Calling all garlic lovers – this creamy, garlicky Easy Homemade Spanish Alioli, Allioli or Aioli (Olive Oil and Garlic Mayonnaise) is simply heaven! A wonderful accompaniment to numerous dishes, from meats and poultry to vegetables, potatoes and sandwiches.
Alioli, Allioli and Aioli – What’s the Difference?
Spanish alioli (pronounced a-lē-ō-lē) comes from the Catalan allioli, which means garlic and oil. Traditional alioli (or allioli) is made from a mixture of garlic and olive oil that are pounded and stirred in a mortar and pestle until an emulsified paste forms. This traditional method of making alioli (or allioli), however, is quite labor intensive, as illustrated by this Traditional Catalan Garlic and Oil Sauce recipe from famous Spanish chef José Andrés. It requires 20 minutes of continuous muscling of the pestle! And, even then, getting the emulsification quite right is a questionable, even doubtful, prospect.
Today it’s much more common to see Spanish alioli made with the addition of raw egg yolk, which helps to emulsify the ingredients more quickly and reliably. The result is a creamier garlic sauce akin in texture to a commercial mayonnaise. Similarly, aioli (which is the term more commonly used in English), is a garlic, oil and egg yolk emulsion originating from Provence, France.
Recipe Notes✏
As its name suggests, with only four ingredients, this recipe for Easy Homemade Spanish Alioli is pretty simple to make, with the exception, perhaps, of the emulsification, which can be a bit tricky. Emulsification is the process of mixing ingredients together that do not normally combine easily, such as oil and fat. Although the addition of raw egg yolk helps as noted above, there are two other important tips to keep in mind to ensure a perfectly thick and creamy alioli.
1) Use egg yolks at room temperature. Room temperature eggs combine better with the oil.
2) Add the olive oil very slowly while whisking briskly and continuously. This is very important, particularly at the beginning of the emulsification process when the oil should be added drop by drop continuously until the mixture starts to look like a thin sauce. At this point, the oil can be added in a slow, thin, continuous stream until the mixture is thick and creamy. This should take at least 3 to 4 minutes.
Recipe for Easy Homemade Spanish Alioli (Olive Oil and Garlic Mayonnaise)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 large egg yolks at room temperature
1 cup extra virgin Spanish olive oil
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)
Place the garlic and salt in a mortar. Using a pestle, pound the garlic until it is well mashed.
Transfer the mashed garlic to a medium mixing blow, add the egg yolks and stir until well combined. While whisking the mixture continuously with one hand, slowly add the olive oil continuously with the other hand (drop by drop in the beginning and increasing to a slow, thin stream) until the mixture is emulsified and thickened. The resulting texture should be smooth, creamy and thick (similar to commercial mayonnaise).
Add parsley for garnish (optional). Keep chilled until ready to use. Stir before serving.
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