This is the best, ultra creamy, easy vegan garlic aioli that takes 5 minutes to make and is so much better than anything you can find in the store. No eggs, full on garlic flavour.
Whether you’re vegan or you just don’t like egg based mayonnaise, this recipe is a game-changer. I MUCH prefer it to the egg based version. I’ve always been a bit weirded out by the egg in mayo so I’ve been making this vegan version for years. And being egg free, it also lasts a lot longer in the fridge!
The magic ingredient? Aquafaba.
What is aquafaba?
This is the thick, viscous liquid you’ll find in a can of chickpeas. Yup, that liquid you’re probably throwing away? It’s truly magical! It’s a brilliant egg replacement (the proteins found in the aquafaba act the same as egg white) and here it’s crucial to creating that thick, gloriously emulsified aioli we’re after.
Ingredients
Vegan aioli is made using easy to find store cupboard ingredients, that you probably already have!
- Aquafaba. That magical chickpea juice is KEY here. It mimics eggs so it’s the key binder and emulsifier in the recipe.
- Garlic. I’m using 3 large cloves because I am a big garlic fan. This is very garlicky so go with 2 if you’re a bit worried!
- Apple cider vinegar. I like apple cider vinegar for its fruity tang, but you can use white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar if that’s what you have.
- Lemon juice. This just brings a lovely zesty brightness the aioli needs. Try to use fresh lemon juice if possible. You can use more apple cider vinegar if you don’t have lemon juice.
- Sunflower oil. It’s important to use a neutral tasting oil here. Rapeseed or vegetable oil will also work, but stay away from olive oil because the flavour will be too strong, bitter and overpowering.
- Dijon mustard. This just adds another level of lovely umami. You could use whole grain if you don’t have Dijon.
You’ll also need a blender or food processor. I like using a blender because I find it’s better at creating a super smooth result.
How to make the vegan aioli
The process here is simple, but you do need to make sure you’re adding the oil SLOWLY into the blender with the motor running. Making an emulsification like aioli is a bit of a magical process and it’s key that the oil is added slowly to the ingredients in order for it to emulsify properly. If you pour all the oil in at once, or do it too quickly, you’ll end up with a loose oily mess and it will be very sad (this has happened to me and it’s the worst).
Start by adding the aquafaba, garlic, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and Dijon mustard to a blender and blitz to combine. You’re looking for the garlic to have broken down and for the liquid to look a little frothy.
Then, with the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil and watch the magic happen! That frothy liquid will start to change colour (it’ll go creamy white) and thicken up. If a little oil appears at the top like below, turn the motor off and give it a gentle stir, then turn it on again and keep pouring the oil in. You want to have the motor going quite slowly- if it’s blending too quickly, there’s a risk it could split the aioli.
Once you’ve incorporated all the oil, you’re done! It should be thick, viscous and beautifully creamy.
My top tip for success
It is so key to drizzle in that oil slowly. I like to use something that has a lip to easily control the pour – trying to do it straight from a measuring cup is a recipe for disaster. The oil won’t pour cleanly out of it and it’ll make a mess, believe me, I have tried!! So use a measuring jug and hold it at an angle so a very thin stream is continuously pouring out into the blender.
Pouring in the cup of oil here should take 4 minutes.
You CAN stop the blender and give it a bit of a stir if you need to. Sometimes blenders need a little help to get things moving, especially when things start getting thick. So don’t be worried about stopping the motor if you need to. If you see a little oil on the top of the aioli, stop the motor, give it a brief stir and then put the motor on again until it disappears.
How to fix split mayo
If your aioli does split, don’t panic! There is a way to fix it. You’ll know your aioli has split if it looks runny, grainy and like a curdled cheese. To fix it:
- Remove the split aioli from your blender and get into a container or jug that has a lip. You’re going to pour it BACK into the blender, so you want it in something that’s easy to pour from.
- Clean the blender and add another 60g of aquafaba. With the motor running on low, SLOWLY drizzle the broken aioli back into the blender. Continue until you’re left with the thick aioli you were after!
This works because the fresh aquafaba works as a restabiliser and will emulsify the ingredients again to make it smooth and creamy.
Three ways to use this aioli
You can use the aioli in any way you’d normally use mayo – on sandwiches, as slaw dressing, as a little dip for your pizza crust….the possibilities are endless! These are three of my favourite ways to use it.
- Dollop it into stuffed bao buns
- Use as the base for coronation potato salad or spicy gochujang potato salad
- Dip homemade oven chips into it for an unreal snack.
Got a question?
It’ll last for 3 weeks in the fridge in a covered container, so it keeps really well and for a lot longer than a homemade egg based mayo.
It’s pretty garlicky! Aioli is garlic mayo, so for me, it needs to be garlicky. If you’re worried, take one clove out.
Garlic! Mayonnaise has all the same ingredients, minus the garlic. I rarely make classic mayonnaise because I love garlic too much.
The most likely culprit for this is a strong flavoured oil, like olive oil. You really need to use something that’s neutral tasting – so a vegetable oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil or sunflower oil.
You can make it with an immersion (stick) blender! You’ll need a tall container (like a large glass). Place all the ingredients, including the oil, in the container and leave it for 10 seconds or so until the oil settles on top. Place the immersion blender at the bottom of the container, turn it on and then slowly lift it up through the mixture. This should create a perfectly emulsified aioli! This is a SUPER quick way to do it.
Like this recipe? Here are some other delicious condiments!
- 2 Minute Gochujang Mayo
- Easy Sweet Chilli Jam (30 Minutes)
- Green Tahini Sauce (5 Minutes, Vegan)
- Chilli Oil
If you make this recipe make sure you leave a comment below, I love hearing how you get on with my creations!
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Easy Egg-Free Vegan Garlic Aioli (5 Minutes)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is the best, creamiest easy vegan garlic aioli that takes 5 minutes to make and is so much better than anything you can find in the store. No eggs, full on flavour.
It uses just 8 ingredients and keeps for a lot longer than egg-based aioli. You’ll need a blender for this recipe, but if you don’t have one, I outline how to make this with an immersion (stick) blender in the notes below the recipe.
Ingredients
For the aioli –
- 60ml aquafaba (the liquid from a tin of chickpeas)
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or use white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar)
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup sunflower oil (or another neutral oil, don’t use olive oil as the flavour will be too strong)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or use whole grain)
Equipment –
Blender (or see notes for how to make this with an immersion (stick) blender.
Instructions
- Blend your ingredients. Start by getting your 60ml of aquafaba, 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard into your blender. Blitz for a minute, until the garlic is broken down and the mix is looking frothy.
- Slowly drizzle in the oil. Transfer your 1 cup of oil into something pourable, like a measuring jug. With the blender motor running, very slowly start to pour the oil into the blender. Doing this SLOWLY is key here – if you pour too much oil in your aioli will split and it’ll be extremely heartbreaking. Keep SLOWLY pouring in your oil until it’s all been incorporated into the aioli and the aioli has become creamy white and very thick. Make sure you’re watching the aioli in the blender and stop pouring if you see a little oil collecting at the top. If this happens (it’s fine!) just turn the motor off, give the aioli a gentle stir and then put the motor back on, until the oil disappears from the top.
- Finish and store. And that’s it! The aioli will keep for at least 3 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container.
Notes
To make this with an immersion (stick) blender: You’ll need a tall container (like a large glass). Place all the ingredients, including the oil, in the container and leave it for 10 seconds or so until the oil settles on top. Place the immersion blender at the bottom of the container, turn it on and then slowly lift it up through the mixture. This should create a perfectly emulsified aioli! This is a SUPER quick way to do it.
If your aioli splits, there’s a simple way to fix it. You’ll know your aioli has split if it looks runny, grainy and like a curdled cheese. To fix it, remove the split aioli from your blender and get into a container or jug that has a lip. Rinse the blender and add another 60g of aquafaba. With the motor running on low, SLOWLY drizzle the broken aioli back into the blender. Continue until you’re left with the thick aioli you were after!
You can use white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar here.
You could also use whole grain mustard in place of Dijon.
Don’t use olive oil in this recipe because the flavour will be too strong and it’ll overpower everything else! Stick to a neutral oil like sunflower or rapeseed.
You can make this aioli in advance – it keeps well for at least 3 weeks in the fridge stored in an airtight container – though the garlic flavour will mellow the longer you keep it.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: sauces
- Method: blender
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 30g
Keywords: vegan mayo, vegan mayo recipe, egg free mayo, egg free aioli, egg free mayonnaise, vegan mayonnaise, vegan garlic mayo, vegan garlic aioli, vegan mayo recipe
this is now our go-to and I love being able to use up the chickpea juice! thank you
★★★★★