Bring bright, vibrant lemon flavor to your table with this easy lemon aioli recipe. Lemon juice and zest get folded into a creamy garlic aioli base for a balanced sauce that’s perfect for dipping, spreading, and dressing.
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Add a burst of bright, sunny flavor to your dishes with this incredibly versatile lemon aioli sauce! Creamy yet light and zippy, it’s the perfect condiment recipe for everything from seafood to sandwiches to crisp veggies.
Looking to make an irresistibly tangy lemon aioli?
You’re in the right spot! This recipe walks you through crafting the most luxuriously smooth and stable lemon garlic mayonnaise at home. Built on a base of our signature aioli, we fold in vibrant lemon zest and juice to create the ideal creamy, citrusy sauce.
Our guide walks you step-by-step through the homemade aioli process, offering pro tips along the way, like the best oils to use, the importance of room temperature ingredients, and smart tricks for perfectly emulsifying. We’ll also share genius ways to put your homemade lemon aioli to use to add fresh, zingy flavor to everything it tops, like our favorite seafood recipes.
Why settle for store-bought mayo when you can easily make this incredibly addictive lemon aioli? Follow our perfected recipe for a bright, versatile sauce that will quickly become a staple condiment in your kitchen!
Ingredients for Lemon Aioli
- Egg yolk
- Fresh Lemon Juice and lemon zest
- Mustard – use Dijon mustard for an extra bit of heat
- White Vinegar
- Kosher Salt
- Avocado oil – or your favorite neutral oil. Keep in mind olive oil can have a strong flavor.
- Fresh herbs like dill and chives
- Fresh Garlic
- Parmesan cheese for a serious burst of umami flavor.
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
- You can use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh dill and fresh chives on hand but we find the flavor from fresh herbs is better.
- Before reaching for the food processor, start by whisking the egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, and vinegar in a medium bowl to kickstart the emulsification process, ensuring better control and a smoother blend.
- When making aioli recipes, the oil you use matters. Extra virgin olive oil has a very strong flavor. We recommend a neutral oil for a mild flavor so the lemon and herbs really pop.
How to Use
Just like our arsenal of compound butter recipes, our aiolis are perfect for taking any meal from meh to amazing. This lemon herb aioli is the perfect way to add a pop of bright flavor to anything all spring and summer long. Try it on grilled artichokes (or our smoked artichokes), or with grilled asapragus.
It’s perfect dippping sauce to brighten all chicken recipes. Spoon it onto a plate before putting baked chicken quarters or air-fried chicken thighs on the platter.
It’s also good with seafood, like our favorite Maryland crab cakes or sous vide scallops. Try it with grilled trout or grilled tilapia, along with some peppery arugula to feel like you’re dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
How to Store Lemon Garlic Aioli
Store your homemade lemon mayo in a glass jar (like a mason jar) or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Because it uses fresh herbs, it loses its vibrancy after about 4 days, so it’s best served fresh. Give it a stir before using.
Don’t try to freeze aioli, as the freeze-thaw process can cause the emulsification to split.
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Lemon Aioli
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Egg yolk room temp
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Mustard
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- ¼ tsp kosher Salt
- 1 cup Avocado oil
- 1 tbsp Dill minced
- 1 tsp Chives minced
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1 – 2 tsp Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- In your food processor, add the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, and vinegar.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pulse to mix two to three times.
- Set the food processor to spin and slowly pour in the oil from the top.
- The egg and oil will combine and turn off-white, emulsifying into mayonnaise.
- Add the dill, chives, garlic, parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
- Pulse a few more times to combine.
- Spoon into a resealable jar and chill until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Lemon Aioli Step-by-Step
- In your food processor, add the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, and vinegar.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pulse to mix two to three times.
- The egg and oil will combine and turn off-white, emulsifying into mayonnaise.
- Set the food processor to spin and slowly pour in the oil from the top.
- Add the dill, chives, garlic, parmesan cheese, and lemon zest. For an even bolder garlic flavor, add more minced garlic.
- Pulse a few more times to combine.
- Spoon into a resealable jar and chill until ready to use.
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