This is a quick blender-made garlic aioli built on a mayonnaise base — egg whites, raw garlic, oil, and a few pantry staples whipped together in about 10 minutes. It costs almost nothing to make, and a batch of six servings at 83 calories each goes a long way on burgers, sandwiches, or as a dipping sauce. If you already have cooking oil and eggs in the house, you have most of what you need.
About the ingredients
- Cooking oil: Any neutral oil works — vegetable, canola, sunflower, or light olive oil. Avoid extra-virgin olive oil; its strong flavor will dominate the finished sauce.
- Garlic: Three medium cloves give a sharp, upfront garlic hit. If all you have is garlic powder, use about ½ teaspoon — it blends in smoothly and still delivers real flavor.
- Lemon juice: White wine vinegar or plain white vinegar is a direct swap at the same quantity. Both cut through the fat and keep the sauce from tasting flat.
- Sugar: Just two pinches. Granulated, caster, or even a small drizzle of honey all work. It balances the acidity — don’t skip it entirely.
Why this recipe works
The key is adding the oil in two stages rather than all at once. Pouring in a small amount first lets the blender build an initial emulsion with the egg whites; adding the rest after that first blend keeps the mixture stable and gives you a light, cohesive texture instead of a greasy, broken sauce. The lemon juice (or vinegar) also plays a structural role here — the acid helps the emulsion hold together, not just season the finished product.
What can go wrong
- Sauce stays thin and watery: The oil was added too fast before the emulsion formed. Next time, blend the egg-white mixture for a full 20–30 seconds before adding any oil.
- Bitter or harsh garlic flavor: Raw garlic blended at high speed can turn sharp. If your garlic is older or particularly pungent, reduce to 2 cloves — you can always add more next batch.
- Mixture separates in the fridge: This happens when the sauce is stored warm. Let it cool to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating. A quick stir before serving usually brings it back together.
- Sauce tastes flat: The salt and lemon juice amounts in the recipe assume standard table salt and fresh juice. If you used coarse kosher salt or bottled lemon juice, taste and adjust before storing — coarse salt measures differently by volume, and bottled juice is often weaker.
- Texture is grainy rather than smooth: The garlic cloves weren’t fully blended in the first pass. Blend the garlic and egg whites longer before adding oil — at least 30 seconds on high.
Leftovers and meal prep
Store the finished aioli in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Because this recipe uses raw egg whites, don’t leave it sitting out for more than two hours. It does not freeze well — the emulsion breaks on thawing and the texture turns grainy. For meal prep, a single batch covers six servings, so it’s worth making a full batch even if you only need it for one meal; it keeps well and works on anything from grilled chicken burgers to roasted vegetables throughout the week. Skip freezing this one entirely — it’s not worth the texture loss.
Simple Garlic Aioli With Mayonnaise Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium egg whites
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pinches sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup cooking oil
Instructions
- Take a small Mixie jar, add the egg whites, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and some lemon juice. Blend it well.
- Then add 1/4 cup of oil and blend it well. Add the remaining oil and blend it again. It should have turned into a light and fluffy mixture by now.
- Move this to a bowl, and the mayonnaise is ready. Store up for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use whole eggs instead of just egg whites?
Yes, one whole egg can replace the two egg whites. The yolk adds extra fat and lecithin, which actually makes the emulsion easier to form and gives the sauce a slightly richer, creamier result.
Is it safe to eat raw egg whites in this sauce?
There is a small food-safety risk with raw eggs, particularly for pregnant people, young children, the elderly, or anyone immunocompromised. If that applies to your household, use pasteurized egg whites, which are sold in cartons and work the same way in this recipe.
Can I make this without a blender or food processor?
You can whisk it by hand, but it takes effort. Mince the garlic as finely as possible, whisk the egg whites until slightly frothy, then add the oil in a very slow, thin stream while whisking constantly — this is the only way to build the emulsion without a machine.
My aioli turned out very sharp and garlicky. How do I tone it down?
Stir in an extra pinch of sugar and a small squeeze of lemon juice — both soften the raw garlic edge. Letting the finished sauce sit in the fridge for a few hours before serving also mellows the sharpness noticeably.
Can I use olive oil to make this healthier?
Use light or mild olive oil, not extra-virgin. Extra-virgin olive oil turns bitter when blended at high speed with acidic ingredients, and the flavor will overpower the garlic.
How do I scale this up if I need more than six servings?
The recipe doubles or triples cleanly — just keep the ratios the same. The one thing to watch is blender capacity; don’t fill the jar more than two-thirds full, or the emulsion won’t form properly.
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