This rich and creamy Avocado Aioli is made without mayonnaise, plus it's vegan and only takes 5 minutes to make. Use it anywhere you would a regular aioli, smeared on a sandwich, stirred into a coleslaw or simply as a dip for fresh veggies.
I love finding ways to add lots of flavor without much extra work. That is where this simple avocado aioli comes in handy. It has the creaminess of mayonnaise or a traditional aioli but with a lighter, brighter flavor. The natural richness of avocado lends itself perfectly to the base of this simple vegan mayonnaise alternative.
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Ingredients that Matter
This recipe uses only a handful of ingredients, but each one serves an important purpose. Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Avocado. The aioli gets its structure and texture from a ripe avocado. Choose whatever variety you can find, just be sure it's ripe. To check for ripeness, simply press by the stem end and it should give slightly. The avocado helps emulsify the oil to create a cohesive mixture.
- Lemon. The recipe uses both lemon zest and lemon juice. The zest provides a floral lemon flavor while the juice gives the sauce a zip of acid.
- Mustard. The Dijon mustard provides a tangy, umami flavor. The mustard also helps to emulsify the oil into the avocado.
- Garlic. This ingredient is technically optional, but if you like garlic at all, you'll want to use it! Simply grate a fresh clove of garlic and mix into the avocado. You can use roasted garlic or even garlic powder, if you prefer. Or, omit the garlic if you don't want a pungent garlic flavor.
- Olive Oil. Mayonnaise is an emulsion of fat and eggs, whereas an aioli is an emulsion of garlic and fat. Technically this avocado aioli falls somewhere between the two. For this recipe, you can use regular olive oil, extra-virgin olive oil or even avocado oil.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
To make the avocado aioli you'll want to use an immersion blender, small food processor or blender. Technically you can make it by hand, but your arm will get a work out. Here is how the recipe comes together:.
Start by adding the flesh of an avocado to a mason jar (or the base of a small food processor or blender). Then add the lemon zest, grated garlic (grating before blending ensures the garlic incorporates completely), mustard and salt. Pour in the lemon juice.
Blend the mixture until it's smooth then slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to blend.
Continue blending until the mixture is smooth, light and fluffy. Store in a mason jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
When ready to serve, adjust the seasoning with more salt and lemon juice, as desired. Over time the aioli may lose some of its lemony flavor, so add more juice as needed.
Hint: To ensure the aioli keeps its pale green color and doesn't turn brown, do not omit the lemon juice. If you don't have (or don't want to use) lemon juice, add lime juice or a light colored vinegar like white wine.
How to use Avocado Aioli
You can use avocado aioli just about anywhere you would use aioli or mayonnaise. I like it smeared on a sandwich, like our Avocado BLT. Or include it in a dressing for coleslaw or potato salad.
One of our my favorite ways to enjoy avocado aioli is as a dip! It's particularly delicious served with our Air Fryer Steak Fries or our Air Fryer Smashed Parmesan Potatoes. It even goes quite well with our Crispy Buffalo Tofu!
Variations
While this avocado aioli has a distinct creamy avocado texture and bright lemon and garlic flavor, there are simple adjustments you can make to the recipe to amp up the flavor. Try:
- Spicy - Raw garlic has its own spicy flavor, but to add a real kick of heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- Herbs - Add fresh herbs to the aioli. Consider blending in fresh parsley leaves, basil, cilantro or even tarragon.
- Extra Light and Fluffy - To really lean into the light and fluffy texture of this aioli, try stirring in about ½ cup of sour cream, yogurt or Greek-strained yogurt. Be sure to whisk well. This will provide a lighter and creamier aioli.
- Mayonnaise - I designed this recipe as a vegan alternative to regular mayonnaise or aioli, but if you'd like, you can add mayonnaise to the recipe for an ultra thick and creamy dip.
Equipment
Technically you can make this recipe by hand. You'll need to mash the avocadoes with a fork or potato masher than slowly incorporate the other ingredients by hand. But you can make your life a lot easier by using an immersion blender, high speed blender or small food processor.
I like this KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender as it's easy to use and clean. Of course a Vitamix Blender or this Cuisinart Food Processor would also do the trick.
Storage
This vegan aioli will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Be sure to store in an airtight container. To ensure it keeps its green color, use a bit of acid like lemon juice (as written in the recipe), lime juice or vinegar. Do not keep the avocado aioli at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
FAQ
Avocado aioli is a vegan alternative to traditional aioli or mayonnaise. It's made with fresh ripe avocado, lemon zest and juice, garlic and oil.
A traditional aioli is an emulsion of garlic and oil. It's often flavored with mustard, lemon and a big pinch of salt.
You will likely see restaurants or recipes use mayonnaise and aioli interchangeably, but the true difference is that mayonnaise is an emulsion of egg yolks and oil while aioli is an emulsion of garlic and oil.
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Recipe
Avocado Aioli (without mayo)
- Total Time: 5 min.
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
Description
This rich and creamy Avocado Aioli is made without mayonnaise, plus it's vegan and only takes 5 minutes to make. Use it anywhere you would a regular aioli, smeared on a sandwich, stirred into a coleslaw or simply as a dip for fresh veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe medium avocado
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 2-3 Tbsp. lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. table salt, plus more to taste
- 6 Tbsp. olive oil (or avocado oil)
Instructions
- Scoop out the flesh of the avocado (discard the pit and skin) and add to a mason jar or the base of a food processor or blender. Blend until roughly mashed. Add garlic, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, mustard and salt and blend until well incorporated.
- Continue to blend while slowly drizzling in the oil. Blend until smooth, light and fluffy. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and lemon juice, if desired and to taste. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Choose a ripe avocado for this recipe. To check for ripeness, gently press by the stem end and you should feel just a little resistance. The skin of the avocado should be black or dark green.
- Use your oil of choice, such as olive oil, avocado or extra-virgin olive oil.
- Adjust the seasoning of the recipe by adding more lemon juice.
- Prep Time: 5 min.
- Cook Time: 0 min.
- Category: Sauces
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American/French
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