Real Aioli (2024)

FAQs

What is real aioli made of? ›

Aioli, allioli, or aïoli (/aɪˈoʊli/ or /eɪˈoʊli/; Provençal Occitan: alhòli [aˈʎɔli] or aiòli [aˈjɔli]; Catalan: allioli [ˌaʎiˈɔli]; Spanish: alioli [ˌaliˈoli]) is a cold sauce consisting of an emulsion of garlic and olive oil; it is found in the cuisines of the northwest Mediterranean.

If you ask me, aioli is quite similar to mayonnaise. They're both made of raw eggs emulsified with oil (mayonnaise is made with neutral oil, while aioli is made with olive oil) and a little bit of acid (mayonnaise uses vinegar, while aioli uses lemon juice). Sometimes, the French add a little bit of mustard.

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.

Kidding aside, American eating has essentially defined aioli as fancy flavored mayo, usually flavored with garlic but also blended with everything from black truffles to chipotle chiles. In France and Spain, though, aioli is a different sauce entirely.

The healthy oils (olive oil) used in the preparation of aioli make it a good source of healthy fats, including monounsaturated(MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA).

Garlic has always been part of this French condiment, so calling it “garlic aioli” is kind of redundant. They are, in fact, one in the same. Commonly served as a dip with fresh or cooked vegetables, aioli is also stirred into soups and stews like Bourride, a Provencal fish stew.

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.

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.

Use Aioli as a Dip

The creaminess of aioli is the perfect partner for French fries, onion rings, and other crispy bites. It can also be served as a dip for crudités. Alternatively, aioli can be blended into other dips, such as baba ganoush or hummus.

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 exactly is an aioli sauce? ›

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.