This easy garlic aioli recipe is a shortcut to easily make your way to a luxuriously creamy aioli. It’s made with mayonnaise, roasted garlic, lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
I’ll just jump in and state the obvious, since I know this recipe is going to send someone into a tailspin: this is not a traditional aioli.
No, aioli isn’t usually made with mayonnaise, but it is made with a whole lot of similar ingredients, and when you need a creamy, garlicky sauce to dip those fries, onion rings, and roasted potatoes in, or to spread on a sandwich, and you need it ASAP, then THIS. IS. IT.
Usually, aioli is made with egg yolks, oil, and garlic.
And do you know what mayonnaise is composed of? Yep, you guessed it, egg yolks and oil.
Which brings us to the hack of a lifetime: using mayonnaise for aioli in place of the pressure of emulsifying yolks and oil and praying it turns out.
And because I 100% want to be able to have roasted garlic aioli on demand for EVERYTHING.
The Roasted Garlic
If you’ve been here a while, then you know I love me some roasted garlic.
There’s nothing better than the mellow, deep flavor that comes once garlic is roasted in a bit of olive oil and salt. It’s magical.
And it’s so magical when it’s added to a creamy dip that you can literally use on everything. M.A.G.I.C.A.L.
How do you roast garlic? Lucky for you, and me, and all of us, it’s pretty darn easy.
Cut the top off of a whole garlic bulb, yep, the whole top. You want each clove exposed for easy removal and optimal roasting. Place it on a piece of foil before the next step…
On goes a drizzle of olive oil, and I like to add a pinch of salt for good measure.
Then, you’ll wrap the foil around the garlic bulb and place it in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Does that mean this recipe takes a little more time than if you’d use raw garlic? Yes, but it’s soooo hands off. And I promise you the pay off of roasted garlic is worth it.
Can you use raw garlic? Absolutely! It will have more of a bite, but if you’re as much of a garlic lover as I am, then that doesn’t really matter one bit.
How to Make Easy Garlic Aioli
Once the garlic is roasted, set aside until cool enough to touch.
If you’re in a hurry, use a towel or potholder. I’ve done it before, and I’m sure I’ll do it again…
You’ll take the garlic bulb and squeeze the cloves out. It’s so satisfying to watch all the cloves just pop out, roasted and slightly caramelized and every bit as fragrant and delicious.
I recommend chopping up the garlic cloves here. Alternatively, you can use a fork when mixing the aioli and break them up that way.
Into the mayonnaise goes:
- roasted garlic
- lemon juice
- a pinch of salt
YES, FOR REAL, THAT EASY.
Three “real” ingredients (because you know we’re not counting salt). And to be honest, three ingredients you probably have on hand anyway. So basically roasted garlic aioli will be a forever-thing at your house.
Cool, cool. Mine too.
Adaptions to Garlic Aioli
The beauty of this simple dip is that it’s easily customizable (you know I love that).
I love adding fresh herbs to it, especially rosemary or chives, depending on what I’ll be serving it with.
If you’re a tarragon lover (that’s not me, but I hold no judgment if it’s you), this would be really good with a pinch of chopped tarragon in it.
Basically, herbs, whether dry or fresh, would be a lovely addition.
You can also jazz it up with lemon zest in addition to the juice, and adjust those amounts as needed.
Recipes to Pair with Aioli
Yesssss we get to use aioli with just about whatever the heck we want now.
I know I’ve already mentioned several ways to use this magical creamy dip, like onion rings, crispy potatoes, and fries (basically whatever is fried and carby goes super well with it).
It’s also great with salmon (heyyy rosemary salmon, I’m looking at you) – either spread on top or just dipped in as a side pairing.
It’s most definitely delicious on sandwiches. Lunchmeat sandwiches, veggie sandwiches, and especially burger (sandwiches). You cannot go wrong with creamy mayo and a hint of garlic.
It’s delicious with raw or roasted veggies.
Delectable when paired with olives and a baguette.
I could go on and on, but I won’t. I’ll let you get to roasting up some garlic and enjoying this aioli with whatever happens to be on the dinner menu tonight. Be sure to leave a comment and share what you paired it with, too!
3 Ingredient Roasted Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 garlic bulb
- A drizzle of olive oil
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 TBSP lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the top off of the garlic bulb, approximately 1/2 inch down, so that the tops of each garlic clove is exposed. Place in a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle olive oil on the top of the garlic bulb. Wrap the foil around the bulb and bake for 20-25 minutes until cloves are tender.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Let the garlic bulb cool slightly until you're able to handle it; turn upside down and squeeze out the garlic cloves. Roughly chop the cloves (or alternatively mix into the mayonnaise with a fork to break them apart). Stir into mayonnaise mixture until completely incorporated, being sure to taste test for salt levels again.
- Serve as a dip, on a sandwich, or with seafood dinner. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
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