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.

Vegan garlic aioli in a glass jar with a gold spoon inside, with garlic bulb on the side.

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.

Table of Contents

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!

Vegan aioli ingredients laid out on a grey marble surface, labelled.
  • 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.

Aquafaba, garlic, lemon juice and salt in a clear blender looking down from above
Frothy liquid aquafaba in clear sided blender looking down from above

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.

White vegan garlic aioli in a clear sided blender, with a pool of oil collecting on the top in the middle, looking down from above.
A red spoon about to give the vegan aioli a stir in a clear sided blender looking down from above.

Once you’ve incorporated all the oil, you’re done! It should be thick, viscous and beautifully creamy.

Oiled being poured into the top of a blender.
White vegan garlic aioli in a clear sided blender with a red spoon scooping some up, looking down from above.

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

Small white bowl with vegan aioli, with a small gold spoon inside.

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.

Got a question?

How long does the aioli last?

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.

How garlicky is the aioli?

It’s pretty garlicky! Aioli is garlic mayo, so for me, it needs to be garlicky. If you’re worried, take one clove out.

What’s the difference between mayonnaise and aioli?

Garlic! Mayonnaise has all the same ingredients, minus the garlic. I rarely make classic mayonnaise because I love garlic too much.

My aioli tastes bitter, what did I do wrong?

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.

I don’t have a blender, can I still make this?

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!

If you make this recipe make sure you leave a comment below, I love hearing how you get on with my creations!

Vegan garlic aioli in a glass jar with a gold spoon inside, with garlic bulb on the side.
Kate Phillips

Easy Egg-Free Vegan Garlic Aioli (5 Minutes)

5 from 4 votes
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 flavor. 
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.
Print Pin Rate Remove Ads
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 2 cups
Course: sauces
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the aioli – 
  • 60 ml aquafaba, the liquid from a tin of chickpeas
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or use white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar
  • ½ 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

  • 1 Blender or see notes for how to make this with an immersion (stick) blender.

Method
 

  1. Blend your ingredients.
    Start by getting your 60ml of aquafaba, 3 chopped garlic cloves, ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, ½ 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 mixture looks frothy.
  2. 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 been incorporated into the aioli and the aioli looks creamy white and very thick.
    3. Make sure you watch 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 turn the motor back on until the oil disappears from the top.
  3. Finish and store.
    And that's it! The aioli will keep for at least 3 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 30g

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.

Tried this recipe?

Let me know by leaving a rating and comment below.
Kate in a kitchen with red pots in the background with arms folded.

Welcome!

I’m Kate, the creator behind Dished. I love creating flavor-packed, simple (ish) recipes for you, designed for every day and special occasions.

Read More About Me

You May Also Like

5 from 4 votes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




8 Comments

  1. Sarah says:

    5 stars
    this is now our go-to and I love being able to use up the chickpea juice! thank you

  2. Amanda says:

    5 stars
    Yum, so easy to make and so delicious.

    1. Kate Alexandra says:

      So pleased you enjoyed it!! It’s a constant in my fridge xx

  3. Frances O'Connell says:

    5 stars
    I’m stunned. I didn’t think this would turn out for me or thicken but it did and it’s super thick and creamy. I’m not vegan but if I can make delicious aioli without eggs and milk then that’s a big expense saved. It’s delicious and passed the test with the whole family despite us usually buying top of the range aioli from the supermarket. I used a bullet blender. So grateful – thankyou!!!

    1. Kate Phillips says:

      Ahhhhh this makes me so so happy Frances!! It’s such a game-changer isn’t it – I 100% prefer this one over regular aioli (I’m not vegan either!)

    2. Kate Phillips says:

      Ahhhhh this makes me so so happy Frances!! It’s such a game-changer isn’t it – I 100% prefer this one over regular aioli (I’m not vegan either!)

  4. Gabrielle says:

    5 stars
    Just made this and its simply amazing!!
    Thank you so much Kate super easy and soo affordable!
    You make me look good and so I’ll make sure I tell them its all you!!

    1. Kate Phillips says:

      You’re so welcome Gabby 💕💕 Love that it worked so well – it’s such a fave of mine xx