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Lemon Aïoli

lemonaioliHere’s the way to make foolproof lemon aioli from scratch — use this tasty pantry sauce on everything from sandwiches, seafood and salads. Lemon aioli, lemon mayonnaise or mayo — whatever name you give it — is a magical creamy sauce with a bright lemony tang and a savory garlic flavour. Homemade aioli tastes a world apart from store-bought jarred mayo, and it literally takes a few seconds to make in a blender.

½ cup neutral vegetable oil, such as avocado or Canola
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 lemon, freshly grated
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed plus more to taste
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
½ tsp. fine sea salt

Combine the oils in a small container with a pouring spout, such as a measuring cup.

Put the egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, juice, garlic and salt in a blender.

Blend the egg mixture on medium speed for about 15 seconds.

Increase the speed to high and start pouring the oil into the blender in a slow, steady stream.

Continue blending until all the oil is incorporated and the mixture is thickened.
Taste for seasoning and add more lemon or salt if you like.

Transfer to a jar or other container and use right away or refrigerate. Aioli will keep fresh 3-5 days stored in the refrigerator.

Cook's Notes:

  • Use a blend of oils. A mix of neutral vegetable oil blended with some fine extra-virgin oil makes an aioli with a nicely balanced flavour. I love extra-virgin olive oil on everything from pasta to dessert, but find that aioli made with 100 percent EVOO can come on a little strong.
  • Buy good quality neutral oils that are cold-pressed and not highly processed, like avocado oil, grapeseed or organic canola oil.
  • Drizzle the oil into the blender in a slow, steady stream — this is the magic step to making an emulsion that doesn’t break.
  • Use super fresh eggs.
  • Don’t be shy about tasting and seasoning your aioli. The ingredient list is short, and tweaking your aioli with salt and lemon juice will make all the difference.
  • If your aioli turns out too thick, whisk in a few drops of cold water to make it creamier.

Variations:

  • Smoky Chipotle Aioli: Add 1 or 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the blender after drizzling in the oil, then blend on low until puréed.
  • Sriracha Aioli: Stir in 2 or 3 Tbsp. sriracha sauce (or to taste) to the finished aioli.
  • Fresh Herb Aioli: Add a few Tbsp. of fragrant tender herbs to the blender before adding the oil – try fresh chopped tarragon, chives or basil.
  • Cilantro-Lime Aioli: Use grated fresh lime zest and lime juice instead of the lemon, and 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro.
  • Roasted Garlic Aioli: Omit the raw garlic and blend 3 or 4 cloves of roasted garlic instead.
  • Pesto Aioli: stir a Tbsp. or more prepared pesto into the aioli.