Lemon Basil Aioli

You’re going to love using this Lemon Basil Aioli on everything! It’s bright, creamy, herbaceous, and so easy to make. All you need are 4 ingredients!

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Homemade basil aioli with lemon

It’s a sauce, a sandwich spread, and the best condiment you’ll ever taste. It’s Lemon Basil Aioli!

This homemade basil aioli is a rich and creamy condiment that’s easy to make using 4 simple ingredients:

1. Mayonnaise
2. Garlic
3. Basil
4. Lemon juice

It comes together in no time without any mess thanks to the immersion blender. Pop it in your fridge and enjoy it for up to 2 weeks!

Yes, basil aioli tastes heavenly, with its rich and creamy texture and bright, herbaceous flavors. But it’s particularly amazing because it can be used practically everywhere. Spread it on a burger or in a sandwich, drizzle some over potato salad, use it as a dipping sauce with crispy air fryer potatoes or veggies, enjoy it with baked chicken or grilled shrimp, and so much more! It’s the sauce that keeps on giving.

Is aioli just garlic mayonnaise?

No – it’s so much more! All aioli recipes feature oil and garlic in one way or another. The traditional version (from the Mediterranean) was made by mashing garlic and oil together in a mortar and pestle. Nowadays, cheater’s aioli recipes with mayonnaise are more common (and more hands-off).

Mayonnaise is typically used as the base before fresh garlic is added. From there, flavor boosters are added to customize the aioli recipes. There are plenty to choose from, like fresh herbs, chili powder, pesto, paprika, chipotle peppers, lime juice, roasted red peppers, and so much more.

Ingredients and substitutions

This is a 4 ingredient aioli recipe, which means there’s nowhere to hide! Make sure you use high-quality ingredients to help the sauce taste its best.

Here’s what you need:

• Mayonnaise – Take this recipe up a notch and use homemade mayonnaise instead of storebought. If you’d like it to taste extra rich, swap the regular mayo for Japanese mayonnaise (like kewpie mayo). Egg-free plant-based mayo also works if you want to make vegan aioli.
• Fresh basil leaves – No substitutions here! It wouldn’t be a basil aioli recipe without this fresh herb.
• Garlic cloves – Again, only fresh garlic cloves will do here. You can blend the whole cloves into the sauce or finely grate them using a microplane. Test the garlic flavor as you go; raw garlic has a strong and pungent flavor, which can quickly overwhelm the sauce if you use too much.
• Lemon juice – Squeeze the lemons yourself for the freshest, most vibrant flavor.

How to make basil aioli

I love using an immersion blender to quickly and easily emulsify homemade sauces. A regular blender or food processor works well too! If you don’t have a blender, finely chop the basil and grate the garlic first, then stir everything together by hand.

Regardless of the kitchen tools you have available to you, this recipe is a breeze to put together:

1. Combine the ingredients: Add all of the aioli ingredients to a wide-mouthed mason jar.
2. Blend to combine: Use a stick blender or immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth.
3. Store or serve: Add a lid on top of the jar and store it in the fridge for later, or serve the aioli right away.

Serving suggestions

It’s hard not to love this sauce because of 1. How easy it is to put together, and 2. Its variety of uses. Seriously, you can use it practically anywhere!

• It’s the best upgrade to regular mayo on BLAT sandwiches, caprese burgers, tea sandwiches, and banh mi sandwiches.
• It’s a MUST on this prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich.
• Turn it into a salad dressing by adding a teaspoon of white wine vinegar or extra lemon juice. 
• Use it as a dipping sauce with french fries, air fryer artichokes, pizza, and vegetables.
• Drizzle it on top of roasted vegetables and potatoes.
• Serve some on the side of chicken, shrimp, or fish.
• It’s a creamy sauce you can stir into potato salad, macaroni salad, boiled baby potatoes, and egg salad.

Storing

To store: The lemon aioli will last for up to 2 weeks when it’s stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Want more homemade sauces and dressings? 

• 5-Ingredient Tomato Vinaigrette
• Romesco Sauce
• Ranch Dressing
• Homemade Caesar Dressing
• Red Chimichurri Sauce

Did you try this Lemon Basil Aioli? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below and giving this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to take a picture tag me on Instagram or use #lenaskitchenblog to be featured in my stories! I love seeing what you come up with!