Basil aioli is made with fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice - bright, flavorful, and perfect for summer! It makes a great spread for sandwiches and burgers, or dipping sauce for fries.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Creamy, thick, fresh, bright.
Simple and quick: While not a traditional aioli, this quick aioli is made with a mayonnaise base along with lemon juice, fresh garlic, and fresh basil.
Great for: Topping a chicken sandwich, dipping sauce for fries and onion rings, serving with crab cakes.
Serve with: Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Chicken Tenders, Roasted Zucchini and Squash
Similar to: Spicy Aioli and Walnut Pesto
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Mayonnaise - Feel free to use homemade or store bought mayonnaise.
- Basil - You'll need about 30 fresh basil leaves, about ½ cup lightly packed, for this recipe.
- Lemon juice - Can be substituted with apple cider vinegar.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic adds the best flavor to your aioli, but it can be substituted with garlic powder if needed. Add ½ teaspoon of garlic powder to substitute two cloves of garlic.
- Salt - Salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients. Feel free to adjust as desired to suit your tastes.
How to make basil aioli
- Add ingredients to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse until ingredients are combined and smooth.
Tips and tricks
Prepare without a food processor - All you need is a sharp knife and a cutting board. Mince your basil leaves and garlic cloves as small as possible. Add to a bowl along with your mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and whisk to combine.
Variations - Substitute the basil with other fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, dill, or chives.
Make ahead
After preparing your aioli, allow it to set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld.
If you're making aioli for an event or party, I recommend serving it within one day of preparing for freshest flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Traditionally, aioli is a creamy sauce that's made from an emulsion of olive oil and mashed garlic. Some versions of aioli include eggs and lemon juice, similar to a mayonnaise. Because of this, many "quick aioli" recipes are made with a base of mayonnaise to save time.
Since about 1990 (per Wikipedia), it is common for any type of flavored mayonnaise to be referred to as an aioli. The two have a similar consistency and are often used in the same ways, but can contain different ingredients. If you'd like to learn more, here's a great article on the subject: Bon Appetit - OK, What is Aioli, Anyway?
Basil aioli can be used as a dipping sauce or spread. Use it in any situation where you'd normally use a creamy sauce or spread (like mayonnaise on a sandwich). A few ideas: hamburgers, brats, shrimp, chicken tenders, crab cakes, or on a veggie tray.
Basil aioli will keep for up to 7 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Basil Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup basil leaves, lightly packed (about 30 leaves)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, add mayonnaise, basil leaves, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and salt. Cover and blend until smooth. (If you don't have a food processor, mince basil leaves and garlic cloves as small as possible, add to a bowl with remaining ingredients, and whisk until incorporated).
- Cover and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Use as a condiment on sandwiches or as a dipping sauce for fries, chicken tenders, and more.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Aioli will keep for about 7 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator, but is best served within 1-2 days for freshest flavor.
This is absolutely AMAZING! I've used it on several dishes, from veggies burgers, grilled cheese to fish. And it's great as a dip for chips and fries! I just made a fresh batch this morning. Can't wait to eat it again!
We don’t really eat mayonnaise. Could I use Greek yogurt?
Yes, I'm sure Greek yogurt would work just fine as a substitute.
This recipe is super delicious. I would lower the amount of garlic for me. I made a whole recipe and I only used a quarter of it. I don't want the rest to go to waste. I am wondering if I could freeze it for future use. It's just for me alone and I would portion in in 2 oz size for when I need some for sandwiches. Please let me know and thank you.
Hi Mary, glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Unfortunately mayonnaise based sauce do not freeze well - when thawed, the emulsion breaks and the sauce separates.
For future recipes, servings can be reduced by hovering over the serving size in the recipe card and using the sliding bar. This adjusts all of the ingredient measurements for you. Hope this helps!