But first, what even is an aioli?

When you see an aioli on a restaurant menu, what do you think of? A creamy, delicious sauce that is going to bring so much flavor to your meal? Or do you think of mayo, but fancier? I mean, they look similar, they feel similar, sometimes I just think an aioli is mayo with flavors. And honestly, sometimes it is, and it's amazing.

But why not just call aiolis mayo? Well, when you think about how they're made, they both have their similarities and differences. For starters, they're both emulsions. This means that they both have substances that don't want to mix together but are forced to mix. Mayo, loosely defined, is an emulsion of neutral-flavored oil like canola, egg yolk, vinegar and/or lemon juice and sometimes a pinch of powdered mustard for flavor and to help the emulsion stay together. And while an aioli pretty much utilizes the same ingredients, substituting canola oil with olive oil, the difference comes with how they are mixed. While mayo is usually created in a blender, aioli's, being from the southern French region of Provence, begins with a mortar and pestle and is mixed all together with a whisk. Crazy difference, right? 

Well nowadays, both are pretty much synonymous, just aiolis tend to have stronger and more diverse flavors. And that's just it, you could go about making aioli from scratch the traditional way, but if you weren't already making your mayo from scratch, then you'll probably more interested in the flavor aspect.

So why not mix mayo with other goodies?

I am telling you, this will be the revolution to your cooking, because almost everybody has mayo. It might sound weird, and of course, if you are not a mayo fan at all, you might have to rethink getting aioli in your burger next time you're out; but the flavors you can attain from mixing the right ingredients with mayo are mouthwatering. You'll soon be able to mix up the perfect dip or spread in mere minutes. And sometimes you'll just feel creative and stumble upon your own mix, the opportunities to amaze your tastebuds are endless!

Aioli recipes that will meet your dipping and spread needs

I think the best part of these aioli recipes is how easy they are to make, and for each occasion too. Plus, you feel like a chef afterward *wink wink*. Let's start with my favorite aioli, the Chipotle Aioli!

Chipotle Aioli Recipe

Remember, you can get creative with this. Feel free to add some lemon, or try an aioli without any of the chipotle and just mayo, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper. The opportunities are endless. But I guarantee you, this Chipotle Aioli is to die for, and you can use it for so much! Here are two other Aioli Recipes we love!

Garlic Lime Aioli Recipe

Spicy Aioli Recipe