Name: Herb Aïoli
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3-4 garlic cloves (split the garlic lengthwise, if it's started to sprout, remove the green before using since it will give a bitter taste to the aïoli.); ½ tsp fine sea salt; ¼ cup, fresh herbs such as chives, tarragon and parsley, finely chopped; 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature (if you are concerned about using raw egg yolks you purchase pasteurized eggs in the shell.); Juice of half a small lemon; ½ tsp Dijon mustard or ground mustard powder; 1 cup/240ml extra-virgin olive oil (choose a mild tasting one so the taste doesn’t overwhelm the sauce); 6 hard boiled eggs, cut in half; 12 oz. green beans, lightly steamed or blanched; 1 lb.young carrots, peeled or well scrubbed; 12 oz. asparagus, lightly steamed or blanched; 1 or 2 bunches mixed radishes, greens and roots trimmed; 1 cup olives (mixture of green and black)

Gluten-Free Grain-Free Vegetarian Dairy-Free Nut-Free No Refined Sugar Paleo

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This fresh herb aïoli is the perfect companion to a platter of seasonal vegetables for your next brunch.

homemade herb aioli in bowl on platter with vegetables

I’m seeing the start of spring everywhere; sunshine, daffodils and asparagus are just a few of the telltale signs. There are shades of green and pink popping up and it’s just the beginning…

Young spring vegetables are so fresh and tender right now they hardly need a thing to accompany them, well except perhaps for a dab of herb aioli.

Light, bright and very spring-like herb aioli is the perfect counterpart to a platter of seasonal vegetables like asparagus, radishes and carrots. The versatile Provencal sauce is a nice starting place for a casual meal with friends complete with glasses of crisp rosé wine. Think of it as your secret to easy spring and summer entertaining.

What is Aioli?

Also known as the “butter of Provence” aioli is a rich and creamy sauce made from garlic and olive oil emulsified with egg yolks.

In fact a feast called “le grand aioli” composed of steamed fish and vegetables is a traditional choice for celebratory meals in the south of France. It’s my favorite kind of meal, the kind that’s served family style, that requires using your hands and encourages sharing.

Aioli vs. Mayo

The similarities between the two sauces can be confusing but there are a few differences.

Mayo is made by emulsifying egg yolks and a neutral oil (like canola). Originally aioli was simply a sauce of garlic emulsified with olive oil, but today most aioli recipes also include egg yolks, so the main difference between the two is that aioli always uses garlic and olive oil.

Sometimes aioli recipes will call for starting with mayonnaise then adding garlic and other ingredients, but these aren’t a true aioli since store-bought mayonnaise isn’t made with olive oil. Thankfully it’s easier than you think to make real aioli at home. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Ingredient Notes:

(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

Garlic – You’ll need 3-4 garlic cloves.
Salt – Use a fine sea salt.
Fresh Herbs – Use a mix of fresh herbs such as chives, parsley and basil.
Egg Yolks – Aioli calls for raw eggs, if you are concerned about using raw egg yolks you can purchase pasteurized eggs in the shell.
Lemon Juice – Use fresh squeezed lemon juice.
Mustard – Use Dijon mustard or dry mustard powder.
Olive Oil – Use a mild flavored extra-virgin olive oil.
Accompaniments For Serving – Serve the aioli with hard boiled eggs, lightly blanched green beans, asparagus, carrots and/or radishes.

How to Make Herb Aioli:

(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

Start by finely grating the garlic on a microplane. Place the grated garlic and salt on a cutting board and smash the two together with the back of your knife to create a garlic paste. (Crushing the garlic with the salt gives the garlic a more delicate flavor when using it raw.)
Add garlic salt paste to the bowl of a food processor along with the egg yolks, lemon juice and mustard and pulse until incorporated. Turn the processor to the on position and slowly drizzle oil until a thick, shiny aioli is achieved. Add in chopped herbs and pulse until well combined.

Aioli can be prepared ahead and stored in refrigerator.

I like to serve herb aioli on a large platter surrounded with an array of vegetables and hard boiled eggs for a brunch or lunch but you can also use it as a dip for fries or a spread for sandwiches.

More French Recipes:

6 Servings

Herb Aïoli

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Known as the “butter of Provence” aioli is a rich and creamy sauce that's perfect served with a variety of vegetables.

Ingredients

For the Aïoli:

3-4 garlic cloves (split the garlic lengthwise, if it's started to sprout, remove the green before using since it will give a bitter taste to the aïoli.)
½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ cup, fresh herbs such as chives, tarragon and parsley, finely chopped
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature (if you are concerned about using raw egg yolks you purchase pasteurized eggs in the shell.)
Juice of half a small lemon
½ tsp Dijon mustard or ground mustard powder
1 cup/240ml extra-virgin olive oil (choose a mild tasting one so the taste doesn’t overwhelm the sauce)

For the Spread (Optional):

6 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
12 oz. green beans, lightly steamed or blanched
1 lb.young carrots, peeled or well scrubbed
12 oz. asparagus, lightly steamed or blanched
1 or 2 bunches mixed radishes, greens and roots trimmed
1 cup olives (mixture of green and black)

Instructions

Finely grate the garlic on a microplane and place on a cutting board with the salt. Smash the two together multiple times with the back of your knife to create a garlic paste.
Add garlic salt paste to the bowl of a mini food processor or small blender jar along with the egg yolks, lemon juice and mustard and pulse until incorporated.
Turn processor to on position and drizzle oil in slowly until a thick, shiny aioli is achieved. Add chopped herbs and pulse until well combined.
Aioli can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
Serve with prepared vegetables and hard boiled eggs if desired.

Notes

Dietary Info:

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 251mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 7g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.