This Lemon Aioli recipe is the next installment of my aioli series. It’s bright, creamy and packed with vibrant lemon flavor.
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I first had Lemon Aioli at a restaurant here in San Diego. They paired it with pile of crispy, fried calamari. I remember absolutely loving this sauce, because it was both rich and super tangy.
Lemon is a common ingredient in mayonnaise and mayo-like sauces, but here, lemon is not just used for balance. Fresh lemon zest is mixed into the sauce, so the lemon flavor really comes through in the end.
This aioli only uses four ingredients (not including salt) and comes together in matter of moments! Continue reading for the recipe.
What is Lemon Aioli?
Lemon Aioli is a mayo-based sauce infused with the flavors of lemon and garlic. Freshly grated garlic adds a sharp bite to the sauce. Lemon zest adds lemon flavor and lemon juice provides acidity and balance.
How to Make Lemon Aioli?
To make Lemon Aioli, stir together mayonnaise, grated garlic, salt, lemon zest and lemon juice. This aioli requires a little more attention, because lemons can vary in flavor and sweetness.
You’ll may have to add a bit more lemon zest and juice to taste. Adding more lemon zest will make the aioli taste more lemony. Adding more lemon juice will make the aioli taste more bright and acidic.
There aren’t many ingredients in this recipe, so make sure they are all good quality. Use fresh garlic (not pre minced) and fresh lemons (not bottled).
Using prepared mayo here make this recipe quick and easy. If you want to take things to the next level, you could use homemade mayo instead. To learn how, check out my homemade olive oil mayonnaise recipe!
How to Use Lemon Aioli?
Lemon Aioli is perfect with chicken, seafood and vegetables. Here are some ways that I love to use it:
- Steamed broccoli
- Grilled asparagus
- Pan-seared Brussels sprouts
- Parchment roasted fish
- Herb roasted chicken
It adds just the right amount of lemony richness to a dish.
Lemon Aioli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup store-bought mayonnaise*
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest, plus more to taste
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- Kosher salt
Instructions
-
Add mayo, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic to a medium bowl, whisking to combine. Season to taste with salt and more lemon juice and zest (I added 1/2 tablespoon more lemon juice and 1 teaspoon more lemon zest to the batch shown here). Store aioli in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
*If you’d like to use homemade mayo instead, try my recipe for Homemade Olive Oil Mayonnaise.
Here are my other aioli recipes on Kitchen Konfidence:
Easy Truffle Aioli
Sriracha AIOLI
Chipotle AIOLI
Pesto Aioli
Spicy AIOLI
SAFFRON AIOLI
WATERCRESS AIOLI
Suzanne says
How long does mayonnaise-based aioli recipes last in the refrigerator after it is made?
Brandon Matzek says
About 3 weeks!
Chef Mimi says
Mmmmmmmm. Artichokes come to mind as well!
Brandon Matzek says
YES!! Great idea 🙂