Mayonnaise vs. Aioli

Aioli and mayonnaise are different. Plain and simple. Where I’m from, in the U.S. aioli is a term often thrown around to mean any flavored mayonnaise. In actuality, traditional aioli is made with garlic, salt and olive oil where mayonnaise is made with much more. Let me explain… 🤘🏻 Adam

Print

Mayonnaise vs. Aioli

IngredientsUSMetric

Aioli

• 1 cup Garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2-1 cup Olive Oil
• Extra dash of water, as needed

Mayonnaise

• 1 Egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 2 tsp Kosher Salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup Neutral oil
• 1 tsp Lemon juice, optional

Instructions

Aioli

1. Add the garlic and salt to a mortar and pestle and smash until a course paste forms. Begin streaming in the oil and stir/smash until an emulsified puree of garlic forms. Taste and adjust seasoning. Store in the fridge.

Mayonnaise

1. Into a large bowl, add an egg, salt, dijon mustard, vinegar and whisk until smooth and homogenous. Begin streaming in the oils while whisking until a smooth, creamy mayonnaise is formed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Store in the fridge.

Adam's Notes

• In southern France, an egg yolk is commonly added to the aioli. Something that isn’t really done in other countries on the Med. Add it in for extra richness, it also helps with emulsification.
• If the aioli looks too “chunky” to you, pulverize it further. I like mine with a little texture.
• The aioli will be spicy (the garlicky sort) when it’s freshly made. Cover it up and let it sit in the fridge for a day or two to mellow out if you’d like.