Real aioli is emulsified garlic and olive oil — the restaurant version starts from mayo and gets to the same place faster. This is the house base: roasted garlic for sweetness, truffle oil for depth, and a squeeze of lemon to keep it from tasting flat. Every flavored mayo on the menu starts from here.
Ingredients
- 475 ml (2 cups) mayonnaise
- 120 ml (½ cup) roasted garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tsp truffle oil
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
- 2Stir until fully smooth.
- 3Taste and adjust — more lemon for brightness, more truffle oil for depth, more roasted garlic for sweetness.
- 4Label, date, and refrigerate.
Cook's Note
Drain Hatch chiles fully before mixing — any liquid left in the chiles will thin the mayo.
How to Use This
Use as a sandwich spread, dipping sauce, drizzle for fried proteins, or taco condiment. Works cold or at room temperature. Goes in squeeze bottles for service.
Why This Foundation Works
Roasted garlic is sweeter and less sharp than raw — you get the garlic flavor without the bite that dominates. The truffle oil is subtle at 1 tsp; it adds an earthy undertone rather than making it taste strongly of truffle. Starting from a good mayo means the base is already seasoned.
Make It Yours
- Lemon garlic aioli: replace truffle oil with 60 ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice and 1 tbsp minced raw garlic. Brighter and sharper — better for fish and seafood.
- Hatch chile mayo: omit the truffle oil and roasted garlic. Add 240 ml (1 cup) drained roasted Hatch green chiles and 1 tbsp honey. Mildly spicy and smoky. Drain the chiles thoroughly through a fine strainer or the mayo will be watery.
- Truffle aioli from scratch: build from 10 egg yolks instead of mayo — add fresh and roasted garlic, Dijon, white wine vinegar, lemon juice. Emulsify with ½ cup truffle oil then 400 ml blended oil. Finish with truffle salsa. This is the from-scratch technique for high-end plating.
- Smoked paprika aioli: swap truffle oil for 1 tsp smoked paprika. Works well with grilled fish and vegetables.
Leftover Strategy
Keeps refrigerated for up to 1 week in a sealed container.
