ahead and chill for up to 48 hours; bring back to cool room temperature before serving and whisk briefly to revive the texture.
- If the aioli does split, whisk in 5–15 ml cold water or a single extra yolk to rescue it, then continue adding oil slowly.
Substitutions
free-range egg yolks → pasteurised egg yolks (bottle) in the same quantity
Stays closelight olive oil → sunflower or rapeseed oil 1:1
Stays closefree-range egg yolks → aquafaba (chickpea brine) — 45 ml for two yolks and blitz as a vegan route; add oil slowly until thick
Noticeably differentlemon juice → white wine vinegar 1:1
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 360
- Calories
- 1 g
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 39 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 400 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Is aioli just mayonnaise?
They are very similar — both are egg-and-oil emulsions. Traditional aioli emphasises garlic and often olive oil; mayonnaise can be milder and use neutral oil. This recipe sits between the two for stability and flavour.
Are raw eggs safe in aioli?
There is a small risk with raw egg yolks. Use pasteurised egg yolks if concerned (sold in bottles) or keep aioli refrigerated and consume within 48 hours.
Why did my aioli split and how do I fix it?
Splitting happens when oil is added too quickly. To fix: stop adding oil and whisk in 5–15 ml cold water, or whisk in an extra yolk, then resume adding oil slowly.
How long does aioli keep?
Stored in a sealed container in the fridge it keeps for up to 48 hours. Discard if it develops off smells or a watery separation.
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