Aioli
intro
Silky, garlic-forward cold emulsified sauce, perfect for dipping grilled foods, fries, or fresh veggies, made with simple, bright fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Steps
Working at room temperature with no applied heat, place 12g (4 large) peeled garlic cloves and 2g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt in a mortar and pestle. Grind firmly for 2 minutes until the garlic forms a completely smooth, paste-like consistency with no visible lumps or chunks.
Keep all ingredients at room temperature (no heat used for this recipe), transfer the garlic paste to a medium glass mixing bowl, then add 1 room-temperature large egg yolk (18g) and 5g (1 tsp) Dijon mustard. Whisk continuously for 30 seconds at medium speed until the mixture is fully combined, pale yellow, and slightly frothy.
Maintaining room temperature prep with no heat, begin adding 180ml (3/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil one drop at a time, whisking nonstop at a steady medium pace for the first 3 minutes. Do not add oil faster than 1 drop per second initially to prevent the emulsion from breaking and separating.
Continue working with no applied heat, once the mixture has thickened to a thick, mayonnaise-like consistency (after adding roughly 60ml, 1/3 of the total oil), increase the oil pour to a thin, slow steady stream, continuing to whisk constantly for another 2 minutes until all oil is fully incorporated.
With no heat applied to the sauce, add 15ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice to the thick aioli, whisking for 30 seconds to fully combine. If the aioli is too thick for your preference, whisk in 5-10ml (1-2 tsp) ice cold water 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches a smooth, dippable consistency.
Keep the aioli at cool room temperature (no cooking required), taste and adjust salt if needed, then transfer the finished aioli to a small serving bowl. Let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving to let the sharp garlic flavor mellow and meld evenly.
Tips
2.If your aioli breaks (separates into oily clumps), fix it by adding 1 teaspoon of warm water to a clean bowl, then slowly whisk in the broken aioli drop by drop until it re-forms a smooth emulsion.
3.Avoid using pre-minced jarred garlic for this recipe, as it has a bitter, flat, preserved flavor that will make the aioli taste off; always use fresh peeled garlic cloves for the best bright flavor.
OMG this garlic aioli is a total game changer! I made it for our family burger night last weekend and everyone was begging for the recipe. I did add a tiny extra squeeze of lemon because I love that bright zing, and it paired so perfectly with crispy fries too. Only hiccup was it broke on my first try, oops.
I brought this aioli to our neighborhood potluck last night to go with the veggie platter and fried zucchini bites, and y'all it was gone in 10 minutes flat! SO good, people were dipping literally everything on their plates in it. I was a little worried it would be too garlicky for folks but the flavor was perfectly balanced, not overpowering at all.
Great solid recipe! I make a batch of this every Sunday for meal prep to put on sandwiches, roasted veggies, and even as a dip for my chicken tenders during the week. It holds up really well in the fridge for 3-4 days which is perfect for my work lunches. Medium difficulty is no joke though, you really do have to take your time emulsifying the oil or it won't come together.
My kids loved this! I was looking for a dip that wasn’t just plain old ketchup or ranch for our weekly fish stick night, and this was such a hit. Even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds to dip his broccoli in, which is basically a miracle in our house. Will be making this on repeat for sure!