Zesty dijon aioli is ready in less than 5 minutes using simple ingredients. The easy-to-make sauce is a perfect dip or creamy spread for sandwiches and burgers.
What is Dijon Aioli?
The creamy mustard sauce is a quick and easy recipe that does not disappoint. It’s like homemade garlic aioli but with extra flavor from the tangy Dijon mustard. Mustard aioli is a great condiment to have handy for sandwiches, roasted vegetables, and crispy potatoes. Plus, it’s way better than the store-bought stuff.
Key Ingredients
- Egg Yolks: Mix raw egg yolks with fresh garlic and oil for the creamy aioli base.
- Garlic: Include three fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard gives the aioli its signature flavor and acts as an emulsifier to prevent the sauce from breaking. Substitute with a different type of mustard, such as classic yellow mustard or whole grain mustard, if that’s what you have.
- Lemon Juice: Include fresh lemon juice from one lemon. Select a lemon with a vibrant color that is heavy for its size. Bring it to room temperature and roll it between your palm and the counter to make it easier to juice. You can use bottled lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, but they won’t have the same fresh flavor as the lemon juice.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil for the dijon aioli, like avocado or vegetable oil. Extra virgin olive oil works, but it will give the sauce a slightly different flavor and color.
- Spices: Taste and season with kosher salt and coarse black pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
- Use mayonnaise. Skip the homemade aioli and use store-bought mayonnaise instead. Combine the aioli ingredients in a small bowl and stir in one cup of high-quality mayonnaise; I recommend Duke’s or Hellman’s. You can also use a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt.
- Experiment with mix-ins. Add a bit of a kick and lots of flavor using prepared horseradish.
- Add fresh herbs. Include fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, basil leaves, or fresh chives.
- Sweeten the sauce. You may want to add honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar for a bit of sweetness.
Tools You’ll Need
Use an immersion blender, food processor, or high-speed blender to make creamy Dijon aioli. However, I highly recommend using an immersion blender when making salad dressing and sauces that require emulsification.
Use the tall cup provided with the immersion blender, a wide-mouth jar, or one of these meal prep containers to ensure the blender works properly and to avoid a big mess.
How to Make Dijon Aioli
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine the egg yolks, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender.
Step 2: Pour the oil into the cup or blender in a slow stream and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Expert Tips
- Ensure the ingredients are at room temperature before starting – especially the eggs. Cold ingredients make it more challenging to achieve a smooth and creamy texture. I recommend removing what you need from the fridge 30 minutes before you make it.
Tips for Emulsification
What is Emulsification?
Emulsification is a cooking term for combining ingredients that do not naturally mix, such as oil and water. To make the creamy emulsion happen, you need an emulsifier to help them stay together.
What is an Emulsifier?
An emulsifier works as a bridge between two ingredients, holding them together to create a stable mixture. The best emulsifiers contain water and oil-friendly properties to help the ingredients combine. The most common emulsifiers are egg yolks, mustard, mayonnaise, soybeans, honey, and xanthan gum.
How to Create a Stable Emulsification
If you want to learn how to make homemade vinaigrette, dressing, hollandaise sauce, aioli, or mayonnaise, then learning how to create a stable emulsification is key.
- Choose an Emulsifier: Select an emulsifying ingredient based on what you are making.
- Combine the Ingredients: Mix the water-based ingredients, such as vinegar or lemon juice with an emulsifier.
- Slowly Add Oil: Add a few drops, then pour the oil gradually in a slow, steady stream while whisking or blending the ingredients. The gradual addition helps to achieve a stable emulsion (so the two liquids combine instead of separate).
How to Save a Broken Aioli
Here is how to save your aioli if it fails to thicken. Begin by whisking a fresh egg yolk in a small bowl. Gradually incorporate some of the broken aioli into the egg. Then, add the new egg mixture to the aioli and whisk to combine. You can combine the ingredients with an immersion blender or food processor instead of whisking by hand.
If you enjoy the creamy sauce, pair it with one of these dinner recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Add Dijon aioli to burgers and crab cakes, or use it as a sandwich spread for deli sandwiches or wraps. Replace regular mustard and mayonnaise with aioli for recipes like deviled eggs, potato salad, and egg salad.
Use the creamy sauce like mustard rib rub as a marinade or glaze for pork chops, beef ribs, brisket, fish, and braised or roasted chicken.
And mustard aioli sauce is a tasty dip for artichokes, french fries, air fryer smashed Brussels sprouts, onion rings, sweet potato fries, chicken tenders, and crispy Scotch eggs.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover Dijon aioli in an airtight container or glass jar for one week.
More Aioli Recipes:
Dijon Aioli
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- lemon juice, one lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ cup neutral oil
- Combine the egg yolks, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender.
- Pour the oil into the cup or blender in a slow stream and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Ensure the ingredients are at room temperature before starting – especially the eggs. Cold ingredients make it more challenging to achieve a smooth and creamy texture. I recommend removing what you need from the fridge 30 minutes before you make it.