Garlic Aioli
A thick, punchy garlic aioli with lemon and fruity olive oil. Set it out as a dip for veggie fries, slather it on burgers, or spoon it over grilled fish.
Nutrition per serving
2 tbsp- Net carbs
- 0.6g
- Calories
- 208kcal
- Protein
- 0.6g
- Fat
- 23g
- Total carbs
- 0.7 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Roasted garlic: A whole head of slow-roasted garlic replaces the raw cloves, making the aioli sweet, mellow and caramel-y, with no sharp bite.
- Slice the top off a head of garlic, drizzle with a little oil, wrap in foil and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 40–45 minutes, until the cloves are soft and golden. Cool, then squeeze them out.
- Mash the roasted garlic with the salt and lemon and continue as written. There’s no need to let it stand.
Chipotle-lime: Smoky chipotle powder, smoked paprika and lime make a spicy, brick-orange aioli for tacos, burgers and grilled shrimp.
- Use lime juice with the garlic, and whisk the chipotle powder and smoked paprika into the finished aioli. Let stand 30 minutes so the spices bloom.
Pesto aioli: Basil pesto folded into the aioli makes a herby, garlicky spread for sandwiches, burgers and grilled vegetables.
- Fold the pesto into the finished aioli. Homemade pesto gives the brightest color.
- Also add
- Also add
Estimated cost $4.89 for 10 servings ($0.49 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Mash the grated garlic with the salt into a paste with the flat of a knife, then stir it into the lemon juice and let stand 5 minutes to soften the raw bite.
-
Put the yolks, Dijon and garlic-lemon mixture in a tall, narrow jar. Pour the avocado oil on top, set an immersion blender flat on the bottom and blend 10–15 seconds until thick, then slowly lift it to pull in the rest of the oil.
-
Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil by hand in a thin stream. High-speed blending makes extra-virgin oil taste bitter.
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Taste and adjust the salt and lemon, thinning with a teaspoon of water if very thick. Chill 30 minutes; the garlic flavor grows as it sits.
Tips for success
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The yolks stay raw, so use pasteurized eggs, especially when serving young children, older adults, pregnant guests or anyone with a weakened immune system. - Shortcut aioli: stir the garlic paste and lemon juice into 1 cup of good mayonnaise or homemade mayo, then whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Serve with jicama fries, turnip fries, crab cakes or cheeseburger lettuce wraps.
Nice to have, not needed
- An immersion blender in a tall jar makes it nearly foolproof — a whisk works if you add the oil drop by drop at first.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Serve cold
Prep tip: Date the jar: aioli made with raw yolks keeps only 4 days. The shortcut version made with store-bought mayo lasts longer.
Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 4 days.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosRoasted garlic
SwapA whole head of slow-roasted garlic replaces the raw cloves, making the aioli sweet, mellow and caramel-y, with no sharp bite.
- garlic → roasted garlic
1.5 g net · 212 kcal · 0.8 g protein · 23 g fat · ≈$0.52 per serving (+0.9 g net carbs vs the original)
Chipotle-lime
FlavorSmoky chipotle powder, smoked paprika and lime make a spicy, brick-orange aioli for tacos, burgers and grilled shrimp.
- fresh lemon juice → fresh lime juice
- + 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- + 1 tsp smoked paprika
0.9 g net · 210 kcal · 0.8 g protein · 23 g fat · ≈$0.53 per serving (+0.3 g net carbs vs the original)
Pesto aioli
FlavorBasil pesto folded into the aioli makes a herby, garlicky spread for sandwiches, burgers and grilled vegetables.
- + 2 tbsp basil pesto
0.7 g net · 221 kcal · 0.8 g protein · 24 g fat · ≈$0.57 per serving (+0.1 g net carbs vs the original)
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