Whip up this easy kimchi aioli recipe in 5 minutes! It has all the tangy, spicy flavors of classic kimchi blended with homemade aioli. The spicy kimchi flavor of the creamy sauce tastes great with pretty much everything!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make the tangy sauce in two simple steps using a handful of ingredients.
- Use kimchi aioli as a topping, dip, sauce, or dressing to liven up your meals.
What is Kimchi Aioli?
I always joke that I don’t love food as much as I love the sauce I pair it with. And perhaps it’s true because I could put this aioli recipe on everything. Combine tangy, fermented Korean kimchi with shredded cabbage and a velvety homemade aioli, combining egg yolks, fresh garlic, and oil to create an irresistibly delicious sauce that will add a tangy, spicy kick to whatever you pair it with.
What is Kimchi Aioli Made of?
- Egg Yolks: Blend creamy egg yolks with garlic cloves and oil to create a smooth aioli.
- Garlic: I use two fresh garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar cuts into the creaminess of the sauce. However, if your kimchi has a strong vinegar base, leave the rice vinegar out of the sauce or use less. You can substitute it with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard is a creamy addition that prevents the aioli from breaking.
- Kimchi: Kimchi isn’t just a side dish in Banchan. It’s often the main ingredient for recipes. When using kimchi, be sure it’s fermented and aged kimchi – the older, the better! Don’t be afraid to include some kimchi juice for even more tanginess. I add a teaspoon, but you can add more. Also, some store-bought kimchi include fish sauce, oyster paste, or shrimp paste, so inspect your kimchi before use if you have allergies.
- Oil: You will need a neutral oil such as avocado or canola. You can use extra virgin olive oil, but it will alter the color of the aioli.
- Spices: If you aren’t making kimchi from scratch, I recommend tasting the aioli and adding salt (or fish sauce) and gochugaru as needed. I typically include a half teaspoon of salt and 1-2 teaspoons of gochugaru when I make it for my family.
Additions and Substitutions
- Can I make the aioli with mayonnaise? Skip making homemade aioli and use mayonnaise instead. Combine the ingredients for the aioli, then stir in one cup of high-quality mayonnaise, as I do for my Cajun aioli; I recommend Duke’s or Hellman’s. You can also use a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream or full-fat yogurt.
- Consider adding honey or brown sugar to the sauce if you find it too spicy or prefer something sweeter.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
You can use an immersion blender, food processor, or high-speed blender to make the creamy kimchi aioli. However, I highly recommend using an immersion blender when making salad dressings or sauces that require emulsification because I always have the best results.
Use the tall cup provided with the immersion blender (or one of these meal prep containers) to ensure the blender works properly and to avoid a big mess.
How to Make Kimchi Aioli
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine the egg yolks, garlic, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, and kimchi with an immersion blender, food processor, or blender.
Step 2: Pour the oil slowly into a cup or blender while processing until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Taste and season with salt and gochugaru, and stir in more kimchi to serve (if you prefer).
Expert Tips
- Ensure the ingredients are at room temperature before starting – especially the eggs. Cold ingredients make it more challenging to achieve a proper emulsion. I recommend removing the ingredients from the fridge 30 minutes before you make it.
- Depending on the brand of kimchi you include, you may need to include more vinegar if it looks dry to get the right consistency.
Tips for Emulsification
What is Emulsification?
Emulsification is a cooking term that describes combining ingredients that do not naturally mix, such as oil and vinegar, and making them stay together using an emulsifier.
What is an Emulsifier?
An emulsifier acts like a bridge between two opposing ingredients, holding them together in a smooth, 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).
If you enjoy the sauce, try one of these aioli recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Kimchi aioli packs the perfect punch. Slather it onto burgers, sandwiches, or wraps. Drizzle it over bulgogi rice bowls and air fryer skirt steak garnished with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, or use it to flavor your favorite fish and shrimp tacos recipes.
Serve the smooth, kimchi-flavored aioli as a dipping sauce for baked shrimp skewers, roasted potatoes, sweet potato fries, and home fries, or feature it on a vegetable crudite with hummus and beetroot dip. You can also turn the sauce into a tangy salad dressing by adding more kimchi juice and water until you get a pourable consistency.
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover kimchi aioli in an airtight container or glass jar for one week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does kimchi aioli taste like?
Kimchi aioli combines all the best flavors of kimchi – tangy, spicy, and umami-rich with the creamy goodness of aioli for a savory sauce to add tanginess to meals and appetizers.
Is kimchi always fermented?
Yes, fermentation is a necessary part of making traditional kimchi. The brine and length of time the cabbage (and other vegetables) go through the natural fermentation process gives kimchi its tangy, unique flavor.
Is kimchi aioli spicy?
The sauce has a bit of a kick, thanks to the kimchi and gochugaru. However, different kimchi brands offer heat levels to choose from so you can control the heat. I always go for spicy!
If you like spicy sauces as much as I do, try skhug, shatta sauce, and serrano crema.
What is the difference between aioli and mayonnaise?
Aioli and mayonnaise are creamy condiments used to flavor and enhance meals. Mayonnaise combines oil, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Aioli is a Mediterranean condiment made from fresh garlic, egg yolks, oil, and sometimes lemon juice. What sets kimchi aioli apart from other toppings and dips is the tangy addition of kimchi.
More Recipes with Kimchi:
Kimchi Aioli
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup kimchi, roughly chopped, plus 1 teaspoon of kimchi juice
- salt, to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons gochugaru
- ½ cup oil
- Combine the egg yolks, garlic, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, and kimchi with an immersion blender, food processor, or blender.
- Pour the oil slowly into a cup or blender while processing until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Taste and season with salt and gochugaru, and stir in more kimchi to serve (if you prefer).
- Ensure the ingredients are at room temperature before starting – especially the eggs. Cold ingredients make it more challenging to achieve a proper emulsion. I recommend removing the ingredients from the fridge 30 minutes before you make it.
- Depending on the brand of kimchi you include, you may need to include more vinegar if it looks dry to get the right consistency.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.