Walnut Free Classic Aioli
Rich, garlicky, and impossibly silky, this classic aioli is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste better — from roasted vegetables to crusty bread to grilled fish. The ingredient list is refreshingly short: just garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt, which means there's nowhere for hidden allergens or unwanted add-ins to sneak in. Store-bought versions can be a gamble, often padded with preservatives or processed on shared equipment, so making your own from scratch is both smarter and genuinely more delicious. The real magic here is in the technique — adding the olive oil drop by drop at first coaxes the mixture into a stable, creamy emulsion that holds its shape beautifully. A mortar and pestle (or just the flat of your knife) turns the garlic and salt into a smooth paste that distributes flavor evenly throughout every spoonful. Once you've nailed the slow pour and the whisk, you'll have a glossy, restaurant-worthy sauce that keeps in the fridge for a couple of days — though it rarely lasts that long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 pasteurized egg yolks
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp cold water
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Using a mortar and pestle (or the flat of a knife on a cutting board), pound or mince the garlic with the 1/4 tsp kosher salt until it forms a smooth, sticky paste with no visible chunks remaining.
- 2
Transfer the garlic paste to a medium bowl. Add the pasteurized egg yolks, lemon juice, and cold water, and whisk together until the mixture is uniform and slightly pale, about 30 seconds.
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