Authentic Garlic Aioli Recipe

For me, traditional French aioli is one of Provence’s most underrated dishes! While everyone knows the famous garlic mayonnaise sauce, many people don’t actually know how to make authentic aioli from scratch.

I assure you, learning how to make homemade aioli the real way makes all the difference. Whether you serve it the traditional Provençal way with fresh fish and crunchy veggies, or use it as a dip, this creamy garlic sauce is a pure delight!

In France, the word is spelled with two little dots over the “i” (aïoli). Those two dots are called a dieresis (or tréma in French). They just tell you to pronounce the “a” and the “i” as two separate sounds (ah-oh-lee) rather than blending them together.

My 5 Secrets to Nailing Your Homemade Aioli Every Time

Before you get started, I have 5 tips for you to make sure you’re starting with the real original aioli recipe, and not just a simple garlic mayo!

• Egg at room temperature: This is the key to get an emulsion and thus a creamy texture. Take your egg out of the fridge at least 30 minutes beforehand.
• Mortar and pestle: This is the traditional method for perfect texture! If you don’t have one, you can use an immersion blender (like for a quick mayonnaise), but it won’t be as authentic.
• Garlic: Don’t just chop it with a knife. Crush it well from the start with your mortar and pestle to obtain a paste-like texture. This will help the emulsion.
• Choose the right oil: I always recommend starting with a neutral oil at the beginning, and just adding some olive oil for flavor at the very end. If you make your aioli with 100% olive oil, I find it can taste a bit too bitter sometimes!
• Keep chilled: Because it contains raw egg, homemade aioli doesn’t keep longer than 48 hours in the refrigerator. Prepare it at the last minute and chill it immediately.

👉Recipe Card: Provencal Aioli

What Ingredients Do You Need for Authentic Aioli?

A true Provençal aioli consists of just 5 basic ingredients:

• Garlic: Use one to two cloves of garlic for one egg yolk. You can adjust if you like it garlicky or not. Personally, one large clove is enough for me!
• Oil: Choose a neutral oil (like sunflower or rapeseed) to start, then finish with a nice olive oil at the end to enhance the taste without bitterness.
• Egg yolk: Indispensable here for a super-easy emulsion.
• Lemon: A little drizzle of lemon juice at the end for extra zing.
• Salt and pepper: salt at the beginning, pepper at the end!

Aioli With or Without Eggs: What Is the Traditional Recipe?

Some purists in Provence will tell you that there’s no egg in aioli! Basically, the recipe for traditional aioli would be an emulsion based solely on olive oil and garlic.

But for it to take without egg, you have to add a lot of garlic. And for me, the taste quickly becomes too strong, much too garlicky!

That’s why modern recipes add an egg yolk, which acts as an emulsifier and makes the sauce super-creamy. You can also cheat a little more by adding a touch of mustard, which has the same effect. Personally, I don’t mind it at all, even if some purists won’t be happy!

Too Liquid or Broken Aioli? How to Fix It

This is the classic problem with homemade aioli! If your sauce doesn’t set or remains too runny, it’s usually because you’ve added the oil too quickly. I’ll give you 3 tips to save it:

• The whisk: Sometimes the mortar and pestle aren’t big enough to emulsify well. Simply transfer your sauce to a bowl and whisk vigorously – that’s often enough to make it rise!
• Add a little oil: I know it’s counter-intuitive, but if the aioli doesn’t set, it’s sometimes because there’s not enough oil to tighten the emulsion. Add a thin drizzle of oil while continuing to whisk.
• The ultimate solution (egg yolk): If it really doesn’t take, get a new bowl and put an egg yolk in it. Gradually whisk in your failed aioli as if it were oil. To preserve the taste, add another clove of garlic, crushed and flattened with a knife to a fine paste, then finish with a drizzle of oil.

What to Serve With Traditional Provençal Aioli

In Provence, aioli isn’t just a sauce, it’s a complete dish in its own right. The garlic sauce is served with a large platter of vegetables, fish and seafood.

Here’s how to put together your own traditional platter at home:

• Vegetables: Choose a nice mix of small potatoes, green beans, cauliflower florets, carrots, small artichokes or broad beans. Cook them either in boiling salted water before plunging them directly into a bowl of iced water to fix their beautiful green color, or steam them. My advice: keep them slightly crunchy!
• The fish: Traditionally, we use desalted cod. Personally, I prefer to keep things simple and use a good fresh codfish back, which I just steam gently.
• Seafood: To complete the platter, you can add whelks and shrimps. Cook them completely ahead of time in boiling water, then let them cool before serving.
• Hard-boiled eggs: Extra protein!

Find all my tips for blanching green beans and you can use this method for cauliflower, carrots, beans and other vegetables!

What wine pairs best with it? I recommend serving a crisp, dry French white wine from Provence (like a Cassis). If you are looking for those summer vibes, a chilled and fruity rosé is also a fantastic choice. Both options balance the rich sharpness of the garlic and the delicate flavor of the fish beautifully!

FAQ

More Provencal recipes

• Ratatouille
• Tapenade
• Bouillabaisse
• Tomatoes à la Provençale
• Pissaladière Niçoise