Roasted Garlic Aioli
A creamy, garlicky aioli made from roasted garlic, mayonnaise, and lemon juice — ready in five minutes of mixing plus a quick chill.
- 1 head roasted garlic
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their papery skins into a small bowl, then mash them with the back of a fork or finely chop them with a knife until they form a smooth, spreadable paste. Set the garlic paste aside while you prepare the base of the aioli.
- In a mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise as your base. Whisking steadily, drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil followed by the fresh lemon juice, working them into the mayonnaise until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the mashed roasted garlic and stir until it's evenly distributed throughout.
- Season the aioli with about 1/2 teaspoon of the coarse sea salt and all of the black pepper, stirring to combine. Taste and add the remaining salt if you'd like a bolder, saltier finish.
- Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, which gives the roasted garlic flavor time to mellow and fully infuse the mayonnaise base.
Chef's Note: Using roasted garlic instead of raw is what sets this aioli apart from a quick garlic mayonnaise — roasting mellows the sharp, pungent bite of raw garlic into something sweeter and rounder, so the finished sauce reads as rich and savory rather than aggressive. If you don't have a head of garlic already roasted, wrapping one in foil with a drizzle of oil and roasting at 400°F for about 40 minutes will get you there.
This aioli is endlessly useful in the kitchen: dollop it alongside fries or roasted vegetables, spread it thickly on burger buns and sandwiches, or spoon it over a finished steak for a rich, garlicky counterpoint. It can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator, making it an easy one to prep ahead of a weekend of grilling.
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